Already scoring · 01

Early fire

Started ~3–6 · U.S. Kids by 5 or 6

They’ve been hitting since the yard. By 5 or 6 they are in U.S. Kids locals — age-group tees, a card, a Sunday. That is this map. Not a maybe.

A week on this rung

Nights after the other sport. Family on the weekend.

2–3 weeknights

2–3 evenings, 15–20 minutes, after the other sport. A number: clock putting, bump-and-run, greenside 36. Still bedtime.

The weekend

If a U.S. Kids local is on, that’s Saturday. If not, family 9 from a Longleaf / forward tee they reach. Sunday is family or off.

Tue night. 15 min clock putting after soccer / practice. You sit.
Thu night. 15 min bump-and-run or towel from 8 paces. Then dinner.
Saturday. U.S. Kids local if it’s on. If not, family 9 from a tee they reach.
Sunday. Off, or a family 9 if Saturday was just the yard. Ice cream either way.

You, this week

Pack the fitted clubs. Measure twice a year.
Caddie. One question after: what would you do again?
Stop after the round. A 5-year-old in a local is this map. A 5-year-old on a plane every weekend is not.

Clubs that fit

Yard Club, then the UL7 band they are in. Measure twice a year. They outgrow sets fast. Height, not birthday.

Open the fitter

Where they compete

U.S. Kids Golf local tour by 5 or 6 — Longleaf tees, age groups, a real first start
Operation 36 Level 1–2 between events so practice still has a number
A 9 with you from a tee they reach, the week they are not in a field

See Where We Compete

How We Practice this week

Clock putting, bump and run, greenside 36. 15–20 minutes. How we practice → Under 8, playing local events.

Coin on the carpet

Putting · 8 min · House

A coin, a putter that is not taller than their chest, two pieces of tape as a gate.

Roll the ball through the gate so it stops on the coin. Five in a row, they pick the snack.

When the face gets serious. You already won.

YouTube · Operation 36 Golf. Watch it, then do the version written above — shorter, and you stop on time.

HORSE on the carpet

Putting · 10 min · House

Same putter length as them. A mug or a tape cup. You go first — they copy your putt.

Miss and you get a letter. First to H-O-R-S-E carries the bag to the car. Make it, they have to make the same one.

One game. Do not play until somebody cries.

Towel over the hole

Putting · 10 min · Course

A bath towel covering the cup so they cannot ‘make’ it. Putter that fits.

Lag it onto the towel from 10–20 feet. Landing on the towel is a birdie. Missing the towel is a bogey. First to three birdies.

They will want the hole back. Not today. Speed first.

YouTube · MrShortGame Golf. Watch it, then do the version written above — shorter, and you stop on time.

Hit the towel

Up & down · 10 min · Backyard

A bath towel on the grass, foam balls, one short club.

Land it on the towel. Count loud. Race you.

Twenty balls, max. Leave them wanting the towel tomorrow.

YouTube · Coach Eric Eggleston. Watch it, then do the version written above — shorter, and you stop on time.

Putter from the fringe

Up & down · 10 min · Course

Just off the green. Putter only. A tee as the ‘hole’ if the green is busy.

Bump it through the fringe. Closest to the hole wins the hole. Play five holes around one green.

If they grab a wedge, the putter police take over. This shot exists so they don’t skull it.

Three flags and a juice box

The rest · 25 min · Course

A par-3 or the practice green as three made-up holes.

They tee it. You carry the bag. No swing tips. Ask which flag they want next.

Hole three, even if they beg for four — especially if they beg for four.

Your job

You are logistics, snacks, and the person who stops after the round. A 5-year-old in a local is normal on this map. A 5-year-old on a plane every weekend is not.

Skip AJGA talk. Skip stacking two states in one weekend. If they dread Sundays, drop to Play along. Allowed.