T1B

My younger son, now 12, had a private golf lesson last week. He has tried other sports: baseball, water polo, sailing, swimming, but none really appealed to him. He wants to get into a sport before high school. Have any of you fellas had golf lessons? I hope he likes golf because we live very close to 3 different courses and his high school has a golf team. Would you recommend a group lesson for fun? Or semi-private lesson? Private lessons? My son is very brainy and meticulous so I hope those traits help him in this sport. I really just want him to find a sport he loves. Tell me guys, because I don't read this forum and know nothing about golf, what qualities do golf players have that make them good at golf?

Most golfers are drunks who are proficient at using profanity.

Wish I could help more, but that's all I got.

At 12, a group lesson might be more comfortable for him.

If he has good hand-eye coordination then he should be able to play golf.

If you are down with spending the money, private lessons are the best way to go. Though many clubs also have half day or day long junior clinics that can also be valuable.

Private lessons at this stage won't do him any good.

Get him into a group lesson or a golf clinic.
Let him hit balls on the driving range with one or two clubs, and practice putting on the putting green.
Hopefully he has some friends or relatives that he can go play a few rounds with on an executive course.

Once he starts getting a feel for swinging a club, then maybe a private lesson.

Look at me. I started at 13 and never had a private lesson in my life.
If I'd just get off may ass and practice a little more I'd be good enough for the tour....well maybe the senior tour.

I agree with Mikey. Let him take some basic group lessons and go out there and tear up the course for a year or so. If he likes it and has some aptitude for it, commence with the private lessons.

Sounds like we have a consensus. Golf banter, AND parenting advice. The Golf Forum posters RULEZORZ!

Sounds like he’d be a perfect fit for the Science Country Club.

Good luck.

trev,

I too will advise that you get him into a junior golf camp to start with. I'm actually a golf instructor and I have given private lessons to kids around your son's age. At 12, a private lesson is going to be very boring for him. At that age you have to stress the fun in the game and kids have a lot more fun and get a lot more out of it when they learn in a group environment. Plus, he may make friends within that camp who might have junior memberships at those courses nearby.

Now that you've asked us, your next step should be to go to those courses and ask the pro there about their junior programs.