How do you get kids into golf? Keep it fun. That's the whole secret. Take them to the course with you, throw a ball down in the fairway and let them run and hit it. When they get tired, they jump back in the cart and you try again later. As you reach new parts of the course, teach them one rule at a time. Go in the afternoon when it's quiet, play a few holes, and let them ride, run-hit and putt.

That's how I raised my kids. And the update now, at 11 to 13 years old: both kids LOVE golf, and I now have the trust to drop them off at the course knowing they will behave and be joyful and content on the course.

Family Golf Showdown! Me and Myles take on Grandpa Buck and Jack in a 2v2 scramble at Palmilla Golf Club.

How to make golf fun for kids: start with fun, not rules

My whole point is to keep golf fun for kids. Not perfect swings. Not a scorecard. Fun.

Golf is a hard game, and there are a lot of rules on the golf course. If the first thing a kid hears is "stand still, be quiet, don't do that," you've lost them before they've hit a ball. So I flipped it around. First they fall in love with hitting the ball and being out there with you. The rules come later, a little at a time.

You can see where that leads in the scramble video above. Myles and I against Grandpa Buck and Jack, a full family match, with plenty of "more left, more left" and "pound it," lots of laughing, and as I say in the video, "every round of golf is not complete with a little bit of whining." That's real family golf. Nobody's grinding. Everybody's having a good time.

How to teach kids golf: the run-hit game

This is the one that started it all. I called it run-hit.

1. Take them to the course with you. Not to the range for a bucket. To the actual golf course.
2. Throw a ball down in the fairway. No tee, no setup lecture. Just a ball in the grass.
3. Let them run up and hit it. Then run to where it went and hit it again. That's run-hit.
4. When they get tired, back in the cart. No pushing. They jump in, ride along, and we try again later.

That last step matters more than you'd think. A kid who gets to quit when they're tired comes back wanting more. A kid who gets forced to keep going starts to think golf is a chore.

Keep it FUN!! That's the advice. A quick look at how my kids learned the game: "Ready, set, go!" and "Get in the hole!"

Golf course etiquette for kids: one rule per area

Here's the second piece. As we got to new areas of the course, we'd learn one rule. Just one. There are a lot of rules on the golf course, and nobody, kid or adult, can soak them all up at once. One rule per area sticks.

Here's how that can look as you go around:

• Tee box: one rule to start, like standing back and staying still while someone else is hitting.
• Fairway: this is run-hit country, so the rule can be simple, like making sure nobody's in front of you before you hit.
• Bunker: pick one, like raking the sand when you're done.
• Green: no driver on the putting green. That one was a real rule in our house. Putter only on the green.

The examples for the tee box, fairway and bunker are just ideas. Pick whichever rule matters most to you. The point is one rule, in the place it belongs, when you get there. They learn it because they're standing right where it applies.

Golf with kids: the best times to go

I'd take them out in the afternoon when it was not busy. That's huge. When there's nobody pushing up behind you, you're not stressed, they're not rushed, and you can let them run-hit, putt and take their time.

We'd play a few holes. Sometimes nine. Never a set number. When they've had enough, that's a good round. Ending on a high note is how you get them asking to go back.

Let them ride, run-hit and putt

For a little one, riding in the cart is half the fun. So let them ride. Let them run-hit. Let them putt. They could ride, and run-hit, and putt... but no driver on the putting green.

That's really the whole formula. Lots of freedom, a few simple boundaries, and plenty of time just being on the course together.

Junior golf tips: where it leads

Here's the payoff, and it's the part I'm proudest of. Now, at 11 to 13 years old, both kids LOVE golf. And I now have the trust to drop them off at the course knowing they will behave and be joyful and content on the course.

That trust didn't come from a big lecture. It came from years of one rule at a time, in the right spot, while they were having a blast.

And if watching your kids fall in love with the game makes you want to play a bit better yourself, that's where I can help. My 30-day program is built for ball striking, and Simple Chipping will tidy up your short game. Then you're the one hitting the good shots in the family scramble.

FAQ

How to get kids into golf?

Take them to the course with you and keep it fun. Throw a ball down in the fairway, let them run-hit, and let them ride in the cart when they get tired. Go when it's quiet and play only as many holes as they want.

How to teach kids golf etiquette?

One rule at a time. As you reach a new area of the course, like the green, teach one rule that belongs there, such as no driver on the putting green.

At what age should a child start golf?

I can only tell you what worked for us: we started by simply bringing them along to the course and keeping it fun, long before any lessons. The key is the fun, not a number. Now, at 11 to 13, both of my kids love the game.

What are good golf games for kids on the course?

Run-hit is our favourite. Toss a ball in the fairway, they run and hit it, chase it down and hit it again. Putting contests on the green are great too.

How many holes should kids play?

A few holes, sometimes nine. Stop while they're still having fun.

Learn to hit it where you want it to go. All of my courses, from ball striking to chipping, putting and bunkers, are in the Big Swing Kings store →