This is a thank-you to all who have encouraged me to take my son out to play now, rather than waiting till he is older.
I’m very lucky that my son seems to want hang around with his old man at the golf course. I have been surpassingly reluctant to encourage him, since this is the source of my bond with my father. Simply put, I became a golfer (and then a golf architect) because I inherited my father’s love for the game. Once I realised that he really wanted to play, and that it had nothing to do with pleasing me, I was excited about taking him to play golf.
The biggest question I had was how? Last fall many of you sent me suggestions. With the encouragement of Gene in particular, he said simply “just take him to the course and play”. The advice was to let him tee up anything he wanted to, let him pick up to keep up with play, but make him hit every chip and putt. What great advice.
Dad and I took Cam out to the local muni for a lesson. Cam was carrying his very first set of clubs, that we had bought to fit to him properly. I must say that the equipment manufacturers have created lines of cheaply price junior clubs of real quality. I think this is one group that has done its part to help promote future golfers.
My father is a good teacher, who wanted to make sure that he had a good swing before we even considered taking him out. He struggled for a while, as we made subtle correction to his grip and posture, until he proceeded to hit the ball regularly in the air with a nice swing. Before you worry about me, I have no interest in a competitive golfer, I just want to play golf with my son.
He hit the ball well enough and consistent enough that we decided to play. It was a nice quiet Tuesday afternoon at the muni, and there was nobody on the tee of one of the three nines. Perfect let’s go! We went into the pro shop and said we wanted to play nine holes. At the local municipal course we were told “he’s too young to play”
My dad said “there’s nobody out there and he hits the ball fine, besides he’s with us and we’ll pick up to keep up.” They said NO, there are too many regulars (ie seniors) who play at this time. I paid for a twosome in silence.
Needless to say, I stuffed Cam’s clubs in the side of my bag, and Dad and I went out as a twosome “with a caddie.” We played the first hole as a twosome and the rest he played without picking up.
I can not possibly describe the joy of watching both my father and son play. It was the first round where I can not remember a single stroke of my own, but I remember every chip, putt and duff of both in detail. My father began the day slightly worried about holding people up, but by the middle of the round was smiling and laughing at each of Cam’s shots. Surpassingly he hit some great shots.
The great lesson I learned from this (and from people on this site) was that my son was ready to play at 9. I had stupidly thought that 14 was about the “right” age to start. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The other thing I have also discovered is that finding a place where he is accepted to play is very difficult. The first tee program is great unless it isn’t in your city (like us). My biggest problem is places that will allow him to play. I’m personally lucky that a couple of private club (clients) have encouraged me to bring him out “late” this year. This left me thinking of the other young public players and what alternatives they have. I think this may be golf’s biggest challenge.
Anyway, thanks to the people on this site that encouraged this day to take place, it was simply the best day of golf I have had…..so far!