At what age/how did you introduce your kids to the game?

Iamsecond116 · May 16

I am interested to hear how kids of various ages got involved in the game - I know it’s different for kids of all ages! Did they ride around with you in the cart on Sunday afternoons for a few years before gaining real interest? Do any work (play) at home before hand? Did they pick it up naturally?

I have little ones (the oldest is 3) that I just bought a putter for. I am looking forward to spending time with her and hopefully seeing her enjoy it as much as I do someday.

GolfSpy_APH · May 16

My son is 2.5 and I built him a putter about a year ago. He has kinda putted around or attempted at pushing the golf balls around with it since then. He watches me practice putt all the time and gets the balls for me when they are at the end and often will go "ready...set...go!" Then I have to putt.

I have a net at home as well and we take guided practice swings for fun.

I would love him to take to the game. But if he doesn't so be it! Most I want for him is to have fun and find things he liked and enjoys.

Josh Parker · May 16

My 7 year old decided for himself and still isn’t super interested. My 3 year old loves to putt, so anytime she's with me at the course, she has a ball and putter.

Preeway · May 16

I have triplets and took all three to the range when they were around 10. None of them seemed interested right away but then one decided he wanted to start after 8th grade. He's now playing for his HS varsity team as a sophomore. The other two have mild interest at best and just enjoy going to TopGolf when we get the chance.

russtopherb · May 16

I bought my son a small putter so he and I could play putting games when he was around 5 or so, we just had fun in the living room together. A few years later he asked if he could take lessons via our town's summer program, then a few years after that asked if he could quit Little League to play PGA Jr instead. I let him dictate how involved he wanted to be, and I always made sure to make everything a fun game. He's 18 now and heads off to the range on his own to work on his swing, and plans on playing as much golf as possible this summer (for $5 a round, the lucky bugger) before heading off to college.

RetiredBoomer · May 16

9 hours ago, Iamsecond116 said:

I am interested to hear how kids of various ages got involved in the game - I know it’s different for kids of all ages! Did they ride around with you in the cart on Sunday afternoons for a few years before gaining real interest? Do any work (play) at home before hand? Did they pick it up naturally?

I have little ones (the oldest is 3) that I just bought a putter for. I am looking forward to spending time with her and hopefully seeing her enjoy it as much as I do someday.

My son has his mom's volatile temperament and obviously wasn't right for the game at all. We both could tell early on.

My daughter, who is right-handed but left-handed at stick and ball sports, thought she might like it but never followed up.

I've just got my geriatric buddies, mostly,
but my ex-son-in-law is occasionally up for a game.

Txrayado · May 20

I started playing when I started walking. My dad and his friend cut down a putter for me. My kids I bought a putter for them when they were around 2. I would take them with me “one at a time” when I played and they would put only at first. They are now 8,12 the 8 year old chips and putts and the 12 year old plays as much as she wants.

NordicGolfDad · June 17

My son just turned 9 and has a mild form of cerebral palsy (minor calf braces, tip top walks without them). I'm hoping this is a sport he can get into that is massively affected by his condition. Hoping to get a putter and mid iron to practice swings on a net and green mat.

WaffleHouseTour · June 17

I tried to get both my daughters interested. They learned how to drive a car by first driving a golf cart. They could chase butterfly’s or fuzzy caterpillars on the course. Just a fun time out with dad. Didn’t stick with either of them. They’d get frustrated and pursued other activities. I knew I couldn’t push, only hope.

Then one day twenty years later my youngest calls to say if that offer of golf lessons was still good…. She’s moved away, eight hours from home, went to a top golf like place with friends and the bug bit. Yes, offer was still good. Let’s find a coach or a women’s school and dad will pay. Been golfing with her on Father’s Day the last two year. The long drive is down the highway rather than the fairway but so worth it. You never know when the seeds you plant today may take root and grow.

Prodigal Duffer · June 21

My son got into it through First Tee. His interest got me into golf, too. As we both played more, my daughter began to take an interest. We put her in First Tee last year, and this year both kids are taking one-on-one lessons. My daughter played her first round on a regular course with me this past Wednesday.

My daughter seems more interested than my son, as he gets hot and cold about playing. I have a deal with him that if he does a certain amount of practice every week this summer, I will get him new clubs. That does motivate him.

All three of us play together a minimum of once a month, hopefully more if either decides they want to join me.

GolfSpy MPR · June 21

This was my foursome for my morning nine today:

Like so many others have said: kids are different. My wife and I have six children, so we're living that truth as an daily experiment.

My oldest daughter (not pictured) is 13, and has virtually no interest, not only in golf, but in any sports whatsoever. She inherited my lack of natural coordination, but has no inclination to fight through it

My oldest son, now 11, has been a golf nut since he could walk. I have absolutely zero advice for cultivating that. He is a naturally gifted athlete, and took to golf right away. He plays baseball, has played soccer, but would still consider himself first and foremost a golfer.

My second son likes to play, but is hardly as committed to the grind as my older boy.

My daughter (in the picture here) is six, and she is athletically inclined like her brother. She's been on me to bring her out to the course, and she's now getting to the point that we can start her at 100 yards from the hole and let her compete well from there. She will improve quickly, and I think it's likely she'll stick with it.

My youngest two daughters are 3 and 0, so who knows?

My point in all of this: even within the same family, there isn't a good simple recommendation that applies to all kids. Others have said it, and I'll repeat it: if your hope is for them to love golf, make it fun for them. For one kid, that might mean taking it very seriously. For another, that means just time together on the course or at the range or in the simulator, whether they hit golf shots or not.

GolfSpy_KFT · June 21

My boys are 7 and 4 and both enjoy coming out on the course and to the range with me. My oldest was gifted a set of junior clubs when he was 5, after he saw him using a plastic baseball bat and ball like a golf club in the yard . That Christmas we bought him a set of junior clubs and he’s been in the First Tee program ever since. He tees it up at the PGA Jr. tee markers on our course and keeps up with me no problem. My youngest loves it because his brother does. He got a set of clubs this past year for his birthday and hits from close to the green and then putts. It won’t take him long to catch on as he’s pretty naturally athletic.

We live on the course so I take them out after the last tee time of the day as much as I can and let them just goof off and have a fun time together, but my oldest does also like to play “real” rounds with dad during normal hours.

Slinks · June 21

My son wanted to take up a sport, he wanted to try football, ended up being bored, so he decided he wanted to try golf so he could one day come and join me playing golf,

So I started him with group lessons, he was about 6yrs old, then we started to see a real comptive streak come out in him, and he thoroughly enjoyed the competition but he started to get quite down when he didn't win, after a few weeks of this he started to lose interest because he couldn't always win, So I decided to try one to one lessons, and he really flourished, eventually we joined a club, and he started to play with the juniors and again really enjoyed and handled the comptive side a lot better, he got to play in matches & competitions,

He eventually reached a 4 handicap and he could hit a ball really well.

Then he reached 18 yes old and discovered beer, he doesn't play as much now but I believe it was well worth the effort starting him young especially as it was something he wanted to do. Even with the ups & downs, just give them the support,

Nicmo · June 21

Father had me swinging at about 5. Around 12 I became is unwilling fill in when someone canceled in his weekend foursome. He'd wake me up at 6:00 am when it was freezing outside to go to the course when all I wanted to do was sleep, wake up late, eat Fruit Loops and watch cartoons. Miss those days with my dad.

Introduced my daughter at around 6. She was pretty good however on a fluke she tried tennis and was even better. She went on to play tennis at a D1 California school and some low level pro events. Due to graduate school and a busy life she plays maybe 3 times a year but she can out drive this old man and his friends by 30 yards. Every single digit handicap friend of mine she has played are amazed at her skills. Her short game needs work but last round she had 7 birdie putts from 10 feet or less

Edited June 21 by Nicmo
entered accidentally before finished

The Artful Duffer · June 21

My soon to be three year olds have a little plastic set I bought them that keeps interest for a little bit. Been considering buying the Kid Caddie attachment thing to mount to their double jogging stroller. I could get out to play, mom gets a break, they have a couple hours with dad on the course and my fatass could get some exercise walking instead of riding. Seems like a win all around.