Playing Golf with Your Kid: A Survival Guide

When a child joins a kid’s golf club or academy and begins to improve, it is natural for a parent to want to play with them. Playing golf with your child is a great way to bond and see them in action. You can gauge their skill level and continue encouraging them to improve.

Before you embark on the journey of golf with your kid, here are a few survival tips.

Golf Equipment and Accessories for You and Your Child

Golf equipment is one of the first things you should get before hitting the course. Make sure you have the proper golf shoes, and maybe get your child a new pair as well. Make the prospect of playing with you appealing to them.

Part of choosing the right shoe means deciding between spiked vs. spikeless golf shoes for yourself and for your child, depends on the golf course you will be playing on. Having the wrong shoes can be frustrating for both of you, can hamper the experience you are about to enjoy with your child.

To be on the safe side, make sure you have the right attire too; golf involves a lot of walking in the sun. Buying them new clothes will encourage them to hit the golf course with you.

Another way to get them excited is to make the gear fun. Buy colorful golf balls or a pair of gloves with their favorite cartoon character to keep them entertained.

Make sure you’re all set to avoid any issues or meltdowns while on course.

Select the Right Time

Make sure to choose the right time to play. To have a great time without a crowd of people, you will need to find out what the best time is, ideally the slower hours. Going to the course at the right time means that you two can take your time and enjoy quality time together.

You should also check to see if any events are going on and schedule your game around those events, especially if it’s an event that covers a large part of the course and involves a lot of people.

Find Parent-Junior events.

If there is a parent-junior event at the golf course, this could be a great time to go. This is a tournament for parents and kids; it’s a fun way to spend time together. You might need to do some practice before the event, but you can have a good time while competing.

You can also invite kids from your kid’s golf club or golf academy and their parents to the event. You can let the parents do the driving while the kids do most of the putting.

Making it a friendly affair can relieve the pressure on the children to compete with their parents. It will also be enjoyable for them to play with their friends.

Don’t Worry About Your Skills

When playing with your child, you shouldn’t be concerned with skill or technique. Instead of focusing on setting a new record, make that time about having fun.

Take this opportunity as a parent to help them out with their techniques and offer advice. A little encouragement can help boost your child’s confidence. So can allow them to demonstrate their knowledge of the game.

Choose a Short Course

When playing golf with your kid, make sure to begin with a short course that’s moderately flat, short, and easy. A straightforward course is great to start with and will be favorable for the kids.

A long course may be too tiring and can have a lot of hazards and challenging greens. A long course also means your kid could get bored and won’t find playing with you as much fun.

With time, you can make the courses more challenging as the kids learn more and gain more skills and tolerance for longer courses. Give them a small reward every time they make it through a challenging course.

Make It Fun

Golf requires a lot of walking, which is not appealing to every child. Embrace the golf cart to avoid dragging a fussy child around the golf course. This makes things more enjoyable because they can take a break and ride on the cart. If they’re old enough, you could even let them drive the cart around, under supervision, of course.

Take frequent breaks as well. Golf can tire children out quickly due to the amount of walking and mental work, so it’s not a bad idea to let them recharge before returning to the course.

Another option is to play themed golf. Find family-friendly themed mini-golf courses and enjoy a memorable game with your kids. It relieves the pressure of an actual golf course and is twice as fun.

Create your scoring system

Kids can be very competitive and will want to show off their skills. As a parent, you can create a scoring system that is suited to them and their skill level, making the game more fun for them and tailored to their abilities.

While the main objective would remain, getting the ball in the hole with the fewest shots possible, you could try increasing their scores when they make a great shot. This increases their morale and will encourage them to work on the shots.

Encourage Good Etiquette

As part of their lessons with their golf clubs, your kids will learn the proper golf course etiquette. The time you spend playing with them on the course offers a great opportunity for you to teach them a thing or two. It’s even better when you are on a less crowded course.

Encourage them to wait their turn before hitting the ball, and teach them not to jump into the bunkers. You could also teach them to respect all players and tell them what they are allowed to do while on the golf course.

Make Fun Bets With Them

Another way to make your time on the course fun with the kids is to make bets. Instead of making it about scores only, you could bet that the winner gets money, an ice cream, or doesn’t have to do a certain chore.

Make a bet like that and watch them make the most of every shot just to win the prize.

Practice at Home

During bad weather or when you’re unable to be on the golf course, you can consider buying an indoor putting green or putting mat. This will be great for the kids to still get their practice in whenever they can. You can also take a closer look at their technique and give them pointers.

Another option is to incorporate target practice to help with the aim. You can make it a fun project with kids to find things at home that you can use for practice.

The Fewer Holes There Are, the Better

An 18-hole course may be too long and boring for children. A maximum of three holes may be more manageable for them.

Gradually, as time passes and their tolerance grows, increase the number of holes with each visit to the course. This is an excellent method for teaching them patience. Make a point of congratulating them whenever they complete another hole.

Be Patient With Them

At some point mid-round, they might get tired or slow, so it’s important to be patient with them and listen to them if they’re getting tired. You need to be tolerant and offer as much support as possible. Even though you may be busting with energy and find the course easy, kids may find some sections of the course harder than others.

Your safest bet is to be supportive and encourage them throughout. Celebrate them as they move from one section to another, and especially when they make it over challenging sections.

A great way to show this would be by managing the yardage. Make sure they are playing at a reasonable yardage for their level. They will get the most out of their experience while still appreciating how difficult golf can be.

Conclusion

Keeping everything above in mind, playing golf with your kid is a great way to spend time together. It can be challenging in the beginning, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll cherish these moments.

Be mindful of what your kid or kids need at every turn, and meet them with love and support. The moments shared and lessons learned on the course could help them love golf even more than they already do. Don’t shy away from spending some time with them on the golf course whenever you can.

At the end of it all, make sure you have fun. Laugh and celebrate with your kids as they learn and grow on the course. Inviting kids and parents from their kid’s golf club could make your time on the course even more fun. The parents get to mingle while the kids get to compete against each other and bond over golf.

Making such occasions frequent increases your children’s enjoyment of golf so they keep playing for years ahead. Further emphasis is placed on being patient and encouraging throughout the process.