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Children getting started in golf

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scottliv

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Hi all

I am sorry if this has been covered elsewhere but I can't find it if it has.

I'm looking for advice as my 3 (almost 4) year old girl has been wanting to come to driving range with me for a while (boosted by her love of using the little plastic clubs in the back garden).

i finally took her yesterday and we shared a bucket of 60 balls ( with her insisting we took it in turns rather than just her doing it), she loved it so much we went back today and shared 120. She wants to go back so I am wondering what, if anything I should be trying to teach her at her age. At the moment I've just let her try and hit the ball which she now manages about 90% of the time. Obviously the ball only gets 2-3 foot off the floor and 10-20 yards.

All I have taught her is her grip and to put the ball in the middle of her stance. (Only using an 8 iron right now).

I'd love to hear people's thoughts and experiences.

thanks

scott
 
I dont have kids, but I know so many THPers do. I hope they come in here and share their thoughts with you.
 
Just keep doing what you're doing. At that age having fun is the most important aspect. See about getting her a putter that is appropriate length and get out on the putting green as well. Make games between the two of you with putting. Have fun being a dad and taking your daughter to the course/range and enjoy your time!
 
I agree with CGP, I'd stick with a putter and an iron. Does she have a kids iron? They have them for toddlers/little kids. As he mentioned, fun is absolutely the only thing to be worried about. If you've showed her a grip and ball position, I don't think I'd go any further than that. They have courses specifically for taking little kids to also, not sure if there's any near you. Someone else will probably know, but the range and practice green is probably sufficient for now. Keep us updated on how she does! Always LOVE hearing stories like this. My daughter is 2, I hope to take her out next year. She likes the plastic clubs as well.
 
Good idea CGP, thanks, I had not even thought of taking her on the putting green, it'll obviously be easier for her and keep her interested. Totally agree on the enjoy it part, that's why I don't want to scare her off, the last 2 days on the range have been the most enjoyable I've had.

drp.... Yes she has a children's 7/8 iron. I'll do some searching on the kids courses. I'll keep you posted here.
 
Try to find her a PGA instructor that's good with kids. So she can excel really fast.
 
At that age, and a few years after, its all about fun and just whacking a ball like the others have mentioned. I can tell the difference between the kids that are having fun just hitting and the ones that are being forced to hit by the parents. You can't let them think of it as a job early on.
 
My two girls might be a little to young to really get it yet, but they do have some plastic clubs and both of them seem to like to hit balls with me down in the basement. It's funny too, as my oldest (5) has a good, albeit small take away, it's straight back and she gets good contract and rotates he arms over on the swing and follow through.
My youngest (s) has a great, long to the top takeaway, but she stops then has a MASSIVE cast flip and chunks it a lot...but when she squares one up she can hit it hard, with decent trajectory for a plastic club and real ball. lol
I'm over thinking it, and that's the past golf pro in me. ha ha ha However, I consistently am telling them how well they are hitting the ball, and making a game out of it, too. This has been a pretty recent event in my house, and we are now in the talks about getting them some real clubs to hit in the spring. I would really love to do this, but I won't push it. I'd be one proud Dad if just one of my girls got good enough and wanted to play on the girls golf team. Time will tell, but I can already see they both have that golf gene in them, even at this young age....and that's cool.
 
scottliv said:
Hi all

I am sorry if this has been covered elsewhere but I can't find it if it has.

I'm looking for advice as my 3 (almost 4) year old girl has been wanting to come to driving range with me for a while (boosted by her love of using the little plastic clubs in the back garden).

i finally took her yesterday and we shared a bucket of 60 balls ( with her insisting we took it in turns rather than just her doing it), she loved it so much we went back today and shared 120. She wants to go back so I am wondering what, if anything I should be trying to teach her at her age. At the moment I've just let her try and hit the ball which she now manages about 90% of the time. Obviously the ball only gets 2-3 foot off the floor and 10-20 yards.

All I have taught her is her grip and to put the ball in the middle of her stance. (Only using an 8 iron right now).

I'd love to hear people's thoughts and experiences.

thanks

scott
Click to expand...

My parents started taking me and my brother to the course when we were born more less. I had my first putter at around age 5. We were limited to only hitting balls on the range until we were maybe 7 or 8 (can't remember for sure). When we did get on the course as kids, we were only allowed to be two over par, so on a par 4, we were only allowed 6 shots and then we picked up and dropped on the green. We got a couple of putts on each green then we moved on. My first real round was in 1970 at age 9. We had to prove we could keep up first.
 
My son is 2 1/2 and I took him to the course the play 9 holes and he loved it, I've thought these same things and I try and have him hold the club right, but he just has fun, I let him "drive" the cart and I can honestly say it is the most fun I've had golfing.
e4e2uhe2.jpg


Keep Calm and Golf On.
 
My daughter is the same age (2 1/2). She actually tries to hold the club the same as I do. She gets mad if I hold it differently. We have the old Wilson carpet putting green and she loves it. Cant wait to get the BB. Going to get her out to the course next spring!!!
 
I also have a two year old and he absolutely loves the range. When I take him I get the smallest bucket so it doesn't get boring. When he loses interest on the range he is ready for the putting green. He has a blast running around. I do mKe sure to take him when it is not crowded. He enjoys putting the ball next to the hole and knocking it in.As a parent who was involved in highly competitive sports my whole life and forgot how to have fun while doing so I go with it until he is done. Last week he put his club in my bag and said lets go. I grabbed my clubs and we left.
 
I started working on my granddaughter's grip the day she was born! Never too early. :beauty:

309618_10200490553733506_772764076_n.jpg
 
To you parents with young kids.......many of my greatest memories of time with my parents are those on the golf course when I was kid. Take your kids golfing! They will love you for it later in life.

KB....That is a great picture!
 
My daughter is 8, and goes in spurts... Sometimes she is interested in going to the range, other times the putting green, sometimes playing a round, and then there are times where she has no interest in playing. I accommodate where ever she is at on that day, with the only thing I think about is her having fun. I have shown her only a handful of things with the swing/grip/stance. Other than that, my advice has been "just hit it the best you can."
 
My oldest (4) has a set that I purchased on eBay for Easter, has a driver, putter and 7 iron. He swings cross handed but I have yet to correct him because one he is just out there having fun. He likes the range but his attention span is maybe 30 mins and then wants to putt and go into the sand.
I guess my advice would be let them have fun, end the day on a good note when they are ready to go home, reward w a milk shake, candy etc.
 
I can't wait to get my daughter her first "real" club. She is almost 3 1/2 and loves to play "pirate putt-putt", as she calls it, with me in the basement using her plastic clubs. I'm planning on getting her a putter for Christmas, so that when the newborn comes along in the spring I can bring my daughter to the range with me and we can practice on the putting green while mom and the newborn rest. I may get her a 7i to, just so she can work on chipping in the back yard when I do.
 
My girlfriends 7 yr old ( step son soon) who is an amazing athlete as become attached to my hip during golf and practice sessions. Hes learning etiquette the rules. Got him a jr set and even though its hard to get through to hime about fundaments he tries to mimmick me. He even waggles and shimmys like me... I absolutly love helping him because its somethjng we do together and teaching him refreshes some stuff for me.
 
I've taken my both with me to the range since he was two and he's getting pretty good at this point (age 4). He loves it and asks to go - gets disappointed when I go solo. I don't bother much with teaching him anything. He hits crosshanded, but I read that's a natural way for kids to want to set up, so I'm not messing with it.

This was the first year he actually was a little more focused about it, if you can call it that. He particularly likes the pitch and putt we have since he can hit it on the green and putt. Last year, he just wanted to swing away blindly.

My advice is to get her a club that is light enough to swing fast. Something lofted, because getting the ball up in the air is more fun. Tee it up every time unless she objects. Keep it short and leave when it starts becoming no fun or she starts annoying you. It's all about having fun and spending time together.
 
I have a 3 year old daughter and taker her to the range a bunch of times. She has a toddler putter, so I set her up at a bay and she hits the ball a few feet out. It's funny because now she tells me she wants to hit it "higher and farther." I told her we all do. She then asked if we could go miniature golfing, so we did that. I guess my goal at this point is to keep her interested and keep it fun. If she likes playing with the rubber tees more than hitting the balls at the range, then so be it.

I know there are some good junior coaches out there and I will probably reach out to one next season about getting lessons started, but still just to keep it fun.
 
It's nice to know everyone here seems to take the same approach and just let them get on with it.

We didn't make it to the range today so we just played in the garden, she enjoyed it but not as much as going to the range. We stopped after about 20 shots instead of the 60/120 at the range.

ill probably look at lessons in a year or 2 if she is still enjoying it.
 
My daughter (holy crap it sounds crazy to say that) is due in 3 months, so naturally we'll be reviewing grip and posture in 4 months, and then we'll fast forward to CP release in 6 :)
 
I have a 17 yr old son who loves this game! Out approach was this. When he was 5 he would come with me in the afternoons and walk the course. He had a couple is kids clubs at the time. He would hit a few then just walk around with me and my buddy. He's play in the bunkers, (yes we would take after). He would putt some and just let him do what he felt like doing. Then I was away from the game for military obligations. When I got back to the game he would come to the range, play 9 and mess around at his own pace. Finally he entered highschool and wanted to play on the golf team. He bought a set of used Callaways and off he went. Made the team his freshman year, didn't play many matches, but got hungry for the game. He's a senior now, he played all four years in highschool, and really never got to the point that a scholarship would happen, but he loves the game. He's been to a few THP Outing with me and just loves that experience! He's had some very memorable rounds with THP'ers. He bought his own fitted set this year and is in the process of saving for a new driver. Our approach was very simple. Introduce him to the game and let him take as much as he wants. It's been an absolute joy to watch him grow in a game that I have a passion for. But for me to expect him to have he same passion is silly at this point in his life. But the time we spend on the course, range, and at lessons together is something nobody can take away from us.
 
Has anyone used the SNAG system yet? Seems like kids would love it. I have an almost 4 year old that really wants to come out with me, but it hasn't happened yet. http://www.snaggolf.com/home.html
 
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