Alrighty then, we"ve got a keeper in our child who exhibited some athleticism in his or her first several sessions on the range. Now, where can we take our kids to, actually, play golf? You've got a keeper!!Whatever you do, don't show up with your seven year old at 7:30 AM on a Saturday expecting an open armed welcome from your pro shop attendant!! Most players on Saturday morning are like rabid dogs as they protect those weekend tee times. The pro shop attendant will scoff you outa the shop. Your best bet is to map out a hole in your back yard and if not big enough, head to a local open space, map out a hole or two and let your child go at it. Next search around and see if there's a pitch & putt or a six hole course around your area. Sometimes local clubs have a practice hole or a chipping area where, under supervision, you can let your child knock it around. TRY TO AVOID THIS.... Now comes the time where you might be looking to get your child serious about playing the game. Depending upon the age of your child and we'd say, in general, to only attempt to get your child on a real golf course when he/she can hit the ball consistently without wiffing five or six times on each shot. And, at that point you're going to want to be on the course when no one else is behind you. It does pay benefits to get your child on the 'real' course as they get a better feeling of how the game is played, tee boxes, fairways. rough, bunkers, greens (putting and chipping), etc. I recently had a golf course owner give me a great idea; take your kid our to the course (on a not so busy day). Have him/her play nine or eighteen holes from 40 yards in and see if the child can break 50 for nine or 100 for eighteen holes. Once he/she can do that, move 'em to 60 yards and play, etc. Great idea, huh? Once again, if you're witnessing a kid who is pretty good at the game, it's time to get him/her on the course and in a program that they can grow their game and comradery with others who are growing in the game. I'm sure you've heard of the PGA Junior program as well as others like the First Tee. The PGA encourages their PGA of America Professionals to keep a steady stream of youngsters flowing out of their golf clubs. So, they, normally, conduct special instruction times for their members and through public courses the club would do the same. The PGA Júnior League (https://pgareach.org/services/youth/) is a fairly new program that encourages kids to join with others in a scramble format for competition and comradery. The First Tee program was established many years ago now as an initiative of the Tiger Woods Foundation and many other "grow the game" initiatives to help inner city kids get into the game. First Tee has grown more inclusive over the past few years. They conduct regular programs to teach kids golf, but, include character development as a staple for their program. Either way, getting your child into the next level of golf is as easy as sending an email or picking up the phone to learn more and get your kids into the game.
We, of course are developing our Golf Program in Schools (GPS). We have several locations now with our main emphasis in the Phoenix, AZ community. We are hoping to have you engage with us her online in order to learn more about us so that we can create your young golfer into Greatness in their personal life with a loving God and their golf life through our on site programs. Check us out here Next Post .....
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So you've decided your child or children should play golf. Good choice, by the way, in our humble opinion. How do we begin? In the old days you went to Country Club and handed them over to the Club Pro and paid out the ying yang, bought a junior membership in "The Club" and continued to pay the big bucks for your child to hang out at the course every day charging lunches and sodas and his/her buddies' sodas as well when they put it on your account. Those days are pretty much gone unless you're in the Country Club set. If not, here's seven ways to introduce your children to golf and NOT starve while doin' it...... Find a First Tee program in your local areaTake your child/children to the local driving range ensure you get a seven or eight iron that the kid can swing back and forth without falling over. Buy a bucket of balls and place them in the hitting stall and let them have at it. Not necessary or overloaded instruction. Just let 'em hit some balls and see how they react. If they hit a few fairly well and, generally, enjoy themselves then you have a chance. If they miss it more than they hit it and get bored with it quickly, you may not have a golfer in the family, but, hey at least you tried.
2. For the child that hits is fairly well and had a good time, the next step is to get him/her a little instruction from someone who knows what they're doing. Not Uncle Joe because he has played go1lf for three to five years and "knows how to play". No, don't go there. Find a First Tee program in your local area and find out from them who the better golf instructors are for children and contact that teacher for an introductory lesson. 3. Negotiate a fair deal with the instructor. No one learns the golf swing in one session or in just a few sessions. It's probably a good idea to get a package of ten or so lessons. A good rate for that would be $30 - $40 per lesson or just a bit higher. Each lesson should be a half-hour as the children have fairly short attention spans and most don't like hitting ball after ball on the driving range. 4. Take time to bring your child back to the driving range and hit balls together once or twice a week. Ensure you take them to the practice putting green as well. Provide your child a very basic putting grip and show them how you putt. They will develop their own putting grip and style. Then, let 'em enjoy themselves. Recommend you challenge 'em to a few competitions. The kids love that. Don't relish in beating them and don't be too sad when they beat you. Lol. 5. Get 'em on the golf course and let 'em experience playing a few holes. Just, again, let 'em hit the ball anyway they want to. Don't burden them with instructions on their swing or the rules just yet. Let the instructor work on their swing during their instruction periods. Don't hound the kid about etiquette, but mention about being respectful of others while playing, keeping reasonably quiet, don't step in anyone's putting line and, certainly, no grab-ass on the golf course. (did I just write that?) 6. Set up a simple chipping area in your backyard. After the pro gives them a lesson on chipping, identify a safe space in your back yard that allows the child to hit balls to practice. This may be a good place to use wiffle balls or soft-type balls so the windows aren't broken. 7. Golf is a great game for our kids, but, kids will stay with the game longer if they have a buddy their own age who also likes the game. If their current friends don't play, try to ask the instructor if he/she has other kids of similar age and ability for them to meet and play with in the future. This friendship has a chance of lasting for a long time. This is just seven things to get your child into the game. There are more things to consider and we'll relate those to you in subsequent posts and our ebook on the same subject. See you next time.... Ok, we've decided to get our child some golf clubs and we're gonna get them to the range. How do I ensure the clubs fit him/her? Don't do what many parents do and go out and buy a set of clubs. Go to the local driving range. Find out where the used clubs are and find one or two irons, say a seven or an eight iron that fits your child. Fit, you say? What does that mean? Just like you would choose a club that comfortably fits between your hands and the ground as you take a golf club in your hands, it should be the same for your child. As they stand in an athletic stance, feet shoulder length apart, bending at the waste, comfortably the club's grip should rest about midway in their stomach area. Like so... (see picture above) Again, don't worry about the clubs you find. The objective is to get the child a club that they can swing without falling over or that will stick 'em in the ribs because they are choking up too much. Aaaanddd if it could be bright purple for girls or Ricky Fowler orange that would be ideal.... no, just kidding. Most likely, as you turn around from the clubs, you'll see the counter with the baskets of balls stacked up. You choose the size basket/bucket that you want and head on out there. Choose an area where you won't bother the other golfers if possible and ensure you talk to your family about safety with the swinging of the club and walking around the mat areas, etc. It ruins the day when someone gets bonked on the head with a golf club, trust me. Just go out there and let your child watch you take your stance, grip, posture and hit a few balls yourself. Don't worry about your swing or success, just show them the general way to do that. Oh, yeah, talk to them about the target you are aiming at so they can also become target-directed. Now, let them do the same. Again, don't worry about the exact way in which they grip the club or, even, swing it. Just let them swing at the ball until they are so frustrated that they want to stop. Let them do that. Enough is enough. If they love it and want to hit more, let 'em if you have the time.
This should be enough for day one. We'll talk about follow on, next. When considering sports for your kids, check out these 8 reasons your child should be playing golf.Why golf you might say? Playing golf is a great way to: 8. Enjoy the outdoors: Playing golf gives young people an opportunity to spend a few hours in the fresh air. We all know how important that is these days. 7. They develop lifelong friendships: Interaction with others allows young people to develop social skills. It also facilitates mentoring relationships in a safe environment. 6. Practice personal responsibility: Regardless of the outcome, when playing there is no blaming your teammates for what happens.. 5. Learn to manage your emotions: Playing golf closely parallels real life as one experiences the highs and lows of the game. The range of experience, from birdies to triple bogeys, rewards a young person's ability to manage one's emotions, maintain a positive outlook and focus on the shot at hand. looking for a lifetime activity for your child, place golf at the top of your list!!4. Appreciate diversity: Golf is a game that can be played for a lifetime by anyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, size or skill level.
3. Learn etiquette: Playing golf places an emphasis on etiquette. In golf players govern themselves and fellow competitors. 2. Spend time with family: Golf is a game that encourages family participation. 1. Develop healthy habits for life: Playing golf is a sport that helps young people get off the couch. When you play golf, walking the golf course and carrying your bag, a 150-pound person burns 350 calories and walks more than 10,000 steps. So, looking for a lifetime activity & sport for your children, place playing golf at the top of your list!! Those of you who know me and have been listening to my passions for the past many years (thanks by the way) know that what I have labeled Christian Golf Community is materializing before our eyes (praise Him)!! I was blessed this AM to be questioned by my wife about just that. What the heck is Christian Golf Community, Bill?? We know about golf, right? It is this amazing sport that captures each of us who have been called to have a passion for the game. We want to play as much as we can. We want to improve our game as much as we can. We enjoy playing with our buddies with similar passions and desires. This is noble, right? It's good to be outside, playing, hanging out and enjoying the game, the gang and the challenges from the sport. Is that all there is? Funny, I remember listening to Bernard Langer telling us about his feeling after he won his first Masters. After the glitter and celebration ended, just the next day, he asked himself; "Is that all there is?" Funny. If you'd like, you can hear it from Bernhard here. What is really noble about life? What is the purpose of life? What are we supposed to be getting out of this life and what are we to be putting in?
This is Golf From the Heart, right, and you know where I'm going with this; The purpose of life is to glorify our Creator, our Lord, Jesus Christ. We are His workmanship and "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." John 2:20. So a quick segue; this game of golf must be part of "liv(ing) by faith in the Son of God." We're also called to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, right? 2 Peter 1 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. ....and we're to do this in community with other Believers in Jesus Christ. A Christian Golf Community..... In Phoenix, Arizona we are building a Christian Golf Community. We have our GPS Program at Sun City Country Club and headed back into the middle-schools in Maricopa County in the fall of this year. We have introduced 30,000+ kids to the game in the last four years. We are hiring 4 PGA Golf Pros to conduct that training in the schools and in our GPS Golf Academy at Sun City Country Club. Those PGA Golf Pros will be committed Believers in Jesus Christ. Their job description will designate that. Their job will be to teach golf to 20,000 kids this next year while representing the aroma of the knowledge of Jesus Christ at the school and on the golf range. (2 Corinthians 2:14-15) The academy will have Christian discipleship training going on weekly as kids learn the game and are guided into a relationship with Jesus Christ. How will we keep the PGA Golf Pro growing in the knowledge of God, you ask. Thanks We will be discipling them!! How? We have established a fellowship opportunity inside of this website for the PGA Pros in the Section and the Southwest Section will be the place for community and fellowship as well as a Discipling process agreed to by the members of the Section. Our pros and those within the Southwest Section that join with us will be engaged in an Acts 2 community through this forum and will grow and encourage each other as they engage with their students through His inspiration and guidance. What a blessing. There are several other facets of this Christian Golf Community in Phoenix. More on this subject ...... |
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AuthorTrying to follow the Lord's will regarding ministry and the platform of golf. Archives
January 2023
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