First Adventure with the “BIGS”

Today was a milestone in Ally’s golf venture.  She got to play “real golf” with the adults.  I am proud to report, she did fantastic and she really enjoyed herself (as well as her playing partners).  During this adventure, I discovered a few best practices for parents that are looking to take their child to play with the older friends.

Playing Girls vs. Boys – Ally had a blast playing boys vs. girls.  Her playing partner was Kim Noonan, who played collegiate golf at LSU.  I think Ally especially enjoyed having a grown up girlfriend to talk trash against the boys with.  It was great to see the gamesmanship that she and Kim had in their quest to conquer the boys.  (thank you Kim for being a great role model).

Apply Scrambled Eggs – To ensure that both Ally didn’t get tired and that we played at an appropriate pace, Ally played a scramble up to the green (she could hit from Kim’s ball until she got to the green).  This was a perfect balance of play and speed.  On a typical par 4 hole, she was able to hit her drive and second shot… and stroke a couple of putts. Using this format, Ally easily played 9 holes from the red tees without getting tired.

Putting Bonus Strokes – Ally was awarded an extra stroke once she got on the green.  This gave her a little pressure to try her best on her putting, knowing that if she 2-putted, her team would typically win the hole.

When we got in the car, I told Ally I was especially proud of her playing with the grownups.  I think this made her happier then some of her best shots.  As for me, I was a proud parent.  This day for me was more about Ally’s “personal growth” vs. hitting great shots.  Nevertheless, it was an awesome day… everyone had a great time and I was pleased to see how well Ally used her manners in a grown up setting.

Yea for Ally… hopefully you guys will have the opportunity to have you child play some golf with you and your buddies… fun times!

Fairways and Greens – JB