My son's 5th trip to the range

[EnglishGolfer]

He is really keen and hits 100 balls whenever we go now which pleases me no end.

I'm pretty much letting him do what he wants swing wise, the only things I've been asking him to do is grip it with his hands the right way round and stand pointing in line.



If anyone has any tips for coaching young children in the wonderful game, then I'm all ears (or should that be 'eyes' considering this is a message board?)

[Eracer]

Your approach is great.

Let him have fun.
Don't be over-technical (but stress one or two fundamentals.)
Get him "target-oriented." Start with big targets, and focus him on smaller targets as the years go by.
Make sure he knows "it's a game".

Great stuff, EG.

[EnglishGolfer]

Originally Posted by Eracer

Get him "target-oriented." Start with big targets, and focus him on smaller targets as the years go by.

Excellent advice (I should have thought of that, d'oh!).

Thanks

[IrishGolfer]

V. cool EG, he looks like a right little chap!

My 2 lads are a wee bit older (5 and 8). They have played over the last 2 years, off and on. But I'm having a hard time convincing them to come to the course with me right now. I don't want to push them but these days it is all football, drama, TV and Nintendo. Any time I say I am going to the range / course and invite them, they lethargically decline.

In fact they had the opportunity to play with me and their Grandad (who they adore) last week and they choose to go for a walk with their aunt and her 2 dogs instead! I mean honestly!!!

I'm sure things will change. I just don't want to force them.

[EnglishGolfer]

Originally Posted by IrishGolfer

In fact they had the opportunity to play with me and their Grandad (who they adore) last week and they choose to go for a walk with their aunt and her 2 dogs instead! I mean honestly!!!

I'm sure things will change. I just don't want to force them.

LOL. I have 3 older brothers who my Dad just could not get interested in the game, so he was pretty pleased when I took it up. I gave it up when he got serious (he used to hold a club over my head while I swung and if my head moved even the tiniest bit he would crack me on the head with it. He'd heard about some pro that did it, but he didn't realise that your head has to move to some degree, the headaches I got, jeezus!)

[mddubya]

Darn, I think he has a better swing than I do?

Good job EG!!!!!!

[EnglishGolfer]

Originally Posted by mddubya

Darn, I think he has a better swing than I do?

Good job EG!!!!!!

Oh stop

Only kidding, carry on it makes me even more proud

He's got a fair bit of head dip going on, but then again so has Lee Westwood and he's not a bad player.

[Sandpiper3]

As eracer said, target oriented. Tell him to hit it to like the 100 or the 150, whichever yardage he could reach if he would hit it "just that little bit better". That way, that one time he does get it there he'll want to do it again, and the only way he will is to catch it a little better.

I can remember the first time I hit it to the 150, I went nuts screaming at my dad "did you see that dad!??!? I got it all the way there!!!"

That was fun

[MCDavis]

Originally Posted by EnglishGolfer

If anyone has any tips for coaching young children in the wonderful game, then I'm all ears (or should that be 'eyes' considering this is a message board?)

Read Harvey Penick's "Little Red Book"...he has some great advice about teaching kids. Bascially, give them a club, a ball, and leave them alone. If you're in a book store, flip through the green and blue books, also, as I think there's some kid's advice in those.

[King Par]

Originally Posted by Sandpiper3

I can remember the first time I hit it to the 150, I went nuts screaming at my dad "did you see that dad!??!? I got it all the way there!!!"

That was fun

Summer of 2007 was great, wasn't it?

[Sandpiper3]

Yea, went from hitting my drives 150 to scratch golf over the summer

[Skiddlydiddly]

Looks like he's doing great!

I can't wait to get out on the course with my 6-year old son this year!