Do you want your child to love golf – Follow this 8 step guide!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Parents, get out of the way and let them play golf!
In my work, I see a lot of games. A lot of athletes and a lot of interesting coach and parent behavior. The last one is the topic of this story, because parent behavior is a critical piece in how much young players enjoy golf, And how long they keep playing.
The sad reality is that the majority of young athletes, including young golfers, drop out of competitive sports by the time they reach the age of 14. A study from the National Alliance of Sports tells us that more than 70 percent of young athletes leave competitive sports by that age. Why? It has nothing to do with the game. It likely isn’t the competition, the work involved or the effort required. Instead, it is the young people’s greatest fans, their parents — and sometimes their coaches — who take the fun away and make the experience of sports too complicated for the child to enjoy.
Instead of the pure joy of playing and achieving, young golfers get bogged down by heavy expectations, the pressure to win, and other complications introduced by the very adults who are most invested in them playing the sport. This may not be you, but for the sake of organized youth sports, please read on. And if you agree with what’s written, pass this story on.
Egos Run Amok.
I’ve run a number of sessions on high performance for young golfers recently; a hot topic is always pressure and how young golfers handle it. Part of the complication is that mom and/or dad are often the biggest source of pressure. They create expectations that might be difficult to reach, and over time, that sucks the fun out of the game for their kids.
Is it really about the kids or the parents’ egos? The kids, with their $300 shoes, top-of-the-line equipment, and bag full of Pro Vs look like mini-professionals, one step from the tour. What starts out as a desire to have their kids be active and play their parent’s favorite game can sometimes shift into something else. Motives change, and often not for the better.
Do You Have a Frustration Gap?
Many parents see their child on the course or the practice tee as what they’d like their child to be, and not what their child actually is. I call this the Frustration Gap. Parents watch their kids perform and the frustration builds … and builds … and builds as the parent waits for the child to reach the performance level the parent hopes to see.
While this frustration is not much fun for the parent, it is less fun for the child, who is constantly trying to live up to the parent’s expectations. Usually, those expectations are unrealistic, and not in line with the child’s abilities or motivations. This tension is a performance crusher, and can lead a child in the wrong direction – sometimes out of the game for good.
The Mini-Van Golf Prison.
Is your vehicle a Mini-Van Golf Prison, a place your child is trappedas you express your frustration with his or her performance? While most parents have good intentions for these chats, their budding professional becomes the target for all sorts of emotions felt by the parent while watching their child and expecting more.
I Predict the End of Junior Football in 5 Years – Tops!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
We’ve all been aware for years of the risks of physical injury inherent in playing football.
It is only recently that the effect of head injuries has received big exposure. In addition to coverage in various media about this topic, a movie titled ‘Concussion’ has debuted. This movie highlights the seriousness of brain trauma, which can occur in high-impact sports like football. It is strongly recommended in the film that children under 18 years should not play contact sports. Junior Football is particularly susceptible to this kind of trauma because of the age of the competitors. Their outer cranium has not fully developed yet and therefore causes for greater concern.
But it isn’t until guys like Mike Ditka, one of football’s most prominent coaches ever and former player, weigh in on the issue that people really listen. You’ve likely heard Ditka’s recent comments for the Chicago Tribune that he wouldn’t deny his kids a chance to play football but that he would try to steer them towards the safer sport of golf.
Earlier in 2015, Ditka told Bryant Gumbel that he wouldn’t allow him to play football if he had an 8-year old right now. Ditka said, “I think the risk is worse than the reward.” Wow. I admire an icon in any sport which puts safety above all, even if it means the decline of popularity in said sport.
Will you choose golf or other less-injurious sports for your child?
Jason Day’s 5 Tips to get your kids to start playing – #3 is key!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
I have always enjoyed teaching kids to play golf.
The look of thrill in kids’ faces when they hit a good shot always brings a smile to my face. I have always deemed it to be an honor to start a child on the path to golfing success. There so many reasons to get your kid(s) started in golf. Learning honesty, integrity, and respect are just 3 of many life lessons they can learn while starting golf. Jason Day gives his 5 reasons why you should encourage your children to accompany you to the range the next time you go. Thanks to Golf Digest and photographer Walter Iooss Jr. for this interesting article.
Welcome to the Family Issue. This is my son, Dash Day, who is 3½. He loves to hit balls. We’re not at the big course just yet, but I’m looking forward to all the rounds we’ll play together. Golf Digest asked me to share what we’ve been working on. Mainly, I just try to keep it fun, but I do certain things that might help you teach your rug rat. No matter what ages you have at home, you’ll find useful information on equipment and trips, plus stories from the tour and more in the coming pages. Although rounds with friends are special, there’s nothing quite like golf when it’s blood on blood.
— With Max Adler
DESIRE
Dash was a year old when he learned to walk, and that’s right about the time he got his first plastic golf club. He’d storm around swinging it one-handed. Six months later, he began gripping the club with two hands, but apart like holding a hockey stick. I figured it was correct enough that his right hand was on the bottom and just let him have at it. Before he turned 2, my friends at TaylorMade sent a cut-down JetSpeed driver. In these photographs, Dash has his new M1 driver. Amazing.
I was kind of pushed into golf as a kid, so I vowed never to do that with my son. My rule is, Dash has to ask me to go to the range. Our family travels to most tournaments in our RV, and our “home” is almost always parked on or near a golf course. So the game is very present in his world. Dash will grab his driver and say, “Hit balls, hit balls.” He really likes it, and watching his face light up when he connects with one brings me great joy.
‘My only swing thought: hit down on the ball to make it pop up.’
My coach and caddie, Colin Swatton, took me from a 12-year-old to where I am today. If Dash ever decides to pursue golf seriously, I’ll put Col in charge. I’d be too technical a teacher for a junior. For now, I just do my best to make it fun. If that ever stops being enough and Dash wants to play golf to win, that desire will have to come from within. Not from me.
‘If Dash ever wants to play to win, that desire will have to come from within.’
PATIENCE
No matter how much patience you have, when you become a parent, you find more.
It’s a good thing to have a lot of—in life and in golf. When Dash and I go to the range, I think we both build this quality in ourselves. To even tee a ball is a delicate motor skill at his age, and so to steady his hand, he must really focus and not get unnerved by failure. Me, I’ll be kneeling there, feeding balls and encouragement—not gushing positive feedback, but enough to let him know he’s doing a good job—all while watching that split grip. Once his hands began to migrate closer together, it took more than a month for them to finally touch. A couple times, I did try physically moving his hands and explaining why, but what really worked was Dash watching me hit balls. He understood it on his time. That’s golf.
Encourage your kids to play golf and they will thank you forever!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
There are several reasons why your child should be encouraged to play golf. Here are 4 of the most important.
1. Golf breeds honesty and integrity. When you play with others who call penalties on themselves, You correct your scorecard before you sign it, etc!
2. Golf breeds camaraderie. Playing with friends and learning to encourage each other!
3. Being on time. When you play golf you have a tee time. Miss that and you do not play! Understanding that there are consequences for your actions!
4. Work ethic. Understanding that nothing comes easy and hard work on the range pays off on the course. Later they realize the same thing applies to life!
How would you like to be compared to Tiger at 3 years old!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Tiger Woods came into the limelight when he was 3 years old. He appeared on the Mike Douglas Show in the ’70s.
“Baby James” Grimes has certainly started off at the same age. He looks like a Baby-faced assassin and he can kill that ball. He is already playing competitive golf and his natural flair has all the people around him talking. What will his future bring? Who knows, but he has certainly started off with a bang. Stay Tuned. Thanks to ABC News and Swing by Swing for bringing us this news that we might be seeing re-aired in 2030!
Meet “Baby James” Grimes. The little guy with the BIG swing. He was hitting the ball around the house before he could even walk. Now, at just 3 years old, he is surprising everyone he comes across with his natural golfing talent.
Cool story!
Do you think James will be the next big star? (I guess we’ll see in about 15 years)
A Great golf swing from 6-year-old Jack Dirkin – The next Star?
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Jack Dirkin is a 6-year-old golfer from Shropshire in the UK.
Many say he has one of the best swings ever for an amateur and a star in the making. Included in Jack’s accomplishments is a qualification for US Kids Golf U7 European Championships at 4 years of age. (others in the group were approximately 8 years old.)
Learn more about this boy’s terrific story, and thanks to Elton Gidney for the video of his great swing!
Jack just loves playing golf..and happens to be rather good!
UK number 1 at his age…World u7 Finalist. European u7 Finalist.
7 Ways to Introduce Your Kids to this Great Game of Golf!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
My father introduced me to the game of golf when I was 16.
I had played a lot of sports at school, and when he joined a local Country Club, I went along to go to the pool. No intentions of playing golf. But this club allowed juniors to play after all the members had teed off. So my cousin and I went out to play. I had no idea how to hold or swing the golf club, but being a fairly good athlete, I did manage to play the first 3 holes in even par! I then made 6’s and 7’s the rest of the 9, but that did not matter. I was going to play this great game of golf!
Teeing off from the correct yardage makes a HUGE difference!
Sam Weinman of Golf Digest brings you 7 ways to introduce your kids to the game in a way that they will be asking, “When can we go and play golf again?” We need to grow this game through our kids. Get them to participate in a group lesson program. Enter them in some fun three-hole tournaments. They will not only learn to love the game but learn some life lessons along the way!
Introduce your kids to the game without losing your mind (or your club membership)
If you’re like me, you probably found yourself playing less golf when you got married and even less golf when you had kids. But I’m here to offer hope. Playing golf with your kids is like our version of the Champions Tour — a second chance right around the time you thought your best golf was behind you. No doubt, golf with your kids can be complicated (my last round involved a frustrated 7-year-old heaving his 8-iron into a dense patch of poison ivy) but I’ve also found it has led to some of my most rewarding times on the course. What follows is one father’s personal and highly subjective guide.
1. Pick the right hours
I probably don’t need to tell you this, but this is not a Sunday morning at 8 a.m. activity. Or at least not if you plan to go to a golf course that includes other humans. (If you happen to have your own private golf course at your disposal, I encourage you to do what you want. I also have reason to believe you and I can become best friends. I’ll follow up). Restricting family golf time to evening hours is not only advised out of consideration for your fellow golfers, but also for your own sanity. Trust me, there’s nothing fun about watching your kid hit eight consecutive shots in the bunker while some crankasaurus stands with his hands on his hips in the fairway. I’m a firm believer that kids need to have a general respect for pace of play even at a young age, but you’re setting yourself up for disaster if you don’t allow for the occasional delay.
2. Let them get excited about new stuff
Look, I spend as much time as any parent trying to push against my kids’ fixation with material possessions. It’s a problem, particularly on an editor’s salary. But face it, part of the fun of golf for kids is all the stuff that comes with it. I’m not advocating you buy them a brand new set of Callaways. But even the littlest things make a difference — ball markers, tees, the occasional sleeve of balls. This should get you through the first month or so of their golf careers. Then they’ll see their first Nike commercial and you’re screwed.
3. Embrace the golf cart
This is another one of those philosophical compromises you need to make when it comes to golf with kids. As a golfer, you may be a devout walker because you feel like that’s the way the game should be played and because you welcome the exercise. But a golf cart to kids is like an amusement ride. It’s fun, it’s conducive for some meaningful exchanges every now and then, and it cuts into the fatigue factor that is inevitable when you’re hoofing it carrying your own bag. I’m not saying you should take a cart every time you play with your kids. But this is one area where your inner golf snob needs to keep his trap shut.
Another golfer named Tiger is standing in the wings!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
When I watch Robin Tiger Williams talk about his golf, what really strikes me immediately is his complete grasp of what he needs to do to become a champion.
He talks about flare, creativity, and imagination like he has been doing this for years! No one can predict the future, but my guess is this boy’s future will be a bright one, whatever path he chooses!
Meet the 13 year old boy who is blowing golfers away with his ability. At just 3 years old he was hitting golf balls. Now, 10 years later, he is winning world titles.
His name? Robin Tiger Woods. And he’s already got an impressive story! If he can keep up his unfailing enthusiasm for the game, he has a long future ahead of him. Fun watch.
15 Reasons to Take Your Kid to the Course – #4 is important!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
I have always believed that to grow and sustain the golf game, we have to concentrate on the kids.
In today’s world, parents attend their child’s activities. If the child plays basketball, football, baseball, etc. The parents (who used to be golfers) are now forfeiting their own pleasures to support their child on the field.
However, if we can encourage the kids to come to clinics, play golf on the course and let them see that this is a game of a lifetime. Maybe, just maybe, children will say to their parents, “Hey, Dad/Mom, can we go to the course to practice and play today?” Although Babble.com supports “Take your Kid to the Course Week,” I don’t think it should be a week. But an ongoing effort to find the next Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, or Jordan Spieth out there. This is how we’ll grow the game!
The National Golf Course Owners Association.
It is Take A Kid To The Course week where is trying to grow the game by encouraging people to bring their kids.
Golf is an expensive, tempermental sport. Usually people bringing kids to the golf course would be frowned upon, it’s slow enough as it is on the weekends already. But, during this week, we encourage kids to come with their parents to learn about the game and have the seeds planted that could turn them into the next Rory McIlroy or Michelle Wie.
Last week we took a vacation at a resort that doesn’t just let kids golf for free one week of the year, they encourage them to come all the time. Kids always golf free at Copper Point, and so I took advantage by bringing my 6 yr old to play a round with me. Now that’s a little young to be hitting the ball down a 400 yd par 4, and I was a little nervous about bringing him with me. He’d only been to the driving range with me twice and, while he likes the game, he is still only 6 and I was worried about his attention span.
To Bring kids to the course is something that is usually met with displeasure.
But with the encouragement of the course, I brought him along and we had a blast. Whether it’s Take A Kid To The Course Week, or any week, here’s what you should know when you bring your kids to play golf with you, and why you should make it a habit.
Bring your kid to the course!
It’s also just a great chance to spend some Parent/Child time. At the end of our round, I removed my hat and shook my son’s hand and said “nice round.”
Whether it’s free or not, driving range or a full round, here are some things you should know about bringing your kid to the course and how to make it the best day ever.
Best Place To Take Kids Golfing – Myrtle Beach SC!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Rated #1 Destination this Summer
In most cases, golf is free for kids 16 and younger!
School’s out, and it’s time for a road trip. Where can the family go for a fun vacation that combines the beach, golf, and amusement parks? And which destination won’t break the bank?
Myrtle Beach SC is the overwhelming winner.
This famous resort town on the southeast coast has been offering affordable vacations for decades. No other spot in North America features more attractions, hotels, restaurants, and golf.
And no other destination features FREE Golf School for kids, plus FREE GREEN FEES for kids!
Check out the following sites to help plan your summer vacation.
I probably don’t need to tell you this, but this is not a Sunday morning at 8 a.m. activity. Or at least not if you plan to go to a golf course that includes other humans. (If you happen to have your own private golf course at your disposal, I encourage you to do what you want. I also have reason to believe you and I can become best friends. I’ll follow up). Restricting family golf time to evening hours is not only advised out of consideration for your fellow golfers, but also for your own sanity. Trust me, there’s nothing fun about watching your kid hit eight consecutive shots in the bunker while some crankasaurus stands with his hands on his hips in the fairway. I’m a firm believer that kids need to have a general respect for pace of play even at a young age, but you’re setting yourself up for disaster if you don’t allow for the occasional delay.
Look, I spend as much time as any parent trying to push against my kids’ fixation with material possessions. It’s a problem, particularly on an editor’s salary. But face it, part of the fun of golf for kids is all the stuff that comes with it. I’m not advocating you buy them a brand new set of Callaways. But even the littlest things make a difference — ball markers, tees, the occasional sleeve of balls. This should get you through the first month or so of their golf careers. Then they’ll see their first Nike commercial and you’re screwed.
This is another one of those philosophical compromises you need to make when it comes to golf with kids. As a golfer, you may be a devout walker because you feel like that’s the way the game should be played and because you welcome the exercise. But a golf cart to kids is like an amusement ride. It’s fun, it’s conducive for some meaningful exchanges every now and then, and it cuts into the fatigue factor that is inevitable when you’re hoofing it carrying your own bag. I’m not saying you should take a cart every time you play with your kids. But this is one area where your inner golf snob needs to keep his trap shut.
Do you want your child to love golf – Follow this 8 step guide!
