OK - you love to go golfing and you always, well almost always, have a great time on the course. Getting outdoors in the sunshine, on beautiful park-like grounds does something to remind you how much fun life can be. You've thought about it - wouldn't it be great to share the experience with the kids? You've imagined giving each other high fives after a great shot, even sharing memories for years to come after a great trip to the course. You haven't brought them along yet, because you're concerned about them hitting the ball all over the place, keeping up with the group ahead, and the resultant stress turning your beloved sport into an exercise in discipline and disappointment on all sides. I'm here to tell you you're not alone. As the father of three boys (I began teaching them how to play golf at 5 years old - they're now 17, 19 and 21), I too was hesitant in bringing them to my "outdoor sanctuary". I'm glad I gave it a try as it has resulted in a lifetime of fun for all of us, and I'll share some tips in the hope you too will give golfing with your kids a try. Tip #1 - Get them some good equipment. Junior golf clubs have come a long way since we used cut down clubs as kids. There are now even junior hybrid clubs! I have been building custom junior golf clubs for a little over nine years now (over 20,000 clubs at last count) and the quality and technology that's available for juniors these days is spectacular! Tip #2 - Teach your kids the basics of the grip, stance and swing in the backyard, or in the house with plastic whiffle balls. At this point there is no need for formal instruction for the youngest ones, as they need to get out there and have fun right away. All they need from you is to show them how to place their hands on the club, not grip it too tight, and how to swing with smoothness and tempo, rather than as hard as possible. Tip #3 - Get the clubs into their hands as much as possible. If there's a driving range nearby, perfect. Try to get them down there as much as possible, and make sure to not skimp on the sodas or trips to their favorite fast food restaurant afterwards. Or set up some cups in the house or backyard. Pins and cups are available on-line for the backyard; tournaments can even be set up with neighborhood kids. Our kids even constructed trophies using cardboard, felt pens and scraps of wood. Tip #4 - Contact the local course to find out the best times for kids to play. Your local Par 3 is the absolute best place to take kids when they are just starting out. Tip #5 - When you arrive, make sure to give them the following guidelines: no running on the greens, do not hit until I tell you it's OK to hit, do not set your clubs on the green, and last but not least, we're here to have fun. If at any time you are not having fun, let me know and we'll go home. Let them know it's OK to get frustrated, just keep trying and remind them it took you a long time to learn to play. If they lose interest, leave right away before it turns ugly.
Tip #6 - To keep score or not to keep score - you be the judge. As a tee ball coach we were told not to keep score, but many of the parents did anyway. It's part of our competitive nature to know "who won". If you do keep score, that's fine, just remind them they are there to learn, not to score well on every hole. What matters most is that they have fun, learn more about the game and want to come back and do it again! Golfing with kids can be a blast or it can be a disaster. Hopefully these tips will help you eliminate the disaster part and replace it with a lot of fun and great times out on the course!