Bringing my kids to the course

[tommyb1683]

Sorry If this topic has been covered, I did a search but didn't find anything. 

My oldest son is turning 4 soon and I am just wondering at what age is it ok to bring my kids to the course? I am more thinking about to practice on the greens and maybe even the driving range. To expand on the topic, what age is appropriate to bring my son around in the cart with me? I want him to start seeing the game and not just watching on tv. I grabbed this screenshot from one of the videos I took of him this morning. He might be more obsessed than I am.

[PIJoe]

Well, to me, it might depend on the course. If it's a muni or a nice but not top-notch busy club- I'd have no problem taking my boy with some caveats. Since he's a little young to really do much playing on the course unless you're alone, or with friendly partners who don't mind, and with nobody behind you I'd say let him mess around as long as he isn't doing anything questionable on the greens but it sounds like he's well past that point. Driving range at the end of the tee to avoid those oops hits hitting anyone, and have fun on the putting/chipping green for sure as long as he understands the etiquette of when to retrieve balls. As long as his attention is held, i'd let him play with us! Great post position too!!

[tommyb1683]

1 hour ago, PIJoe said:

Well, to me, it might depend on the course. If it's a muni or a nice but not top-notch busy club- I'd have no problem taking my boy with some caveats. Since he's a little young to really do much playing on the course unless you're alone, or with friendly partners who don't mind, and with nobody behind you I'd say let him mess around as long as he isn't doing anything questionable on the greens but it sounds like he's well past that point. Driving range at the end of the tee to avoid those oops hits hitting anyone, and have fun on the putting/chipping green for sure as long as he understands the etiquette of when to retrieve balls. As long as his attention is held, i'd let him play with us! Great post position too!!

Yea I figured it would be on a slow day at the course I’m a member at. I appreciate the insight. Maybe start small with the putting green and work our way up. I am guessing I might have to check with the club as well to make sure they don’t mind. I want his love of the game to grow and I think exposing him to the course early might help with that. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

The course I play at is has a 6 hole par 3 course and 6 hole championship course which are used a lot for younger kids. 

They also have a practice areas with artificial green and such again meant for kids. 

As long as you son (which by all assumptions) is respectful and has fun I see no issues with it. 

Also take this from a guy who has brought his 6 month old to the course in his stroller to play 9! Haha

[GolfSpy_KFT]

My son is a little older (will be 6 next week), but I take him out with me every time I play. He loves the game of golf and we have just established rules to follow to keep up with pace of play and we’ve never ran into any issues. Example is last weekend we played 18 with an 8am tee time and finished under 4 hours (he was pooped and explained to me he wants to wait till he’s 7 to play 18 again ). He tees it up at the 100 yard marker on all holes except Par 3s where I let him tee the Reds, and then after his tee shot it’s two strokes and if he’s not on the green yet (most times he is), he picks the ball up and puts it on there. 

I will also say that other people playing generally love seeing him out on the course as a lot of older members will come up to him and say what a great swing he has, that they are glad he’s out there playing, etc. 

It sounds like your son is definitely more on the “mature or serious” side, as serious as littles can be haha, so give it a whirl and see how it goes. Last season we started with playing at slower times and now I’m comfortable taking him out there whenever.  

[tommyb1683]

2 hours ago, Jnoble89 said:

My son is a little older (will be 6 next week), but I take him out with me every time I play. He loves the game of golf and we have just established rules to follow to keep up with pace of play and we’ve never ran into any issues. Example is last weekend we played 18 with an 8am tee time and finished under 4 hours (he was pooped and explained to me he wants to wait till he’s 7 to play 18 again ). He tees it up at the 100 yard marker on all holes except Par 3s where I let him tee the Reds, and then after his tee shot it’s two strokes and if he’s not on the green yet (most times he is), he picks the ball up and puts it on there. 

I will also say that other people playing generally love seeing him out on the course as a lot of older members will come up to him and say what a great swing he has, that they are glad he’s out there playing, etc. 

It sounds like your son is definitely more on the “mature or serious” side, as serious as littles can be haha, so give it a whirl and see how it goes. Last season we started with playing at slower times and now I’m comfortable taking him out there whenever.  

That makes me feel better knowing that other members at your course are inviting and encouraging to the little ones. I feel that's how it should be. It's amazing the things that kids say sometimes, i love it.

[GolfSpy_BEN]

I took my 2 oldest out a few weeks ago to Harmon Golf Club, a local muni that is never busy. We walked 9 holes and had a pretty good time. Though by the end of the round, it looked like I was pushing a bag lady’s cart, as we had 3 golf bags strapped to my push cart. One of the great joys of my life is that all 3 of my kids are interested in the game. 

[elight]

I have a 3-, 5-, and 7-year old. I brought the now-7-year old for the first time a year or two ago, first to just ride in the cart, and eventually letting him play a little when the conditions allowed (no one behind us, holes without major hazards within 100 yards of the green). This year, I'm going to let him basically play every hole, teeing him up 80-100 yards from the green, so long as he can keep pace. He has the interest and the ability to move the ball. He has done well with the rules - being respectful of other players and following proper etiquette, etc. I let him hold the rangefinder and such.

The course itself makes a big difference. You'll know pretty quickly how they treat kids. One course I like to play gave him a free ball in the pro shop, and never charges me for him to "ride along". Everyone we've met on the course encouraged him to play along and commented on how great it was that I brought him. I don't know if your average private course would feel the same way.

I'm hoping to bring the 5-year old this year. He can't really move the ball reliably yet, but I want to get him used to riding in the cart, being on the course, etc. 9-hole rounds are useful - I can't imagine him sitting through a 4+ hour slog. I like to walk when I can, but you need to take a cart or else you'll be carrying your bags and your child by the end.

I've brought all three to the driving range. Why not? As long as they're old and responsible enough not to run out onto the range, they're doing no harm to anyone else. I also take them to the chipping and putting area when it's empty or mostly-empty - their irons shots go 20-40 yards, so it's perfect. And free!

[elight]

10 hours ago, Jnoble89 said:

He tees it up at the 100 yard marker on all holes except Par 3s where I let him tee the Reds, and then after his tee shot it’s two strokes and if he’s not on the green yet (most times he is), he picks the ball up and puts it on there. 

I like that a lot. 

And it's not dissimilar to the rules I enact for myself!

[silver & black]

I love to see dads out with their kids when I'm playing. To me, that's just good stuff. Any time kids are with their parents, outside, doing something worth while, is good. Pace of play isn't an issue in my experience. I've always been told to play through.... no big deal. I say bring em' with ya!

[Dweed]

I have gotten one grandson into a junior golf 3 day clinic for the past 2 years and will have both of them in one later in June. I agree with all of the above. Stress safety before range work and around practice greens, follow the course rules, be mindful of those behind you and just go for it. Carts are OK as long as you remember you are the safety officer. Please continue to take them and have fun with them whenever you can. We need these new generations.

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

Took my 4 year old to practice. She wanted to learn how to tee a golf ball and hold a club.
 

She then wanted to walk on the big course, so did 9 on the executive course. She walked 5 off nine holes. Very proud of her. It’s a round I’m never gonna forget and not even because how I played. 

[tommyb1683]

These have all been great comments and insight. I appreciate everyone giving experiences or thoughts. I am definitely going to get him out there and sounds like he is at the right age to do that as well. Plus who doesn’t want a live in golf buddy. 

[elight]

To follow up on this, I brought my 3 year old to the chipping green and driving range this morning. He did great at the chipping range - I brought his plastic club and some plastic golf balls and he went nuts in one side while I chipped on the other (only one close call as he ran up to me but thankfully I didn't thin that one). 

He was doing his potty dance but insisted he didn't have to go. On to the driving range, we by a bucket and all is going well despite me being distracted. Three balls in, he decided he does have to go, so I pick him up and hustle to the clubhouse, where I find he's had a minor accident, but we take care of business and discard the evidence. Get back to the range and realize I took off my glove in the bathroom. Fast forward, time to leave, and he has a major tantrum because I won't tee up any more balls for him. I pick up my bag on one shoulder and him on the other, back to the car. Swing by the clubhouse hoping to find the glove and it's nowhere to be found - a real mystery. 

 

Tl;dr: Maybe limit your time at the course with a 3-year old to 30 minutes and quit whole you're ahead. 

 

[GolfSpy SAM]

33 minutes ago, elight said:

To follow up on this, I brought my 3 year old to the chipping green and driving range this morning. He did great at the chipping range - I brought his plastic club and some plastic golf balls and he went nuts in one side while I chipped on the other (only one close call as he ran up to me but thankfully I didn't thin that one). 

He was doing his potty dance but insisted he didn't have to go. On to the driving range, we by a bucket and all is going well despite me being distracted. Three balls in, he decided he does have to go, so I pick him up and hustle to the clubhouse, where I find he's had a minor accident, but we take care of business and discard the evidence. Get back to the range and realize I took off my glove in the bathroom. Fast forward, time to leave, and he has a major tantrum because I won't tee up any more balls for him. I pick up my bag on one shoulder and him on the other, back to the car. Swing by the clubhouse hoping to find the glove and it's nowhere to be found - a real mystery. 

 

Tl;dr: Maybe limit your time at the course with a 3-year old to 30 minutes and quit whole you're ahead. 

 

Love all these stories of folks bringing their littles - awesome!

I've got a 3-year old who is ... while I won't use the word "obsessed," it wouldn't be too far off to describe him   We have a set of plastic clubs/balls that he uses while indoors, and he has a mini-set (Driver/Wedge/Putter) that he uses anytime we're outside (I have a net I set up for both of us when it's nice out).  My wife and I agreed that we'd wait until he was 3 to take him to the driving range, as we were worried he'd be careless, but he's proven to be VERY adept at not only being careful, but he genuinely loves it and asks to go nearly every day

I actually took him to meet a local golf instructor who gave us a mini-lesson and a few things for him to work on (grip, stance, etc. - super basic stuff), but he was so enamored with this little dude who really loves the game.  

Ultimately, like you all, my goal is for him to continue loving it, so that a few years from now I can get him out there on the course with me (LOVE the 100-yard-tee idea - really great).  

Please keep us informed as to how it keeps going with all your littles!