[native golfer]

I was recently wondering this because my mother insists on her watching my daughter while I golf. I on the other hand enjoy my daughter's company and it keeps me relaxed watching her playing in bunkers.

[jdkfla]

My son is 9 and I take him with me in the afternoon. I let him tee off then we pick up his ball and drop it at the 100 yd marker. I wouldn't take him on the weekend yet, but we haven't had a problem during the week.

[CodyH]

Well, my opinion is that as long as she is mature enough and doesn't do any harm to the course, she should be out watching her dad and maybe even hitting a few! Although it's mainly your responsibility (as I am assuming she is to young to know course edicate), an example of a big no-no that would make you look bad, could be not raking bunkers that she was playing in. Another thing, you must teach her to watch out for errant tee shots.

[Swingtheclub]

Tell me you are kidding . Tell me you do not let your child play in the bunkers.

The answer is when is old enough is when they are old enough to understand being quiet, staying still and that they know how to protect themselves when someone yells "four"


I would say about eight or nine for there safety.

It also depends on when you bring them.

Nothing is worse than that guy that brings there kid to there Saturday morning game.

"Hey guys you don't mind if I bring Billy along do you" Like someone is going to be a jerk and say hell yes we mind.

Then the kids running all over the place and ruins there one day a week to play golf.

Seriously if your letting your kid run around in the bunkers you should be banned from the course.

[CodyH]

kenk7us2002, on Jul 22 2007, 06:51 PM, said:

Tell me you are kidding . Tell me you do not let your child play in the bunkers.

The answer is when is old enough is when they are old enough to understand being quiet, staying still and that they know how to protect themselves when someone yells "four"


I would say about eight or nine for there safety.

It also depends on when you bring them.

Nothing is worse than that guy that brings there kid to there Saturday morning game.

"Hey guys you don't mind if I bring Billy along do you" Like someone is going to be a jerk and say hell yes we mind.

Then the kids running all over the place and ruins there one day a week to play golf.

Seriously if your letting your kid run around in the bunkers you should be banned from the course.

Harsh, but true in many ways.

[native golfer]

I can see your point but, if I rake the bunker after she is done raking the bunker. She is thrilled to get tees and give you one. She is quiet when people are hitting. I only take her out during weekdays late at nite. Golf course is happy she comes with me and took some pics.

[sync71]

I wouldn't say there is really a certain age..but it's when she is mature enough to be able to not run around on the course, scream, and damage the course I'd say. Just make sure to teach her proper etiquette. I'd say there is no problem with her playing in the bunker as long as you rake it up and she doesn't throw the sand all around or something. And not when your out their Saturday morning. BTW what your doing right now sounds great.

[Swingtheclub]

You never mentioned how old she is.

Also most courses have and age rule.


As for the guy having the nine year old on the course I think that is wonderful. I am a big advocate of junior golf and I think they should start at around seven or eight generally.

But kids under say age six I just think the golf course is a dangerous place for them.

[CodyH]

native golfer, on Jul 22 2007, 07:38 PM, said:

I can see your point but, if I rake the bunker after she is done raking the bunker. She is thrilled to get tees and give you one. She is quiet when people are hitting. I only take her out during weekdays late at nite. Golf course is happy she comes with me and took some pics.

Well then, in my opinion, she is ready for a golf course.

[Swingtheclub]

will you feel this way if she gets hit by a golf ball and killed?

[Hoover98]

kenk7us2002, on Jul 22 2007, 08:53 PM, said:

will you feel this way if she gets hit by a golf ball and killed?

That has to be the worst reply I've ever read on this board. Lighten up, Francis.

[2DOWN3TOGO]

My son has been going to the range w/ me since he was 4 , he's now 6. He's played a couple or 9 hole rounds w/ me but he get's bored , etc. His favorite thing to do is putt and chip. We play this game where I hit the 1st putt(or chip) and he cleans up for me. If he makes the putt he get's a dollar , if he is short - he owes me a dollar. He can miss and be long and he owes me nothing. Just last week we putted in the rain for an hour and he made 58 dollars. He begs me daily to go putt. Go figure!

[CodyH]

2DOWN3TOGO, on Jul 22 2007, 09:08 PM, said:

My son has been going to the range w/ me since he was 4 , he's now 6. He's played a couple or 9 hole rounds w/ me but he get's bored , etc. His favorite thing to do is putt and chip. We play this game where I hit the 1st putt(or chip) and he cleans up for me. If he makes the putt he get's a dollar , if he is short - he owes me a dollar. He can miss and be long and he owes me nothing. Just last week we putted in the rain for an hour and he made 58 dollars. He begs me daily to go putt. Go figure!

Great idea! The being short and owing him a dollar is a good idea, because you know what they say... 100% of the putts that are short can't go in". But it would have been a better idea to make each putt for a quarter. Once he gets better you will go broke!

[ApexGrind]

kenk7us2002, on Jul 22 2007, 07:42 PM, said:

Also most courses have and age rule.

But kids under say age six I just think the golf course is a dangerous place for them.

Most all the courses around here do not allow riders of any age. Primarily because their insurance dictates that.

[Hoover98]

golfercody, on Jul 22 2007, 09:15 PM, said:

Great idea! The being short and owing him a dollar is a good idea, because you know what they say... 90% of the putts that are short can't go in". But it would have been a better idea to make each putt for a quarter. Once he gets better you will go broke!

FIFY

[TNCass]

I have two kids, one 9 and one 11 (9 yr old in my avatar) and I will have to say, their conduct, pace of play, attire, and etiquette are much better than some grown men I see everytime I go. Just my two cents worth. Our junior golf program in Tennessee (TGA Junior Tour) is second to none and both of them have benefited greatly from their time playing in that environment. They could play the Sat morning game from the appropriate tees and hold up no one. The best part about both of them is watching them grow, improve, and love the game. That is what it is all about.

[raidernut1234]

My son is 9, my daughter is 3. We have a golf camp every year at our club for 6 and up. The first day is entirely spent on etiquette and proper behavior on the golf course. Thanks to this program, I have had my son on the course since the day he turned 6. This year he will start tournament play due to the time he has spent on the course.
Because there is less play, I can take both of them out in the evenings and it is encouraged at our club, as long as the kids are well behaved.
Whats great is there are deer that can show up on the back nine, we feed the ducks, and even fish after 7:30PM.

What a great way to play 9 holes in the evening!!!

Teach them properly, and it can be some of the best time you spend together!!

Now, on a public course?? Probably no chance, to many opportunities for errant golf balls, and too crowded.

just my 2 cents

[stevestrike]

My son is 7 now (6 when I started taking him). You have to take the course into consideration. One muni course nearby is very kid-friendly. They welcome it, and encourage it. This is the course I go to if my son is going to join me. There are other course that I would not bring my son to, simply because he is not ready to take it that "seriously" yet. If my fellow golfers are paying $60+ for a round, they don't want to put up with children running around on the course. OTOH, if you are paying $12 for some muni twilight, anything is game (wife beaters, blue jeans, and work boots anyone?) I have no problem letting my kid run around on a course like this.

At the kid-friendly course, I first thought it was good for him. He would run down the fairway, whacking his ball 30-40 yards at a time all the way to the green. He enjoyed it, and I was glad to spend the time with him. However, I've recently changed my thoughts on this due to the possibility of him getting hit by an errant shot. Golfers at this muni tend to be of the worse quality, and it is often that we see balls flying into our fairway from a monster slice tee shot next door. I know to look around and be wary, but at 7 he just isn't in tune with his surroundings enough for me to feel totally comfortable. Not to mention a tee shot could hurt a child much worse than an adult. For this reason, I don't let him run around quite so freely when he's with me, and I will be teaching him how to watch for golfers on other holes.

Oh yeah, and we only play 9 holes (max) when the kid is with us. They just don't have the attention span for a 5 hour round of golf at that age.

[Swingtheclub]

That has to be the worst reply I've ever read on this board. Lighten up, Francis


This is exactly why most course will not let babys and small children on the golf courses to keep them from being hurt and the course from being sued.

Small children do not understand to cover up and duck when someone yells four.

As far as the proper introduction to the game for younger kids through junior golf programs I think its great.

[johnj]

Quote

I was recently wondering this because my mother insists on her watching my daughter while I golf. I on the other hand enjoy my daughter's company and it keeps me relaxed watching her playing in bunkers

My daughter is five, her "golf course" age is seven of course, due to the arbitrary requirement that children be at least seven years old to ride in a cart here at most courses in South Florida. I actually prefer to walk but most tracks here don't lend themselves to that though we have found a few, including a couple of nine-hole layouts. My five year old has her "chapel" manners and her "school" manners and now she has her "golf" manners. She knows when not to talk, or move, where to stand & where not to (safety being a priority) and how to tend a pin. Generally she hits a tee shot & picks up and then drops and putts on the green. We both love the time we spend together, her mother plays also, and she is learning golf etiquette correctly which is more than can be said for the seeming majority of people playing golf today (notice I didn't say "golfers"...there is a difference). I was forutnate to have been brought to the course very early on and taught about etiquette, pace of play, etc. before ever being allowed to pick up a club and I am proud to give my daughter the same oppurtuinity. If you have the oppurtunity to do the same for your child by all means do, this game that we love is a gift for a lifetime...J

PS-My daughter loves the sandtraps as well...J

PPS-One of the best places in South Florida to take your young golfer is the Short Course at the PGA Club in Port St Lucie, Fl...and of course they have the best practice facility anywhere as well...J

[Big D McGee]

kenk7us2002, on Jul 22 2007, 10:53 PM, said:

will you feel this way if she gets hit by a golf ball and killed?

You, sir, are a boor. Get your head out of your a$$ and lighten up, you classless oaf.

[Big D McGee]

Anyone who thinks kids don't belong on a golf course should read this:
http://www.philly.co..._kids_play.html

Native Golfer, it's parents like you who help grow the game and keep it viable for all of us. My son is 3, I already take him to the range, I can't wait until he's 6 or 7 and I can take him to a little 9-hole course near us.

[johnj]

Quote

My son is 3, I already take him to the range, I can't wait until he's 6 or 7 and I can take him to a little 9-hole course near us.

Awesome...J

Awesome article also...thanks for sharing it...J

[ericld]

When my daughter was 10 (she is 12 now) the marshall drove over and asked me to keep her in the cart and off the course. I ignored him as she walked up to the tee box and poked a 175yd drawing drive into the fairway. He smiled and said "excuse me".

He didn't know that she was a 14 HC at the time. It's always fun when we get paired up with older men who think "it's going to be a long day with a kid out here" and she beats them by more than 15 strokes from their tees.

(Sorry, as her Dad I had to brag.)

As long as they are observant of the required etiquette and are happy to be there <----important variable, then they should be allowed to be on any course at any age.

Far too often I see parents taking their kids onto the driving range and the kids lay in the grass asking "can we go now?". After a while they begin to run around and fight with their siblings or wander out onto the range itself. It's gotta be interesting for the child.

[Callawaykid2]

Bringing kids on the course is all about RESPECT and each person should know what is acceptable at the course(s) they play. I belong to a private course and its kind of a family thing to do late at night to bring one of your kids you want to introduce to the game and let them play a hole or two. There is no one around and its a great time to do some bonding and show them the game you love...
Speaking of which, I brought my 6 year old daughter out last night around 7ish to play. We played from the 150yard markers in. First hole, she drains a 45' putt and I missed my 12 footer. Nothing like getting razzed by a 6 year old-

[spearfish]

I personally would only take a kid on a golf course unless they were prepared to either caddy or play on a busy members day. If they are quiet when they should be and stand where they should be, it would be no problem.

I was 4 years old and playing rounds of golf with my father in the evenings.. .Course was quiet and I would drop a ball next to his and hit, then putt on the green... Did me wonders.

[Big D McGee]

Johsjen95, Hahah...that's awesome! My son only has a putter right now, and there's a $5 9-hole course near us. It's not too shabby. I was thinking of taking him there at an off hour and I hit and let him putt for me. I figure, if he's not ready, I've only lost $5, no biggie.

[Grimace45]

I played in a two person scramble this weekend with my 15 month old son a my partner. It was a great day to have him out on the course with me and thanks to my wife's help he was well behaved. He was able to hit a few shots off the tee and even rolled a few putts. All that being said, there is a time and a place to have children on the golf course. This course was owned by a friend of the family and the tournament was run by my father. If I take my son out any other time, it is usually only for a few holes, later in the day and at a course that I am a member at. Same goes for the range at my club, it it is crowded I don't take him down to hit balls since I do not want to take away from what other people are doing. I started playing when I was less than 2 years old and firmly believe that there is definitely a time and place to have young children on the golf course.

[native golfer]

I agree with that! My daughter is 2 years old but she has her own set of real clubs, us kids clubs. She hits ok but she loves to putt! The course I take her to is a semi private course with a family atmosphere and friday nights or tuesday nights around 6 ish. There is Plenty of room from each hole. I would never think to bring her on some public course where some hacker would be hitting balls all over. She rakes bunkers and calms me down after bad holes. We have alot of fun!

[expunge]

spearfish, on Jul 23 2007, 10:38 AM, said:

I personally would only take a kid on a golf course unless they were prepared to either caddy or play on a busy members day. If they are quiet when they should be and stand where they should be, it would be no problem.

I was 4 years old and playing rounds of golf with my father in the evenings.. .Course was quiet and I would drop a ball next to his and hit, then putt on the green... Did me wonders.

So your dad let you go out with him, but you wouldn't do that for your kids? I don't get it.

I will go to the range and bring my 4 year old with me. She loves going. She'll get her own bucket and then half of mine and throw the balls down the hill. It upsets me to no end but I always go get them and hit them into the range. She has a putter and loves to putt.

[2DOWN3TOGO]

I'll spend my inheritance - haha.

[MrBlack]

24

[cdesana]

No age is too young to be exposed to the game you love. Now if you are asking what age is right for playing, that would depend on many things.

Will your child be hitting a ball now and then?

Just hitting a few putts?

Playing full holes?

Of course how crowded the course is?

So on.................

Tons of variables to be considered, but like i said above. A child is never too young to be exposed to your love of the game.

[gnewt]

Ihave my 5 year old son in golf camps this summer, it is a great place for him to learn the game from someone with experience teaching kids and someone who is a better golfer than me. I would have never thought to tell my son to think of his 2 thumbs as lego blocks and to stack them on top of each other, when gripping the club.

I have yet to take him on the course yet, but we go to the range often and I am sure by the end of the summer I will take him to the course with me. However my son has a very dedicated attention span that not all kids his age have. He can sit through an entire movie without getting bored. He can watch golf with me and enjoy pointing out tiger woods and enjoys little challenges with a quiet disposition. There are the other type of kids that I see at soccer and such that can't stay entertained at anything for more than 5 minutes and end up running around like crazy looking for the next thing to do. Imagine them at a golf course. I really think that each of us just have to know our own children, experiment, but be willing to walk away from the middle of a round if it is not working out. It is not really your childs fault if they can't stay interested and maintain proper golf ettiquette at a young age, but other golfers do not nor should not pay for your experiment! From a safety stand point, pick a course that is tree lined to offer some protection, we all know that most of the time you don't even hear FORE being called. Stay away from the Hard Hat required muni's.

[stevestrike]

gnewt, on Jul 24 2007, 09:57 AM, said:

...be willing to walk away from the middle of a round if it is not working out.

This is something that I had to do a reality check for myself on. When my son got to the point in the round where he was not paying attention, and I got frustrated, I realized (later that night) that I was really out there for me, and not for him.

I stopped taking him out with me for about a year until he had matured some, and could enjoy the game for himself. Still, 9 holes is the absolute max we can go, and I think he'd be happy with 3 or 4.

[MNRehab]

I have a 4.5 year old daughter and she loves it, she has been going to my course (private) since I could push her in a stoller on Sunday nights (1 year old). It's about time of day and what the expectations are. I played my first tournament with my dad at age 4. Alternate shot father son. I don't remember it, but I still have the trophy. I think everyone "won".

My attitude is take em early and often and hope they love the game, what could be better than having a partner that wants to play after dinner in the summer? My daughter loves to go, and now the whole family heads out, wife and 16 month old when the course is empty. We have a standing game with other parents of kids that age, and "play" in a huge pack. It's great.

They need to have fun and not bother everyone, but if you go at the right times, who is going to be bothered, certainly not a sand trap. BTW the superintendent of my club loves it when my daughter is there, because we get a big bucket of sand and seed and fill in all the divots. Teaching her to love the course and be nice to it. It's the greatest to see her replace a divot and stomp on it.

Rehab

[Hoover98]

kenk7us2002, on Jul 23 2007, 05:18 AM, said:

That has to be the worst reply I've ever read on this board. Lighten up, Francis


This is exactly why most course will not let babys and small children on the golf courses to keep them from being hurt and the course from being sued.

Small children do not understand to cover up and duck when someone yells four.

As far as the proper introduction to the game for younger kids through junior golf programs I think its great.

This is exactly why you take them out when the course is not crowded (in addition to not holding anyone up). Also, there are some courses (like the one in my neighborhood) where there are no holes that run parallel, so unless there's someone hitting into you (again, go when nobody's out there), there should be no worries about getting hit. If a course is notorious for having balls fly into other fairways or in the vicinity of other players (whether or not someone yells fore), obviously you should not take youngsters with you.

BTW, do you also dislike old people and dogs?

[Swingtheclub]

You know I am about tired of defending myself on this subject.

I think its dangerous for kids under six to be on a golf course. I worry for their safety.

But never once did I say I did not like kids on a golf course.

When I was a club professional the thing I enjoyed most was working with juniors and my junior program. It and teaching in general is what I missed most when I left the business.

I was a head pro outside of Dubuque Iowa for about three years (twenty miles outside) a lot of my members lived in Dubuque.

I had a hundred kids in my junior program every Thursday morning at my little nine hole golf course.

I love seeing kids on the golf course always have always will. But I want them old enough to be safe .

As far as old people I love them I am one.

You were right about one thing I cant stand dogs.

[AM92318]

I take my 2 year old to the driving range!!!

[johnj]

Quote

I had a hundred kids in my junior program every Thursday morning at my little nine hole golf course.

kenk7us2002...You may tired of defending yourself but you set the tone with your posts which at first I ignored but now deserve a response on behalf of responsible parents who happen to also be golfers. If you think for a second that you or anyone else who is not the parent or even relative of my child is better qualified to provide for my child's safety, on the golf course or elsewhere, then you epitomize ignorance. I'll illustrate this simply by hoisting you on your own petard and refferring to the quote from your last post above. If you had "a hundred" kids at one time on your "nine hole golf course" and the student teacher ratio wasn't one to one then you could not have risen to the level of supervision that I have over my own child when I bring her to the course. Two children, six or above, as you set the standard (irrespective of the immature 10 year old as opposed to the well mannered, well behaved five year old for example) could cause more damage to each other with an unsupervised swing then I care to imagine...some liability. You haven't successfully defended your comments, nor can you, especially that priceless, insensitive nugget about the child getting hurt. I sincerely hope that you see the logic in mine and other parent's that have tried to reason with you. As for the name calling which you have been the brunt of, it's not my style, but I empathize with those poster's angst...I hope I got through...J