Every Saturday and Sunday after 4pm, kids aged 16 and under golf FREE with a paying adult. Book your tee time today!

I didn’t know it at the time, I was only 10, but the day the old golf pro, at Cow Glen Golf Club, near Glasgow died, would prove be the start of the amazing odyssey that has been my life. A life dominated by chasing a little white ball around the World. The friends I have met, the money I have made, the lifestyle I have enjoyed all link back to that dumpster!

The dumpster where they put 60 years worth of old clubs, balls and rubbish that the old pro had accumulated in his tiny little pro shop. From it my uncle Forbes, whom I happened to be visiting, rescued a hand full of hickory-shafted clubs, which were promptly cut down and sent back with me in England.

My parents didn’t play golf so I started hitting balls on my own on a playing field. Soon after I persuaded my parents to get me into a club as a junior member. For the next 8 years I spent every waking hour, other than school, at Llilleshall and later Shifinal golf clubs. The handful of kids I played with there are still my best friends today although I moved 4,000 miles away.

The knowledge I gained about life and business on those fairways surpassed anything I ever learned in college. Although my golf did get me a full scholarship!

Make no mistake about it, getting your kids involved in golf will be one of the greatest and most valuable gifts you will ever give them!

I grew up in the late 70’s and sure we had video games like Space Invaders and Pac-man but it was an afterthought, not a lifestyle. Today’s kids need more than ever to get away from the computer games and get out and socialize with real people not virtual people. Golf is by far the very best way to accomplish that and set your kids up for success in life.

Here is Why:

  1. Anyone Can Play: Golfers come in all shapes and sizes. You don’t have to be particularly strong, tall, lean or fast to succeed. Golf champions come in every shape and size imaginable. It’s never too early to start, and unlike most other sports you can enjoy golf your entire life!
  2. Minimal Risk: Unlike many other popular sports like baseball, soccer and Football, the chances of injury, especially serious injury, are almost non- existent; golf is a non-contact sport.
  3. Safe and positive environment: The golf course is a safe place to spend the day and often facilitates mentoring relationships with successful audlts.
  4. Lifelong friendships: You never know who you will meet on a golf course, but it’s one of the easiest place in the world to make friends. Success breeds success and people who play golf are by in large more successful than the average bear. Those are the people you want your kids hanging out with! Best of all, golf creates a unique bond so those friendships can be developed all over the world and last a lifetime!
  5. Prepare for business: It’s hard to think about it now but kids grow up and the people they meet as children can play a huge part in their success later in life. Golf is a sport that helps prepare kids and teens for careers in the business world. Even at 12 I was learning about real life business every day from all the adults I played with.
  6. Time Spent Outdoors: In today’s world of video games, smart phones and child obesity, it can be hard to drag your son or daughter off the couch. Golf is the perfect excuse to spend an entire day enjoying nature and presents the opportunity to develop healthy lifelong exercise habits!
  7. Important Life Lessons: Golf is a sport that will teach your child life changing traits like integrity, discipline, persistence and respect. As they learn to conduct themselves on the golf course, these lessons will translate directly into everyday life. (See http://traitsofchampions.com)
  8. College Scholarships: Avid golfers have a lot of opportunities when it comes to college funding. The earlier your child starts, the greater his or her chance is of gaining access to scholarship money.
  9. Spend time with family: Golf is a game that can be enjoyed by the entire family from young to old. When children are young, they enjoy doing just about anything with you (but it doesn’t long last so start now). Golf is an opportunity for quality bonding time and it’s one that can last a lifetime.
  10. It’s FUN: This should probably be at the top of the list, but one of the best reasons to get your son or daughter involved with golf is that they’ll have an absolute blast. They’ll have the chance to learn new skills both physical and mental, make new friends and discover new opportunities.

There are a million things you can buy your kids or gift your kids in the hope that it helps them learn and grow, only a few make a real impact.

Encouraging them to play golf is one!

Next Steps:

  • Get your kids some lessons with a local pro. (Pam LeBlanc, Class A Golf Professional.[pam@plgolfsolutions.com])
  • Get them a junior membership, normally amazingly cheap compared to other activities. (Greensmere Golf Club Junior Memberships, http://www.greensmere.com/rates/membership, 613-839-7772)
  • Give yourself a high five for doing something that will make a real difference in your child’s life!
  • Take A Kid to the Course week lets you bring your kids to try golf for free July 4-10. More information here.
  • Join us every Saturday and Sunday to enjoy free kids golf as well anytime after 4pm. More information here.

I know it did in mine…

I can’t tell you, what an amazing difference golf has made to my life. Although I had hoped to become a golf professional, I never did. In the end it didn’t really matter, the travel, friendships, business opportunities and the fact that at 52 I’m can sill easily walk 36 holes in a day, more than made up for it!

Thank you Mum and Dad!

Love

Andrew

PS. And Uncle Forbes