When did you realize your kid is ready

[mrshinsa]

Around what age did you realize your kid was ready to play solo, without caddy?

My 11 year old son is going through puberty, with lots of emotions, and I'm realizing I can no longer help him. I still hover around and help look for balls, but I can tell he no longer wants me around when he hits a bad shot etc...

[leezer99]

When I told him to hit his 4hy on a 160 yard par 3 and he pulled a 6 iron out of the bag and flagged it.

[BloctonGolf11]

Asked him (9 year old son) if he wanted to try an 18 holer without me on the bag this summer. Told him he was going to be a playing a bunch of older kids and he would be on his own. He seemed excited. Got paired with a 17 year old girl who was incredibly nice and he did just fine. I had limited my interaction at practice rounds for a month before as a test. Ask them and see if they are ready and find something low key without a lot of other kids so they can get their feet wet without a lot of stress or pressure. I feel fine putting him in tourneys where he is on his own now. He can handle his business without me.

[BloctonGolf11]

> @leezer99 said:

> When I told him to hit his 4hy on a 160 yard par 3 and he pulled a 6 iron out of the bag and flagged it.

 

Similar at start of summer for me and my son. Told him to putt it from off the green and he pulled his SW and chipped it to 6 inches. He is good on his own lol.

[JuniorGolfParent]

> @mrshinsa said:

> Around what age did you realize your kid was ready to play solo, without caddy?

> My 11 year old son is going through puberty, with lots of emotions, and I'm realizing I can no longer help him. I still hover around and help look for balls, but I can tell he no longer wants me around when he hits a bad shot etc...

 

He played 9 holes by himself at 7 in the 7-11 age group of our PGA section, where parents are not allowed on the course. Played a multiday 18-hole event on his own right after he turned 10.

[kekoa]

When he told me- I just want Mommy to bring me to tournaments so you can stay home. What nerves!!!!

[mrshinsa]

> @kekoa said:

> When he told me- I just want Mommy to bring me to tournaments so you can stay home. What nerves!!!!

 

What did you do?!? :D

[kekoa]

> @mrshinsa said:

> > @kekoa said:

> > When he told me- I just want Mommy to bring me to tournaments so you can stay home. What nerves!!!!

>

> What did you do?!? :D

 

Drug him to the car and told him I'm going whether he likes it or not. B)

[swancer]

My son is 12 and luckily for me he still likes to have me on the bag. It may be more related to the cool factor of having a caddy; but I can think it’s because he thinks his old dad is cool right. I try not to give too much advice on club or shot selection as I want him to figure out his game. He does play a large number of non caddy tournaments as well as middle school golf so him figuring it out for himself is important.

 

I preach that golf is a lifetime sport that I have found is the absolute best way to bond with family, friends, customers and even strangers. I rarely play golf without him anymore and that’s by choice not necessity. I am playing at a 6 handicap right now and he is not too far behind me from his appropriate tees and I look forward to the day whips up on me when we play.

[tiger1873]

When I realized my daughter was playing against all the other kids who dads who reading putts and telling there kids how play. Meanwhile she was playing on her own just fine and for the most reading the greens better than the dads who would get upset. She was about 10 at the time.