Here at the Golfing Household we are raising future golfers. I don't know if they will ever be Golfers. That requires a certain attitude as well as skill. The Golfer has it. As previously noted, I don't. We'll have to see who they all take after. As of now Golfing Offspring #1 (GO1) is definitely taking after me. She is much better at the actual game than I am ( in some future post I will discuss the feelings of total inadequacy you have to deal with the first time an offspring beats you in a round ), but she has never managed to fully develop the rest of The Golfer traits. I don't think she sees this as a bad thing. And the fact that she probably never will develop these traits was obvious the first time we put a club in her hands.
She was not quite 3 and we took her to play Putt-Putt. Introduce her to the game in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. Get her used to the idea of using a stick to hit a ball ( on the ground. Kids seem to be born with an innate urge to hit a ball with anything they can through the air ). Just kind of ease into the whole thing. We get to the first hole, which is the classic windmill. The Golfer demonstrates by hitting his ball through the windmill, first try. GO1 steps up with her childs size putter, and swings at the ball. It takes a few tries, but she gets it through the windmill. I hit my ball through the windmill. We walk around to the other side of the windmill. GO1 has a thoughtful look on her face. The Golfer proceeds to hit his ball into the hole. Meanwhile GO1 starts hitting her ball around the surface, and bouncing it off the sides. It is explained to her that she can't hit until her turn. She steps back and waits. When it is her turn we tell her to aim for the hole. She more or less turns towards the hole, hits the ball nice and hard, and it bounces off the side. She is very happy with this result. It was a nice big bounce. The Golfer and I both say 'No no no GO1. You need to get the ball in the hole. That is how you win the game. You get the ball in the hole'. GO1 gave us a long look. Then she picked up her ball and walked over and dropped it in the hole. And gave us another look. This one clearly said 'If you want the ball in the hole why the heck don't you just drop the ball in the stupid hole. This is a dumb game.' Then she turned around and walked away.
We did manage to finish the game of Putt-Putt. But after the first shot on each hole we had to let GO1 pick up her ball and drop it in the hole. She just didn't pick up on the skill, on the challenge, on the beauty behind the major concept of the game. She eventually came around though. And was even Captain of her high school golf team. But every time she starts a round I think that little 3 year old voice is still in her head saying 'This is a dumb game'. And this will prevent her from ever becoming A Golfer. However, as I said, I don't think she sees this as a bad thing.
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