Playing with the kids (OT)

[Tim Taylor]

So I took my 6 y/o daughter and 4 y/o son to the course with me on Sunday afternoon. First time I've ever had them together. My daughter hit a few decent shots with a kids PW and my son smacked it around with a little tyke putter. Mostly, he was interested in using the sand mix to fill in divots.

It was a blast. Got in five holes before mom was ready to meet us in the grill room for dinner. Played well, 1 over for five holes. Might have to bring the kids to the member-guest next year.

Token GCA content - thanks to 20 days w/o rain the course was very firm and fast with plenty of brown in the fairways. Our greens have managed to stay alive and green when I've been hearing that other courses in our area (DC Metro) are in dire shape.

TimT

[Andy Hughes]

Tim,
I played Blue Mash (Olney, MD) last week, and it was amazingly damp and soft.  I could have sworn based on the condition that it had rained the night before, though I know it didn't.  Several drives actually took ball marks and hopped backwards.  Fairways and greens in very good shape.

Andy

PS Oh yeah, that's nice about the kids  
I can't wait for my baby to get bigger for just that reason.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Tim,

Alice Dye's book has some lessons on how to play with kids in such a way to make them want to come back. A good read in that regard, and I have been lucky enough to get the personal version from Alice herself, which I applied to my son at least. I feel badly that my daughters have only a passing interest in golf.

My favorite technique (not Alices) is to allow them to drive the cart a bit if they hit three good shots in a row!

[Bruce Katona]

I take my eight year old daughter with me for nine holes when time permits us both.  In addition to hitting some rather splendid shots, usually off a tee, she is very interested in filling divots (We usually have to refill the divot mix bottle at least twice), looking for other peoples lost golf balls, searching for frogs and having a snack.

With all of that going on, we still get around in 2:15 for nine holes on a lovely weekend afternoon.

[Jerry Kluger]

I love playing with my sons (11 and 9) although the 9 year old isn't really into it yet.  I've been playing with the 11 year old since he was about 7 or 8 and taught him to play left handed ala Mickelson as he stood opposite me at the range (He also bats left in baseball which is cool).  I think one of the reasons he enjoys it is that I have never put any pressure on him, that's right, I have never kept score when we play together.  When he's ready to be competitive then he will keep score but until then it's the fun of playing together.  BTW, I taught him the ground game and he loves to play the bump and run into the greens.  Here's what to avoid in my mind - we played with another father and son who was 13 in Hawaii.  On the first hole the son had a putt of about 10 inches and I said it was good but the father said the kid was starting to play in tournaments and was to putt everything out - that's okay with me but on the next hole the kid doesn't clear the junk with his tee shot and  the father says to just drop on the other side - what's the story there?

[Dan Kelly]

My favorite technique (not Alices) is to allow them to drive the cart a bit if they hit three good shots in a row!

Jeff --

How many good shots do they have to hit before you'll let 'em run over a chipmunk?

Dan

[THuckaby2]

Jerry:

That is odd - putt everything out but don't follow a very basic rule?  Perhaps he didn't want to slow YOU down too much, and just did the one "strict rules" thing that wouldn't do so?  Who knows.

I have a son (7) and a daughter (10) and the son loves the game, but is far from ready to play on a big course.  He did get to drive a cart recently though and oh yes, that's now the draw.  We're gonna try to do that again soon, after the fall sports season dies down.  Tough to do at local public courses, but we'll find a way.  My beloved Santa Teresa has created two different sets of kids tees - one seems to be at 200 on each hole that goes that long, one seems to be at 150 or less - it's really neat - and my son is close to being able to do those.  A round there with the cart might get him really jazzed.  In any case I too don't push him - we go when he begs enough.  And he does beg.  

My daughter already thinks golf is an uncool thing that Dad does, one among many.

 

[Kenny Lee Puckett]

M&M's work well with my 6 & 4 Y/O.

Lawn Hockey at its best!

They really are starting to understand the ground game, but want to fly it high and stop it.  Should I nip this tendency in the bud?  ;>

JWK

[CHrisB]

Tim,

I have a 4-year-old daughter who goes out with me occasionally to the course. Our routine seems to be:

(1) Go to the practice bunker, set up my giant golf umbrella in the sand, let her play "beach" under it while I hit a few bunker shots,

(2) Cart ride to the 17th hole, which has a waterfall and a ledge overhanging a lake. Have a tee race down the waterfall. Tell (and retell) her the story of the one guy who got too close to the edge and fell in,

(3) Ride back to the putting green and hit a few putts (she has a putter), then I keep putting while she goes to the cart and draws on the scorecard,

(4) Go to the range and hit a few. Let her hit her putter off a tee. Set up the umbrella on the range and let her fill divots with sand while I hit a few more,

(5) Cart ride to the 12th hole, a par 5 that borders a ranch all the way down the right side. There are cows there, but we look for the 2 donkeys so we can feed them grass and weeds through the fence.

Last time we actually went out on the course and I played 9 holes. She didn't want to leave, so that was encouraging. I don't know how long it will be before she wants her own clubs, but I think she's at least hooked on being out there!

[ForkaB]

This thread makes me realize that there can be a positive utlity for golf carts!  My 8 and 12 year old girls are happy enough having a few swings and even taking lessons, but once you get them out there walking and (SHOCK HORROR!!!!) asking them to carry their wee bags, ennui and then rebellion breaks out after 100 yards or so.  I'm sure if there were carts available on either of my home courses, they could do 9-holes with a smile, and if I used the Brauer Bribe system, maybe even 18 for the eldest.

The real problem is, how do you get them off the carts once you've let them get on........?

[bstark]

  My daughter has a great swing at age 10, the asst. pro loves her energy. My son at age 9 would rather play baseball.

 The best part of golf at this age is the nature aspect. The pond with frogs on #2. The fox family who watches us play up to #3. The deer who run across #4. By the fifth hole we are ready to hit the bar for Cokes and teezels......

  Now that's livin......

[THuckaby2]

This thread makes me realize that there can be a positive utlity for golf carts!  My 8 and 12 year old girls are happy enough having a few swings and even taking lessons, but once you get them out there walking and (SHOCK HORROR!!!!) asking them to carry their wee bags, ennui and then rebellion breaks out after 100 yards or so.  I'm sure if there were carts available on either of my home courses, they could do 9-holes with a smile, and if I used the Brauer Bribe system, maybe even 18 for the eldest.

The real problem is, how do you get them off the carts once you've let them get on........?

Same issues here, Rich.  When we play and walk it's either Dad here who carries the clubs or mutiny results.  To answer your question though, the hope is that over time the love for hitting the shots grows in disproportion with the need to drive/ride on carts.  That's the hope anyway.

 

[Dan Kelly]

The real problem is, how do you get them off the carts once you've let them get on........?

You do the Hard-Ass Dad bit and lay down the law!

Notice I said "You."

When I figure it out for me and mine, I'll let you know.

P.S. Rose is perfectly happy to walk when she must -- in her high-school competitions, and when I say we're walking. But give her the cart option, and she'll take it.

I'm expecting this cart urge to pass (she does know better) when she's old enough to drive much faster and more dangerous *shudder* things.

[Michael Moore]

I have been too lazy to purchase plastic clubs for my eighteen month old boy, so he has to use my equipment.

He is currently able to grab my wedge halfway up the shaft and push a Titleist around the living room floor. He also likes to take a ball in each hand and bang them together. Finally, he likes to say "Daddy golf".

[Dan Kelly]

Finally, he likes to say "Daddy golf".

My daughter's first subject/verb/direct-object sentence, at 22 months, was: "He missed the putt."

Your son's grammar could use some word -- but that's a complete sentence!

[Tim Taylor]

Blue Mash is a pretty good hike from Reston so maybe there's been some rain up in Montgomery County.

TimT

Tim,
I played Blue Mash (Olney, MD) last week, and it was amazingly damp and soft.  I could have sworn based on the condition that it had rained the night before, though I know it didn't.  Several drives actually took ball marks and hopped backwards.  Fairways and greens in very good shape.

Andy

PS Oh yeah, that's nice about the kids  
I can't wait for my baby to get bigger for just that reason.

[Rob_Waldron]

Kids are getting too good!

We allow Juniors with single digit handicaps to participate in our Men's Club Championship. The 17 year old medalist shot 2 under par 69. The second low qualifier is 15 years old who shot 72. A couple of 40 somethings (Including yours truly) tied for third at 73. The kicker was a 12 year old who not only qualified but won his first round of match play. BTW he made 6 birdies in his match.

[Bob_Huntley]

On Sunday last we invited a ten year old boy to play with us on the Dunes Course at MPCC. He weighed less than ninety pounds, was four foot something. We played the Gold Tees, (back markers) and he forsook the Black tees and went off the Blues at about 6100 yards. He reached the green on the first hole, slightly uphill and 385 yards. I was astonished and asked if he had a handicap. He replied that it was a three.

In conversation it came out that a month or so ago he played in the Callaway Junior Worlds in San Diego and came third in the 10 to 11 age group.  He played eleven holes with us and was a couple over par then left to play in a tournament at Spyglass. He shot 80 that afternoon from the Regular tees and won his match.

The interesting thing about the young man is his demeanor and manners. One of our members was on the practice tee and in conversation mentioned that he had aced the seventh hole at Cypress. The kid asked how many holes in one he had had, the reply was seven. The member then asked the young boy if he had had an ace and the reply came back in a flash...." Yes sir, fourteen, but eleven of them at Peter Hay and the others on a proper golf course."


Keep his name in mind, it's Michael Decker. We might hear much from him in the years to come.