We play at both Houston Oaks and Traditions and he's been really frustrated lately at not getting over the hump. His last 6 rounds have been 82 twice and 80 four times. I think it's been mental errors that have been derailing him.

Today at Traditions he had to make a 10 footer on 18 to shoot 79 and holed it. I would expect him now to start shooting 70's regularly.

I only took up golf because he showed interest so I'm just along for the ride.

Is my expectation reasonable?

Shoot 73 at 16 and haven't broken 80 since

Nice!

those expectations are really off. He shot 79 once, which is great to do, but he is gonna quickly learn there is a reason it will happen once every 6-10 rounds. I would look more towards his bad scores and when his "bad days" of hitting the ball are in the low 80s then you have made progress. If he starts to rattles off < 80 at different courses, different conditions then you have something.

your line of thinking is the same as the guy who "really connects" with one drive per round and gets it way out there then uses that as his basis for his "average driving distance". Look at the bigger picture

His last round over 85 was spring break and he plays on average 3 or 4 times a week. So he's played 35-40 rounds in a very tight space - 79 to 85. I realize he's not going to always shoot in the 70's but it seems it's been a mental hurdle as he's gotten better.

Maybe I shouldn't have phrased it as my expectations. I just want him to have fun. I'm just wondering if, having cleared the hurdle, he might begin to shoot 70's more frequently.

I keep my mouth shut even when I think he's making an I'll advised shot.

jja79 said:

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Maybe I shouldn't have phrased it as my expectations. I just want him to have fun. I'm just wondering if, having cleared the hurdle, he might begin to shoot 70's more frequently.

I keep my mouth shut even when I think he's making an I'll advised shot.

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I bet your son will start shooting in the 70s quite a bit more. I'd be interested in what his scores over the last two years at this time of year. I'd expect the pattern to follow to an extent, but I'll point the obvious that it is harder to keep improving scores the lower you go.

Also, do you think he will keep growing quite a bit in the coming years. It makes sense to me that he can gain distance as he ages, which puts shorter irons and wedges in his hand more... resulting in lower scores.

He grew from 5'4" to 5'10" the past year and the next older brother is 6'4" so I figure he's got another growing spurt coming as he gets to HS. His coach has been teaching to move it both ways and thats really been a game changer for him.

Since school has been out the club champion at Houston Oaks has invited him to play in his friday morning game and I think that's been an eye opener for him. Playing with scratch players seems good for him.

This might be as good as he gets but as a hacker it's fun watching him get better.

Odds are he will. But that last stretch from the low 80s to low/mid 70's is the hardest to overcome. It's where the improvement of a younger or newer player tends to level out because those strokes are the toughest to shave off. It's not the same trajectory the 100's to mid 90's, and then mid 90's to mid 80's were. But he's got a very good chance.

Just as an anecdote, I'll use myself, my dad, and my college roomate as examples of this. All very avid golfers with very similar games. If you watched snippets of us play the game and get around the course (when my dad was closer to my age), you'd have trouble determining who the best was. But I was able to be the consistent mid70's player while they each topped out at 80-85 with the very occasional 70's round. Hard to put your finger on it, but there were always just a few spots here and there where they gave away strokes that I didnt. But they are so easy to give away in that range.

Its more mental than anything

Ive been there...i would shoot 81 at any course from any tees.....campus course or carnousti in the rain. Breaking through is more about being mentally focused/tough and expecting to play well....more focused will lead to not hitting that one bad drive or making a better pitch to a back pin.

Make sure yall are playing different courses...many people can shoot in the 70s on their home course and cant break 85 when they venture out

I don't think you wanting him to have fun or wanting him to play better means much. Most of my friends played D1 golf....had helicopter parents, had dads who played with them and beat them, and had dads who never played golf or came to the course at all. If its something he wants to do then he will choose to put the effort in.

What helps the most is playing with someone who is better than him...then he can see the difference

I'd say 14 years old is old enough for the F-Golf thread.

jja79 said:

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We play at both Houston Oaks and Traditions and he's been really frustrated lately at not getting over the hump. His last 6 rounds have been 82 twice and 80 four times. I think it's been mental errors that have been derailing him.

Today at Traditions he had to make a 10 footer on 18 to shoot 79 and holed it. I would expect him now to start shooting 70's regularly.

I only took up golf because he showed interest so I'm just along for the ride.

Is my expectation reasonable?

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I KNEW that was you and your son. Me and 4 buddies were out for a casual late afternoon round and let yall play through (around hole 12 or 13 i think?). Your boy hit a heck of a drive and I said "good ball" and then felt like an idiot when it went into the trap...I thought it surely had the distance. He has a great swing and one of my friends said something along the lines of "that kid would kick our ass". Wasn't until you were hopping in your cart and driving off that I thought I recognized you. That's an awesome way to break 80, congrats.

Traditions is a beast to me. If he can break 80 there, I would think he could see more rounds in the mid-upper 70's in the not too distant future if he really continues to stay serious and passionate about it.

P.S. - Sorry for not letting yall play through a hole or two sooner, we assumed it was still the same 4some that had been behind us all day and were a little slow on the uptake after a few miller lights.

Dang I didn't pay enough attention to notice you either. Let's hit up Houston Oaks soon.

He shot 79 today in the South Texas PGA Junior Tour at Augusta Pines.

jja79 said:

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He shot 79 today in the South Texas PGA Junior Tour at Augusta Pines.

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Impressive.

jja79 said:

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Dang I didn't pay enough attention to notice you either. Let's hit up Houston Oaks soon.

He shot 79 today in the South Texas PGA Junior Tour at Augusta Pines.

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Awesome

And sounds good. Hopefully I can get my driver straightened out by then.

Followed up saturday''s 79 at Traditions with 79 at Augusta Pines yesterday and 76 at Gleannloch today. Unfortunately for him both were just good for 2nd place.

If y'all ever need a fourth I'm a teacher on summer break. Just saying

Good stuff! Nice rounds stacked up

If ya'll evber need a 5th I'm off for large chunks at a time. Just saying

If y'all ever need a 6th .....

My initial post regarded what my expectations should be once he broke 80.

For the past month he's been shooting 78, 79 with a couple of 81, 82 thrown in. Today he shot 74 at the STPGA Junior Tour at High Meadow Ranch. That included 4 bogeys and 1 double.

All the way home he analyzed the scorecard I kept with fairways hit, GIR, putts, etc and told me he thinks he can break 70. This was the first time he's ever looked at his results and thought about where's he's hurting himself.

Anyway I know no one cares but it's fun to walk with your 14 year old and watch him stuff 7 iron from 175 or scramble and save par after an off line approach shot.

I hope you all have had or will have that chance.

jja79 said:

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My initial post regarded what my expectations should be once he broke 80.

For the past month he's been shooting 78, 79 with a couple of 81, 82 thrown in. Today he shot 74 at the STPGA Junior Tour at High Meadow Ranch. That included 4 bogeys and 1 double.

All the way home he analyzed the scorecard I kept with fairways hit, GIR, putts, etc and told me he thinks he can break 70. This was the first time he's ever looked at his results and thought about where's he's hurting himself.

Anyway I know no one cares but it's fun to walk with your 14 year old and watch him stuff 7 iron from 175 or scramble and save par after an off line approach shot.

I hope you all have had or will have that chance.

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I wish I had that line of thinking at his age. I had some talent but I didn't know how to "golf." I just hit the ball, and hit it again. I had no strategy until I turned 27 and realized I can be a decent golfer if I just laid out a plan for each shot. I hope he keeps that motivation to do better!

He has a coach who works really well with him. He's told me the kid has every shot, he can work it right or left but until he decides he wants to learn to golf and understand how to score it won't matter. I was pleased to finally hear him talk about strategy and scoring after the round.

jja79 said:

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He has a coach who works really well with him. He's told me the kid has every shot, he can work it right or left but until he decides he wants to learn to golf and understand how to score it won't matter. I was pleased to finally hear him talk about strategy and scoring after the round.

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It will come to him. Trust the process and don't rush it. It will come in spurts then level out, then it will repeat itself. Just keep giving him the opportunity.

That is some really good golf. Based on his recent play he should be able to break 70 without a problem. Just have him focus on making birdies and the round will take care of itself.

We play such different games that I don't really offer many suggestions other than play to the middle of the green and keep it below the hole. He sometimes gets in trouble when he fires at a tucked pin and ends up short sided.

On a totally unrelated note one of the kids he was paired with yesterday is a member at Carlton Woods, Bluejack, Whispering Pines and 2 private clubs in Dallas. Neither of his parents were with him so I got to talking to him and jokingly asked if he ubered to High Meadow. He said he stayed at the family lake house on Conroe the night before and actually did uber in. He's 14.

jja79 said:

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We play such different games that I don't really offer many suggestions other than play to the middle of the green and keep it below the hole. He sometimes gets in trouble when he fires at a tucked pin and ends up short sided.

On a totally unrelated note one of the kids he was paired with yesterday is a member at Carlton Woods, Bluejack, Whispering Pines and 2 private clubs in Dallas. Neither of his parents were with him so I got to talking to him and jokingly asked if he ubered to High Meadow. He said he stayed at the family lake house on Conroe the night before and actually did uber in. He's 14.

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So a $5K+ per month golf budget.

This will be me if I ever hit the lotto.

We belong to Houston Oaks and Traditions and when we left my son said that guy thinks we're in poverty.

The kid was 6', 185# or so and hit 3 wood 275 or so. Driver close to 300 if not 300.

My son is 5'10", 135# and is long for as skinny as he is. He can cut the corner on most dogleg holes and have wedge in which I can't do for sure. He can get 290 off the tee but not consistently.

If I could spell I wouldn't have to edit. The kid did confirm that Bluejack is closed due to condition of the greens.