7/9/09

Golf with a five-year-old girl


When spring rolled around this year, it held something a bit more special than the typical excitement that golf season was rapidly approaching. You see, I'm the mom of a five-year-old ("I'm gonna be six SOON, Mama") girl who appears to really LOVE the game of golf. Granted, she's held and swung a club since she was two and a half. And, when we go to the driving range or play a few holes I must sound like a Stepford Mom in my cheery, nearly sing-song voice, saying "Golf is so much fun!" But - and please don't blatantly roll your eyes or scoff out loud - she really does LOVE golf.

When she connects and knocks it in the fairway (70% of the time), we high five or do a little dance. When she makes a putt, we slap the same high five, with my occasional reminder that only walking is allowed on the green - no running, skipping, galloping, jumping, or dancing. My (mostly) non-competitive girly girl talks about the fact that she's the BEST five-year-old golfer at the club (we're not sure there are any others by the way).

But much better than long drives or sinking putts is the chance to write her name in one sand trap on EVERY hole - accompanied by the heart and star that follow her every signature whether on paper or in the sand (much to the dismay of her Kindergarten teacher). Sometimes even a handprint or ball print to boot. Then there is that orange butterfly she chases halfway down the fairway. Or the bug she sees and yells for me to "Come look, Mama!" (in the middle of my backswing, of course). But the bug and the butterfly don't even rival the masses of mammoth bass fish at the halfway house, gaping mouths awaiting the next chuck of bread she tosses over the railing. Or the decades old snapping turtle that hangs out on number five. Or even better, the cherry slushie she wrangles out of the big, sweet, gentle man, Rosie, who works at the halfway house. These are the things that can really make a girl love golf.

I constantly have to remind myself that she is five - "six SOON" - and that golf has to be fun -- never boring, never tedious. I diligently watch for signs that she is too tired or bored, because then it's time to scoot and "preserve" the fun in golf. I admirably struggle to contain myself when she really knocks it off the tee (80 yards or so) and I want to dance and strut like an NFL player who has just returned a kick-off for a touchdown.

Because right now golf is about writing your name in the sand trap, chasing the butterfly, examining the bug and the turtle, feeding the fish, and turning your tongue red with a cherry slushie. It's really fun. It's Mama and daughter time, and I hope it never ends.

Did I mention how much farther she hits the ball this year?!

8 comments:

  1. Great inaugural post, Girly. I can't wait to read more about your adventures with the almost-six-year-old!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Welcome to the blogosphere!

    Beautiful post. I love how, at this point, it's about so much more than just the game. Kate takes everything in. It's going to be these moments she remembers down the line when we see her on TV, on the WPGA golf tour!

    Mrs. Waltz sent me your way and I will definitely be back!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kate sounds a bit like my little niece, except Niecey does not play golf, hehe. The niece is also pushing 6, can't believe it! Consider yourself encouraged to write more, oh and blog readers LOVE pictures of cute kids... =)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Welcome, welcome! ^_^

    I was never a little golfer myself, but one of my best friends at camp rawked it with the golf clubs. More female golfing, say I! Especially of the pink and/or shiny tee variety.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you all for the inaugural post commentary. The encouragement is wonderful and the tips even better! I look forward to learning more about this new "world" and writing more about my girl and about golf.

    ReplyDelete
  6. i never loved golf like I do now.

    and ps: i don't love golf.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm a golf virgin...my daughter is dying to learn. I guess I'd better get her started while they're still time to write her name in the sandtraps.

    Looking forward to more posts.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Smalltown, I would highly recommend it. Where else can you keep young kids "captive" and relatively "quite" for a couple of hours in total one-on-one happy time?! Plus, as all will learn in a future blog in more detail, 20-30% of all women's college golf scholarships go UNUSED every year! Good reason to get our girls playing. Though I'm not pushy or anything.... :)

    ReplyDelete