Tips to Making Golfing with Children a Success
Ahhh summer. We can all remember our summer vacations. They seemed like they lasted half the year. Growing up I was lucky to get a membership to my local course for Christmas from my grandparents. My mother dropped me off at the course in the morning and she picked me up on her way home. I played all day, hit balls, and basically became part of the scenery. Eventually in highschool I got paid to be part of the scenery. I learned a lot about the game, a lot about interpersonal skills, and alot about being self reliant. There are a lot of reasons introducing your child to golf can be beneficial.
Our new Family Course is a great opportunity to get the entire family out on the course for about what it costs to go to the movies – $20 after 4pm daily. The Family Course is comprised of two sets of markers in the fairway roughly 100 & 150 yards from the green. This is not only great for novices, it is fun for better golfers as well as a par three course.
Our Under 20 memberships (now only $200), After School Program, Junior Camps and PGA Jr League are all terrific opportunities to get your child in love to the game.
Here are some tips to making the most of your time on the course with your kids:
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Nourishment: Stock up on snacks to keep your child’s energy levels up through the round. Staying hydrated on a hot summer’s day is a full time job so making sure they are getting enough to drink is important.
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Play a Scramble: Keep the experience positive as possible. Frustrated golf is not fun, have everybody tee off and take the best shot and hit from there. It also helps with speed of play.
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Time it Right: This is important because you’re not alone on a golf course and kids can be kids. Playing in the afternoon or evening means the courses are typically less crowded.
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The Right Gear: You don’t need a lot of clubs when you are starting golf. A driver, hybrid, 7 iron, pitching wedge and putter are the perfect set for a junior. Making sure they are kids clubs and not adult clubs hacked down. The right length for them is so important because a child trying to hit a club that is too long makes it extremely difficult to hit the ball solidly.
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Set up a Competition: We see it all the time while teaching juniors, a small prize will increase their focus and they will start making these amazing shots using the techniques they have leaned. It doesn’t have to be a big prize, but we always did winner gets an ice cream cone.
We all live busy lives, golf gives you the chance to connect for a few hours and really spend time with your children. So we hope you’ll give it a try come out and enjoy the beautiful surroundings with your family and friends and see what this great sport has to offer.
