Proud Dad

My nine year old daughter got her first Par 3 on a full sized hole on Saturday.  I don't think I could have been happier if I had aced the hole myself.  Driver off the tee nicely flighted over a small pond and first bouce onto the green.  She was a little unlucky that the ball rolled just through the back of the green.  Nice chip to 6 foot and she drained the putt. 

It was made all the more enjoyable because the three ball in front of us who had all taken at least 5 to complete the hole were still on the next tee at the back of the green watching this all take place. 

Her round scores for the nine holes have dropped dramatically over the three weeks we've played from 72 to 59.  The first week getting 4 shots a hole she scraped a win on the last.  Last week she beat me 5 & 4.  I've told her she is only getting 3 shots a hole next time which she isn't very happy about. Now all I've got to do is explain to her what a bandit is.

Congratulations to your daughter, and also to yourself Jon.

My daughter is starting to play a bit of golf, she's only just turned 7 but I've had her in the kids group lessons.

I am so pleased for your daughter, and also the fact she had an audience to see her first par score.

Russ

Russel, my daughter started the same way at about the same age.  She enjoyed the lessons but found the half hour of putting a little boring although now we are playing courses she is beginning to realise how important the putting is.

Keep them at it the pair of you and improvement will be rapid.

You must be really made up about that Jon, wish my daughter had the inclination to golf instead of horse riding - but at least she does something.  Shame you live in the Midlands though, she sounds like she would be a first pick for the Southern team with that sort of play....

Samantha does get bored quite quickly when she comes with me to practice, but I don't force her, I just let her get on with it in her own way.

The group lessons are good.  They are designed especially for the kids and so they make it into little games, which keeps them interested.

I do hope she wants to continue as then I will have the perfect excuse to play golf, "We are off for a round of golf dear, as Samantha wants to practice her..... "

See how can the wife refuse that?

I didn't start playing golf until I was about 30, but I do now wish I had started when I was very young.

Russ

It is tricky Russell to keep them progressing without forcing golf on them when they go through a period of not being interested.  However golf comes in many forms and we always manage to find a pitch and putt on holiday(some of these are surprisingly good Ryde Isle of Wight for one) and a number of crazy golf and putting greens. 

I think your spot on about letting them practice in their own way as long as they are not doing anything dangerous or annoying to other golfers.  Gentle suggestions on how she might do things better is as far as I go and if she wants to do things her own way I let her get on with it.  However one hangover from her lessons is that I get told off for not warming up properly. 

I'm not very good but i love my golf,however my two year old grandson is a fanatic with his little plastic clubs. He's at it every day for the whole morning i baby sit, his back swing is'nt so good but he's developing a nice follow through  Can't wait till he's a little older and we can get to the range 

When my daughter was  12 years old I took her and her friend to the ranges.

My daughter was keen as mustered and showed her friend how to swing a club.

Her friend stood a little too close and the club smacked her in the head.

Result nice big shiney bruise to go home to mammy with..

Neither my daughter or her friend have been back since...