Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Reasons to sign your kids up for golf

Yesterday was a great day for us.
It was the last day of golf for our kids and the first time they took part in a tournament to end the golfing year. We will be up against 30 odd kids, some much older than them, are my boys ready? 

Total count during registration: 33!

We were at the course from 2:30pm till 7:30pm, with some very scorching sun followed by Cat 1 wet weather which delayed the game for 2 hours.
This being Adam’s and Ashton’s first times attending a tournament of any sort, I told them to just try their best, have fun and be safe. 
“No pressure to win anything”, I added for good measure to not dampen their moods and give them too much stress.

Waiting after the warm-up

and more waiting for the rain to go away -__-“


Finally the games resumed and eventually ended at 7ish PM. By then everyone was sweaty and famished. Some girls were already crying. My own boys wanted nothing more than to sit somewhere, devour the refreshments and play Fortnite with their friends. 
Adam with his good friend Kimi, whom he befriended earlier this year on the Golf course.


The moment came for prize presentation. When the judges announced “Adam, 3rd. Where’s Adam?” I gasped and looked at Adam and cheered him to go up to collect his medal with his team.
I can tell he was very happy though he tried not to show it.
Ashton on the other hand, did not win anything.
However, he said he enjoyed himself very much with his team mates and he went on to eat his nuggets and fries happily. 
Andy & I were very happy and proud of our boys for their performance and sportsmanship. 
They were up against 30 odd kids and we really weren’t banking on winning anything. 
Coming in 3rd was such a sweet bonus for Adam.

With the invigilator and Chairman

Happy and beaming Coach Fred. Thank you for all your sweat & grit training my 2 boys!






Of all the extra-curriculum enrichments I have signed Adam up for - Swimming, coding, Scratch programming, Lego robotics - he enjoys Golf the most. Ashton... not so. 

Since a few people have asked me about junior golfing for their children, I thought I would share what I feel about kids learning Golf from my humble past year shuttling my kids to and from Seletar Country Club.

1 - 6 yo is the best year to start your child on Golf.
Some kids join as early as 5, but I think at 5 they need to learn water safety and phonics and stuff like that first. I’d say 6 is a good age because by then, their body mechanics & coordination would be better formed. They would also be reasonably tall enough to use golf clubs without the need to change another set after half a year (depending on their growth spurts). 
Mind you, Golf equipment don’t come cheap and it’s advisable to try them at the physical shops rather than buy online. 
6 year old is also a magical year whereby it’s their last year as a pre-schooler and you still don’t have Pri school homework & logistics to worry about.

2 - From basics to obtaining Proficiency cert (PC), it takes about 1-1.5yrs depending on your child’s progress and interest to perform; and another year or so before they can get their Handicap. 
Therefore, really, from January of the year your child turns 6 is a good time to start so that by the time they enter Pri 1, they would have or going to get their PC. If for whatever reasons you decide to halt golf, at least they get their PC first. That’s like a basic to obtain so as not to let your whole year’s effort of sending them go to nought. 

3 - Golf teaches them discipline, and how to reflect on self improvement every game they play. 

4 - Golf is a non-contact sport. 
For Ashton who has had spine surgery before, I would be worried to put him through high-impact sports like Soccer or Basketball. Golf is a good way for him to get outdoors and play with others without having body contact.

5 - Golf is a skill that can be useful way into adulthood. 
Many friendships are forged and business deals are made on the Golf course. There are also opportunities to become a golf coach in future if teaching is your child’s interest. 

6 - For academically average children like my own, learning an additional skill can be useful for them in future. 
My kids are quite average I would say. Adam isn’t a straight As student, and both of them surely aren’t the over-achievers Type A personality people. Andy is always careful that I don’t over-burden them with my expectations and let them have time to be kids. Therefore, that is the reason I let them pick up golf as I feel it could be useful for them to build their EQ and inter-personal relationship skills. They will have to team up with kids from all walks of life, different skill levels, and receive & carry out instructions without babysitting from parents. 

7 - Having a hobby can be a form of letting loose for the kids on weekends. It is a healthy sport and an avenue for them to unwind after a week of school work and studies. 


** If you would like to find out more about Seletar Junior Golf program, you can contact Fred 93371680 for more info.