Sport is often imposed on children. In golf this is often seen where children are told how to correctly grip the club, stand to the ball, move the club and strike the ball. This approach of learning the “fundamentals” first is often experienced in an environment unlike the setting of a golf course. So children have techniques imposed on them and they have little idea of why they need them!…

We have been locked down for a LONG time!!! Unprecedented in modern life and unthinkable to consider at the beginning of the year as we looked to the summer months we would have spent the whole of April at home!!! My mindset and motivation has taken many twists and turns over the weeks but I have been able to review and reflect on lots of different things. We live our…

TOO MUCH coaching. NOT ENOUGH self directed play and learning. TOO MUCH guidance and adult led experiences. NOT ENOUGH struggle, making mistakes, getting things wrong, children figuring things out for themselves. TOO MUCH technical input. NOT ENOUGH play and exploration developing skills and technique. TOO MANY questions are asked of children that they do not understand and don’t know why they are being asked. NOT ENOUGH contextual experiences and learning,…

Following on from a conversation with a group of coaches I got thinking about how we frame “WINNING” for children. Winning is often linked with competition and who comes first. And for sure I can understand that winning may be important to adults, elite players, those that have invested time and money into their goals. Everyone has different experiences of winning and will have a different viewpoint. Are adults then…

Hole 17&18 As we move into the final stretch of the 18 holes this is where the pressure would really begin to build, but our 4 ball continues to take things in our stride. We seem to have got used to the rhythm of the course. As mentioned, a course that continues to look the same on every hole! That doesn’t stop us from each playing our own game as…

Hole 10 – Wednesday 1st April  Well what a roller coaster of a hole! Our 4th member joined us from the clubhouse, the 3 ever present players were nervous of how this would upset all our routines!?! 2 of us took part in our usual on the tee exercising (PE with Joe) little man totally getting into the exercises today. It was a strange feeling on the tee as no…

We would be just coming to the end of the front 9 today and what an up and down round it has been!!!  Hole 1 – Monday 23rd March.  A brand new course for us to play (seems quite quiet out here, no one else is playing!!) A 3 ball of Sophie, James and I confidently approach the tee after being entered into a competition that we know nothing about!…

This has been a very interesting week where we have had to press pause on our business as all schools close and government advice tells us to socially distance ourselves. We made the decision to pause all our activities as we were keen, as we are always, to maintain the safety of all children/adults that we come into contact with. It would seem at these uncertain times we should heed…

This week a number of sessions in schools and at our golf club sessions have involved the children keeping score. Always a firm favourite of theirs, and ours.  So often scoring is linked with competition and winning, but during our sessions in schools we have a number of different ways to introduce children to keeping score. Interestingly seldom do the children talk about who wins!  Introducing scoring to children normally…

On the walk to school with my son I often see parents carrying their child’s school bag. It often prompts a conversation between us about why I don’t (and have never) carried his school bag!  It got me thinking, and I also regularly notice, how parents also carry their child’s golf bag (often see it with cricket bags) More so when they go on the golf course but can also…