I got Paired with a 12 Year Old Kid

Great story! There are not a lot of things better than getting randomly paired with someone and it turning out to be a fantastic time.
 
The good attitude is key. I’ve seen all sorts, even with my own kids. My oldest is terrible, doesn’t care, and lives for those 3-4 shots a round. I’m sure @Sean would vouch for his good attitude, quick pace, and him being not so great golf.

My middle son needs to learn to compete without losing his cool. He’s been in his coaches doghouse a few times. In fact hole 18 of his state qualifier, was a 490 yard uphill par 4 and he needed to make birdie to have a chance. I see him tee off and heard him say the f word. I was sitting right next to his coach 300+ yards from the tee box.

His ball splits the FW so his coach asked if it was him, I said I thought so, but didn’t make much sense as he murdered it and it went dead straight.

So I’m talking to him after and he said he did but what we didn’t hear was the “yeah” after it. He knew he needed it, pounded it, and was fired up. I said cool, next time THINK it. He made the birdie after a great second and nailed a 15 footer. Ended up missing the cut by one, but I’m getting off subject.

I’ve seen a lot of HS kids golf and some have great attitudes and some are chucking their clubs after every bad shot.

His coach won’t put up with it, so I’m sure there’ll be more said to start next year.
That’s the one thing that gets you kicked off my team, throwing clubs. Well, not the ONE thing, but the biggest one :ROFLMAO:
 
Lovely, heart warming story. Thanks for sharing.
 
As to the story in the OP, there are still a ton of GREAT kids out there both in society and in this game, it’s just sadly the world has molded us to think there’s not.

Kudos to you for playing the round with him, and he’s not even one of my kids but I’m proud of the way he handled himself and that is how I try to get all of mine to on the course. Love it.
 
Great to hear a story like that (y)
 
Sounds like a good kid.
Are you not 75? I'm assuming if a 12 year old asked, you're probably closer to 50.
 
Great story!
 
Great story. I was paired with a 12 y/o about 4 years ago. He was definitely good for his age and enjoyed the game. Flash forward to 2020...he’s one of the best HS players in the state, won several AJA tournaments in 2019, and is already being recruited to play college golf.
 
Nice story!(y)
 
Great story and I had a similar experience last summer with two 13 year old boys that got paired with me and a buddy. They were super enthusiastic and very polite. I have a 15 year old daughter who is on the high school team and her positivity on the course is infectious as well. Attitude really is 90% of it whether it’s life or golf.
 
It sounds like his parents did a good job. Thanks for sharing the great story !
 
Today, I just showed up at a local golf course to see if they could work me in. It wasn't busy. I reckon a lot of folks had Valentine's Day commitments. About the same time as I checked in, this kid was also checking in as a single. So, they paired us up.
What a delight it was playing with him. He was a good player. Sure he was not perfect. Neither am I. Not by a damn site!
After a few holes, I noticed he hit trees pretty frequently. But instead of getting angry about it, he laughed! "I'm in the trees a lot today!" He always had a nice recovery shot.
His attitude was infectious. I was not hitting well due to overall stiffness from putting up new drywall on one of the bedroom ceilings yesterday. (Roof leak). We both finished strong with smiles on our faces.
After we holed out the last putt, he says, "It was a pleasure playing with you sir!" I said, "It was truly my pleasure playing with you. I'll play with you anytime"
It showed me that there is hope for the future!
There are lot's of fantastic young people out there in the world. Young people get a bad rap IMO.
 
What a great story to read at the end of the day. Makes me smile knowing that there are still good kids on the golf course. Cheers to you for not scoffing at playing with someone 63 years your junior. I mean, at least according to his math!

Sounds like a good kid.
Are you not 75? I'm assuming if a 12 year old asked, you're probably closer to 50.

LOL. Yeah, a 12 year old's math might be suspect, I know mine was! Maybe he just figured a white beard must be older than dirt! He was only off by 10. I'm 65.

Most of us have had "Angry Holes". And sometimes, it just ruins the whole round. I really try to not let my temper get the better of me, because I make plenty of mistakes and bad shots. Most of us have played with those that really lost their cool completely. That ruins it for everyone in the group.

I'm hoping that my own attitude has been adjusted permanently. The really funny thing is that although I was not playing well (At least I was wasn't hitting well), my score at the end was one of my best since I started playing again last spring after a 20 year layoff.

I'm glad you all enjoyed the story! Someone had a good idear. I think I'll call the clubhouse and let 'em know how great a kid he is!
 
Today, I just showed up at a local golf course to see if they could work me in. It wasn't busy. I reckon a lot of folks had Valentine's Day commitments. About the same time as I checked in, this kid was also checking in as a single. So, they paired us up.
What a delight it was playing with him. He was a good player. Sure he was not perfect. Neither am I. Not by a damn site!
After a few holes, I noticed he hit trees pretty frequently. But instead of getting angry about it, he laughed! "I'm in the trees a lot today!" He always had a nice recovery shot.
His attitude was infectious. I was not hitting well due to overall stiffness from putting up new drywall on one of the bedroom ceilings yesterday. (Roof leak). We both finished strong with smiles on our faces.
After we holed out the last putt, he says, "It was a pleasure playing with you sir!" I said, "It was truly my pleasure playing with you. I'll play with you anytime"
It showed me that there is hope for the future!
I can honestly say I really appreciate your attitude towards this. Younger golfers need to know theyre accepted and maybe more importantly, not looked down on. Great job!
 
Thanks for sharing! Too often we like to paint with a broad brush. Good to know that there are parents, mentors and kids out there that are doing it right!
 
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