Golfing with Kids

Golfing with Kids

Summer 2020 Promotions

Junior Golf Camps: First 50 Children registered and paid will receive a Baby Boomer Golf Academy Membership for the 2020 Season.

Take a Kid to the Course Week: July 6-13.  Kids play FREE when accompanied by a PAYING Adult.

Tips to Making Golfing with Children a Success

Schools out for the summer! I can remember hearing that song growing up and being so excited because it meant quality time with my family and friends on the golf course.  Growing up I had many opportunities to golf especially throughout the summer months and it shaped me into the golfer I am today.  This month’s column is focusing on the benefits of getting your child started early in golf as well as tips to make going to the course a success.

With the final countdown on until the kids are out of school it’s important to arrange all their summer activities to maximize their summer.  Junior Golf Camps are a great way to introduce a child to golf in a non-threatening fun environment.  They offer a child a place to come and learn and meet new friends that they are able to golf with even after camp ends.

I’m not about to promise that golfing with children is easy or that it will be a smooth ride.  What I am going to promise is that it will be family time spent getting exercises being outside learning a new skill together.

Here are some tips to making it a smoother ride:

  1. Snacks and Water: Bring, or purchase at the golf course snacks to keep your child’s energy levels up through the round. Staying hydrated on a summer’s day is a full time job so making sure they are getting enough to drink is important for their body and mind.
  2. Play a Scramble: To keep the experience positive and not have your child swing and miss multiple times and get frustrated, have everybody tee off and take the best shot and hit from there.  It also helps with speed of play.
  3. Time of Day: This is extremely important because kids are kids and putting them in a new environment is usually grounds for pushing the boundaries.  By playing in the evening after dinner courses are typically more opening allowing for more cheering and fun.
  4. Equipment: You don’t need a lot of clubs when you are starting golf. A driver, hydrid, 7 iron, pitching wedge and putter are the perfect set for a junior.  Making sure they are the right length for them is so important because I see too often a child trying to hit a club that is too long for him or her which makes it extremely difficult for the child to hit the ball.
  5. Set up a Mini Competition: I see it every day while teaching junior golf camps as soon as I put a small prize on the line the focus increases and these juniors start making these amazing shots using the techniques I taught them. It doesn’t have to be a big prize, but we always did winner gets an ice cream cone.

Life goes by fast, golf gives you the chance to slow it down for a few hours and really connect / spend time with your children.  My parents always seemed to be able relate golf to many valuable life lessons along the way.  So give it a try come out and enjoy your beautiful surroundings with your family and friends and see what this great sport has to offer.

Goderich Sunset Golf Club
33937 Golf Course Rd.
Goderich, ON   N7A 3Y3

Phone:  (519) 524-8047
Fax:  (519) 524-2038
E-mail: golf@sunsetgolfclub.com