What is Drive, Chip and Putt teaching kids?

[Michael Graham]

The DCP coverage is on Sky Sports here in the U.K this evening.

I think it's great, I can make a cup of tea during their pre-shot routine and be back in time to see them hit the ball.

[Kalen Braley]

http://www.sbnation.com/golf/2016/4/3/11355116/masters-drive-chip-putt-competition-augusta

[Doug Siebert]

On a related note, do the naysayers in this thread also go to the range and criticize the guy in the next stall for taking too long in between practice shots?

Don't you want to take the same preshot routine for a shot on the range you'd take on the course? Otherwise what's the point of the being on the range? So if the guy next to you is taking shots slowly because he's got a long preshot routine then you can bet he's going to be at least as slow on the course. There could be other reasons he's taking time though that have nothing to do with a preshot routine, i.e. if he's trying to figure out a new swing move or whatever.

I never go the range - the only time I've set foot on one in at least the past five years is hitting a dozen balls in the morning to warm up before the 5th Major. Mostly because I never play in the morning and my muscles still haven't woken up yet. When I do that I do the same (maybe 8-10 second long) preshot routine of taking a practice swing, lining up behind the ball, then taking my stance and grip while aiming at the spot in front of me I found when lining up behind the ball, before pulling the trigger. What's the point of hitting balls if you aren't doing it the same way you would on the course? I mean, I could bring a left handed club and take lefty shots and warm up the muscles just the same, but I might as well do it right handed so I can see how I'm going to be hitting them that day.

[Stan Dodd]

The Drive Chip and Putt reminded me of an elaborate birthday party for a one year old.  The kids are there but it really is for the adults, to show the world how much the green jackets help junior golf.  Lets watch Condi Rice shake hands of junior golfers every time.  The 1%er's host the children of other !%er's in the ultimate playground of 1% er.s. In the end all for show and very little substance or lasting impact.

[Mark Pearce]

The Drive Chip and Putt reminded me of an elaborate birthday party for a one year old.  The kids are there but it really is for the adults, to show the world how much the green jackets help junior golf.  Lets watch Condi Rice shake hands of junior golfers every time.  The 1%er's host the children of other !%er's in the ultimate playground of 1% er.s. In the end all for show and very little substance or lasting impact.

This is why this site needs a like button.

[RJ_Daley]

Yes Dave, if only that the powers that be in golf promotion, including the mantra of these First Tee chapters and these DPC competitions sell the soap brand that says they are doing these events amongst the youngsters in order to broaden the game to every all kids, including the disadvantaged kids.  So then they stage the big event at a place that < .1% could play as a member or guest, on a course practically no other golf operation could match in maintenance costs or aura and trappings of the elite. 

[Joe Bausch]

Raise your hand if you have a few old Punt, Pass & Kick trophies in the attic.  I have several plus the even more rare necklace medallion earned with a broken right arm.   No authentication required.

Bogey

[RJ_Daley]

Dick:  thank you for making my point.  You can't run around and blather about all the great things that have been done to "grow the game" and then turn around and complain about how the game is restricted to the children of 1%ers.

Particularly when you're also simultaneously complaining about all the "curmugeons" criticizing the death march, virtually guaranteed 5 hour round slow play mannerisms of these kids. 

Well Dave... I can't think of a time I blathered (assuming you mean tautted) all the great things that have been done to grow the game.  What great things have those been?  I am a firm believer that the two most important and effective things that should be done, or a goals set to grow the game are to make it accessible to as many as possible on a cost basis, and access.  I have railed here more than once on ridiculous time wasting learned playing habits mimicking TV players. 

BS you may call it, but duplicitous, not so much from here.

Honest to pete, I think that an awful lot of those 1%ers sitting around the smoking rooms of the elite clubs are wasting more time complaining about folks who are complaining about them, while also not working so much as they falsely promote themselves since a great number of them were born with a silver putter in their mouth and greatly benefit by talking down the 'indolence' of those who weren't born like them on third base thinking they were hitting a homer. 

 

[John Kavanaugh]

Ok, now having read the rest...

Nonsense. 

I'm a Joe Schmoe. There is nothing special or unique about me.  You know that and I know that.   I honestly think the only reason I'm one of the 1% is by default.  That means it ain't my fault. 

So I refuse to get painted with some broad brush that applies to 1 in 100,000,  not 1 out of 100. 

The truth is that 99% of the 1%ers are normal people born with no spoon in their mouths at all that simply work their asses off.  If there's a reason to slam them that makes logical sense, I'm all ears....

Now that's some funny stuff. Do your kids buy that line of crap?

[John Kavanaugh]

As one who golfs for fun often during the work week I am more proud of the opportunities provided to me by the hard work of my Grandfather and Father than anything I have done on my own.

[Kalen Braley]

Of course they do, because by definition, they're got silver spoons in their mouths already.....

[Mark Pavy]

Well, it sure as he'll isn't teaching the parents anything.  Or these kids' instructors... That's for sure!

I have been harping on pre-shot routines as a major cause of slow play since before Eldrick fiddled with his first Cheater Line. 

The junior game is poisoned by slow play and in Peter Jacobsen's words: this "elaborate pre-shot routine" crap.  He lauded it.  I call it crap. 

Spineless teachers don't have the balls to tell the kids they don't need any of this crap.  They're scared of the parents pulling out - and going to some other spineless teacher who will tell the parents what they want to hear.  It's a vicious cycle of a race to the bottom of a narcissism competition. 

It's not the kids' fault.  They're just doing what they're told.  This is ALL on the parents and the teachers who either actually BELIEVE this is good teaching or refuse to stand up to the parents who do.

This is so bad for the game, it's scary. And NOBODY says a word.  In fact, they PRAISE the routines and how theses kids are doing things the right way.  It spoils an otherwise AWESOME event - arguably the best event in the game, if not THE best.

I would agree.

You haven't even mentioned the absolutely worst part of junior golf.

Allowing children to believe that becoming a Touring Golf Professional is a serious career option.

I have been teaching kids golf for a long time, many of the local club pros in my area I taught at one stage or another. I have had many conversations with parents when the child reaches a certain age regarding golf and career paths. I have never ever advised a parent or child to pursue a career as a Touring Golf Professional.

ANGC is so far removed from the front line of golf that it is obsolete.

[BCrosby]

DC&P puts kids in the spotlight for college scholarships. That's the point of most junior golf tours/tournaments. They are the equivalent of taking college boards for young golfers.

Bob

[Jud_T]

I'm with Shiv on this.  My kid quit competitive golf in part because it was a non-fun medal play grind with the worst kind of stage parents hovering over 10 year olds plumb bobbing 2 footers all day on their way to shooting 90.  It may be a convenient way for assistant college coaches to gather data on future recruits, but Junior Golf as it stands, at least what I've seen of it, is no way to grow the game or even keep it at its current levels of participation.

[Rick Shefchik]

I agree with Shiv -- the first thing I noticed about the DCP competition was how interminably long the pre-shot routines were, in an otherwise admirable event.


And it coincided with an observation I've had since the new golf season has arrived here in Minnesota: the only kids I see playing golf are dressed like miniature PGA Tour pros. I'm all for a certain amount of decorum on the golf course, and kids need to learn etiquette, of course, but where are the kids in shorts and sweatshirts just playing for the fun of it? We are not growing the game; we're growing a generation of competitive golf nerds while losing the recreational player.

[Kalen Braley]

I totally get where many are coming from on this thread....but it seems like its a no win thing on this board.

If I had a nickel for every whining post on this site I've read about disrespectful, backwards hat wearing, foul mouth, club chucking, no respect kids, I'd be retired by now....

And now we have some kids who work hard, set goals and chase them, dress appropriately, have enthusiasm for the game, and are seemingly on the right track....and we get this.

I guess the old saying is true...kids these days can't do anything right, even when they're doing everything right.

[Rick Shefchik]

Kalen, my comment was not a criticism of the well-dressed, dedicated kids. I just wonder where the rest of them are.

[Kalen Braley]

Kalen, my comment was not a criticism of the well-dressed, dedicated kids. I just wonder where the rest of them are.

Fair enough Rick,

I'm guessing the group of kids who played are there because they won local and regional events....so it was only the "cream of the crop" at ANGC.

[BCrosby]

Junior golf has always been competitive. I played in a lot of junior tournaments.


What is different is how we now model those tournaments on a PGA event. That might actually be good preparation for top tier juniors looking to play for a D-1 college.


It is a huge turn-off for the vast majority of juniors who are out to have a good time with friends. That is what happened with my son. He has a wonderful swing and good instincts for the game. But he quit golf because, as he put it to me, it was just another thing he was being tested on and he had enough of that at school.


That is not how golf is supposed to feel to a 16 year old. He is now 26 and has no interest in playing. It is one reason, I'd guess, why the game has lost so many millennials.


Bob 

[BCrosby]

Yep. And I count myself among the guilty.


Bob