Jeff, what do you base your assumptions upon? I had a Jr. golf program that had over a 1,000 kids a yr (some as young as 4). I offered up a suggestion based on years of experience and discussions with golf professionals all around the US at both public and private courses. It wasn't my desire to get into a pissing match, so let's just agreethat we have different opinions on the matter.
Tim,
Of course we can disagree.
I base my opinion on observations made from a simliar background running jr. programs, being strictly a teaching professial for 15 years and being a Head Golf professional for another 10.
I have built 18 hole mini courses for child and parent/child events,routinely put together smaller courses on target greens on ranges and done a variety of creative things to introduce smaller playing areas to the teaching enviroment.
I have occasionally done as you advocate with the 150 yard thing, but I do find that awkward in the absence of a cart.
To me it's the lazy way out as there are
plenty of ways to create shorter courses where players aren't skipping 80% of the total acreage.
Also I'd say most shots wasted by young players are near the greens so the extra two shots to get to the 150 aren't really all that slow-it's the deep bunkers/fescue /fast elevated greens that run the numbers up and slow down play-which is why I prefer to create a course on the range or open field or teeing area where the hazards are on a scale of the course the child is playing.
I'm aware that ithe 150 thing done more today, as opposed to how I grew up where we started on the white tees and flailed away at breakneckspeed to keep pace, which along with proper behavior were all that were required to play the course.
I look at how many more kids are exposed to the game today and how few are retained (statistically speaking on a national level) and I wonder if when we make things easier we aren't just giving kids the same thing they get from their video games where they are shooting in the 50's in a week. letting them play at 150 of course can work, but it tolerates slow play rather than teaching them ways to compensate for their lack of length by planning and playing quickly.
Due to the lack of exposure it seems the opportunity was more coveted then, and kids stuck with it, as opposed to today where it's just one of about 12 activities in a child's day.
Also, just because another pro suggests, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.(based on ssome of the junior programs I've seen,)
As far as seniors, I have a couple of members who come in every year to tell me I need a seperate set of tee markers of a different color on the forward tees for the seniors. Of course these tees aren't for the complainers-
-theyre' for a couple of "older" players they see out there.
I asked "have they complained or are they holding you up"?
"Well,no, but they should be playing a shorter course"