Best age to start kids

What the best age to start to bring kids to the range and course? At what general age do they become coachable?

I am interested in hearing some feedback also.

I have been taking by boy out to the course since he has 3 yrs old. Started with him running around and riding in the cart, then messing around filling divots for pops, then putting around the greens.

Then I set him p with the "Big Dog" to "wac" some balls into the stratosphere at the range. I tray to make it fun. No pressure at all. He has more fun steering the cart than anything else. He is going to be 6 this month and he will be able to finish 2 holes next. Last year he shot a 15 on a par four. :( All fun out there now. Soon he will be taking my $$$ :lol:

Start them when they show some interest. The key, as the poster above mentioned, is to keep it light and fun.

Give the a good grip and stance, then let them swing away.

just start with them as soon as they start interest, i wish someone had talked me into playing before they did but the most important thing IMO is to make everything a game and make sure they are having fun.

Ok this is a great question. Through my experience running very successful Jr camps in the Bay area I definitely have an opinion on this. I think you can introduce kids to hitting balls at about age 3. When I say introduce what I mean is let them do what ever they want. No instuction. Just let them have fun and watch them laugh and smile. No lessons for your 3 year olds. I had to give one of those last week, and it was joke.

If a kid shows interest we have a Jr camp just for 5 and 6 year olds. It is a lot about fun with some instruction, and it is very popular.

Now as far as lessons go I think by age 7 or 8 most kids can handle a half hour private lesson, or a week long Jr camp

oOK  ... AS I SEE MANY JUNIOR GOLFERS AT MY SCHOOL I SEE 6-7 YEAR OLDS. THAT WOULD BE A NO NO I THINK IF YOU WANT UR CHILD TO SUCEED. IF YOU CHILD IS OVER THE AGE OF ABOUT 5-6. I WOULD WAIT TILL THEIR ABOUT 9-10 TO START BUT IF THEYRE LIKE 3-4 START THEM OUT W/ LITTLE DRILLS PUTTING/CHIPPING ECT. JUST SO THEY CAN HAVE SOME FUN. BUT TRY NOT TO GET THEM TO HIT LONG SHOTS (9 IRON+) THAT ARE FULL. BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT! THEY WILL GET DISCOURAGED AND START ASKING WHY CANT I HIT IT AS FAR AS DADDY?!!! THIS IS WHAT I HAVE SEEN WORKS THE BEST.. WORKING AT A JR. GOLF CAMP. TEACHING THE LIL ONES ARE MUCH EASIER THAN THE 7-10 YR OLDS... BELEIVE ME

GOOD LUCK

 

GREG

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i would defiantly have to disagre(SP) with you. You should start them as young as you can get them. I started when i was 18 months old swinging and such. I am now a scratch golfer at 15. I personally think you need to start them out really young!!

Started with my son at age 5. Let him hit balls, putt and chip. We found some small par 3 courses he could play to begin learning about the game and etiquette. He just turned 14 and shoots around 40 for nine (more or less!) I play most of my golf with him now and we have a blast! I don't think you can start them too early as long as you let it be a game and make it fun for them.

oOK  ... AS I SEE MANY JUNIOR GOLFERS AT MY SCHOOL I SEE 6-7 YEAR OLDS. THAT WOULD BE A NO NO I THINK IF YOU WANT UR CHILD TO SUCEED. IF YOU CHILD IS OVER THE AGE OF ABOUT 5-6. I WOULD WAIT TILL THEIR ABOUT 9-10 TO START BUT IF THEYRE LIKE 3-4 START THEM OUT W/ LITTLE DRILLS PUTTING/CHIPPING ECT. JUST SO THEY CAN HAVE SOME FUN. BUT TRY NOT TO GET THEM TO HIT LONG SHOTS (9 IRON+) THAT ARE FULL. BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT! THEY WILL GET DISCOURAGED AND START ASKING WHY CANT I HIT IT AS FAR AS DADDY?!!! THIS IS WHAT I HAVE SEEN WORKS THE BEST.. WORKING AT A JR. GOLF CAMP. TEACHING THE LIL ONES ARE MUCH EASIER THAN THE 7-10 YR OLDS... BELEIVE ME

GOOD LUCK

 

GREG

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Greg, My son just turned 4. He loves goeing to the putting green with me. He putss for about a half hour and then lets me know when he is done. He has a big smile on his face the entire time and he runs from ball to ball. It is a real joy to watch.

This is my daughter swinging my weighted club. She started going to the course when she was for. She has only played about 10 rounds of golf in her life. I get discouraged that she does not play more, but I know she has a swing for life. I won't push her, but I offer every opportunity. I try not to coach too! I want to leave that to a pro.

http://www.madsensports.com/jen/Movie.wmv

IMO : buy them a few kids clubs and bring them to the range and putting green when they shart to show interest take them to play more but most of all make it fun!

This is a great topic for us dads with young ones. I have a one year old boy, the light of my life by the way, and I admittedly have been pondering this point. I didn't grow up a country club kid, too poor, but now have the opportunity to offer my son whatever he wants out of golf. I watch a lot of kids at my club who have never known anything else than going to daddy's club with him. Truly a blessing for them to get such a good and early start. I was watching one tot, (found out he was 15 months old) whacking at balls with a tiny club. Was having the time of his life. Why? Because he was WITH dad, doing what dad did. That to me is the key. I believe that if you simply involve the child and spend quality time, the rest will take care of itself. I don't know about you guys, but I enjoy my time with my son far, far, far, more than time without him.

Please keep up the info and share the experiences.

My son started going out to the range with me when he was 4 yrs old. I let him do whatever he wanted to do and as long as he wanted as long as he had good range etiquette -- I'd buy him a drink and candy so he would have good memories of the golf place.

We'd putt together. Then I'd go to the short game area while he dug tunnels in the bunker and played army men.

At 6, he was going to camps for a week in the summer. He did that for 3 summers. By 8, he was taking lessons. He had enough attention span for 15-20 minutes at a time and grew longer as he gre older. When he was 10,11, 12 we took a boys trip to Alabama to the RTJ Trail for a week at a time. When he was 13, he began to hit the ball over 200 yards consistently off the tee and took more lessons. Now at 14, he has his Nike NDS Driver and Slingshots, Callway Big Bertha Ti FWs, Ping Wedges and TP Mills Putter.

I've never put real pressure on him. But he has stopped playing other sports and is only playing golf.

He also takes lessons every 2 weeks and is trying out as a freshman for the golf team.

He shot a career low 77 from the white tees recently and he is only 5 ft 2 and 95 lbs. When he grows, he will be a monster off the tee. I think, if he wants to, he will be playing varsity golf as a junior - that's when the growth spurt should kick in. If he lived with me, he'd have a better chance. But he will have to learn to work on his game on his own most of the time.

My son started going out to the range with me when he was 4 yrs old. I let him do whatever he wanted to do and as long as he wanted as long as he had good range etiquette -- I'd buy him a drink and candy so he would have good memories of the golf place.

 

We'd putt together. Then I'd go to the short game area while he dug tunnels in the bunker and played army men.

 

At 6, he was going to camps for a week in the summer. He did that for 3 summers. By 8, he was taking lessons. He had enough attention span for 15-20 minutes at a time and grew longer as he gre older. When he was 10,11, 12 we took a boys trip to Alabama to the RTJ Trail for a week at a time. When he was 13, he began to hit the ball over 200 yards consistently off the tee and took more lessons. Now at 14, he has his Nike NDS Driver and Slingshots, Callway Big Bertha Ti FWs, Ping Wedges and TP Mills Putter.

 

I've never put real pressure on him. But he has stopped playing other sports and is only playing golf.

 

He also takes lessons every 2 weeks and is trying out as a freshman for the golf team.

 

He shot a career low 77 from the white tees recently and he is only 5 ft 2 and 95 lbs. When he grows, he will be a monster off the tee. I think, if he wants to, he will be playing varsity golf as a junior - that's when the growth spurt should kick in. If he lived with me, he'd have a better chance. But he will have to learn to work on his game on his own most of the time.

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Pretty cool. I just went to the Silver Lakes course on the RTJ trail in Gadsden about 2 weeks ago.