I’ve mentioned it several times in the 1000 1st Swings posts, but it bears repeating…Rule #1 for any parent should be to make sure that GOLF = FUN in the minds of their kids. Too often, ‘formal’ instruction kills a childs enthusiasm and curiosity at precisely the time when they can be conditioned to equate a trip to the golf course to an exciting, engaging activity.
There is not a creature on earth with a shorter attention span than a 1 1/2 year-old, so bringing my daughter to the driving range can be a harrowing adventure. Granted, she’s not strong enough to actually lift a club while swinging, and she can’t understand/comprehend even basic swing instruction…so what value would she derive from going to the course?
It’s NEVER too early to learn that GOLF = FUN.
On a recent trip to the course, I engaged my daughter in a simple game of trying to put a golf ball on a tee. It occupied her 1 1/2 year-old attention span for about 10 minutes (that’s the equivalent of 2 weeks in adult time), during which time she:
1) Learned the word ‘Tee’, which she repeated incessantly.
2) Worked on her fine motor skills as she tried over and over to put balls on the tee and then knock them down with the end of her club.
3) Learned the difference between a red tee, a blue tee, a white tee…you get the point.
The bottom line…I had a wonderful time watching her play with tees and golf balls, and I’m sure that somewhere in her subconscious she is beginning to view the golf course as a cool, fun spot to hang out.
Golf doesn’t always have to be about grips, backswings, and follow-throughs…it’s a game with several facets (terminology, rules, etiquette)…take your kids to the golf course and follow their lead (as long as they are safe and respectful of the course and fellow golfers) as you search for opportunities to teach them about this game we all love.
