Children's Golf Courses

[Adam_F_Collins]

I read that there's a children's golf course in Gullane, Scotland where you aren't allowed on the course without a kid.

Does anyone know of any other children's golf courses? How viable are they as a business in North America?

[TEPaul]

I don't know that I'd refer to it as a "children's course" exactly but Maidstone has a third nine (some of the old original holes of Maidstone) where all the kids play (I guess they have to play there up to a certain age). But adults can play it without a kid along.

And then Fishers Island has that old nine that's separated from the regular course by a few miles where pretty much just kids play---"Hay Harbor" I think it's called.

That old WASP world pretty much had a parent/child culture where kids could be seen but not heard. Apparently Maidstone and Fishers took it to the next level where they didn't even want to see the little no-neck monsters.  

[Bill_McBride]

There is a little course called the Childrens Course, I believe, just west of the Marine Hotel adjacent to North Berwick's West Links.  This seems to be a UK tradition, or maybe just Scottish.

[D_Malley]

the st. martins course at Phila. cricket is similar to what you refer to at fishers and maidstone, except for the fact that two us opens were played on that course.

[John Foley]

Adam,

Years ago I played Celebration in ORlando and they had a very noce Childrens course. Almost l;ike a short game practive area, but it was specifically for kids. The main course also had tee markers at apprx 150 yards in on just about every hole.

[Peter Sayegh]

Adam,

Cobb's Glen in Anderson, SC has a "course within a course" setup with markers in the fairways and separate ratings from those areas.
According to its website, South Carolina is a test market for this initiative and falls under the "Play Golf America" program endorsed by the USGA, PGA, GCSA, and others.
Personally, I haven't seen anyone play from these tees nor have I seen the program advertised elsewhere down here but things may be different come summer.

Peter
 

[Bill_McBride]

Forrest Richardson just finished a little three hole kids course at the Wigwam Resort in Phoenix.  Forgot about that one.

[Frank_Stanger]

I believe Davis Love has designed a six hole course (suitable for children and families) to be part of a new community called WaterSound between Panama City Beach and Destin, Florida.

It is also my understanding that owners at WaterSound will have access to Camp Creek Golf Club, a Fazio course nearby.

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

We have a great program here at Kiawah called "Family Tee."  It runs Easter week, all summer and Thanksgiving week.  In the summer, its after 5pm (a bit earlier Easter and Thanksgiving) we set up tee times on 15 minute intervals on Turtle Point, Osprey Point, Cougar Point and Oak Point.  Parents pay $45 each and kids play for free.  We set up a special set of "Family tees" ranging from 100 to 200 yards out from which everyone must play.  It's a great way for family togetherness and a great way to learn the game (the 15 minute intervals keeps the pressure off the groups).  It's been a real hit with our guests.

[Doug Wright]

Adam,

The First Tee courses (274 open or in development) are nice kids courses.

http://www.thefirsttee.org/Club/Scripts/Home/home.asp

[PThomas]

Kingsmill resort has a 9-holer

[Andrew Summerell]

Are we talking about Pitch & Putt courses. There are a lot of them in Britain & Ireland, especially Ireland where they are attached to a regular course.

In most cases there are no holes over about 120y.

[Tom_Doak]

Andrew:  There are lots of pitch and putts, but the Gullane and North Berwick courses are children's courses -- adults can only play if accompanied by a child.  I hope The First Tee is doing a few courses equally as good.

I walked across both of them last week.  Gullane's is smaller (6 holes) and flatter; North Berwick's has some cool undulations to it.  A few years ago I played out there with my son, him with irons and myself with just a putter ... most of the holes are 70-120 yards and everything is mowed tight.

We have never had a client who wanted to do one of these before, but our project at the Bay of Dreams will include a "barefoot" course of 7-9 holes ... my associates have spent as much time on it as on the main 18.

[Forrest Richardson]

Our "Little Wigwam Golf Links" at The Wigwam resort is 3-holes of 20-50 yards each. Technically you have to be under 12 to play it...but I have seen the occasional grown-up out there!

[Mark_Fine]

Adam,
There are lots of them and there should be many more (and will be if we have our way)    We just built one in the Lehigh Valley.  It opens this May.

I just visited two of them in the Denver area which are part of the City Park program.