Junior lessons

Get them swinging a club.

At least that's the advice several golf pros gave me before I set out with my 7-year-old daughter Leticia to try to teach her the game. It's something I've thought about for a long time and finally decided that she was ready for.

But man, does it take some patience.

Golf is a difficult sport to pick up for anyone. It has a lot of intricacies to the technique of how to swing a golf club, how to hit chip shots and how to putt. There's a lot of strategy involved, too, that requires a great deal of thought and planning before each shot.

Add to that the etiquette on the course and you have a game that takes years to master.

But when it comes to kids, the key is to just forget about all those details.

John DeWitt, Professional Golf Association of America member and pro at Highland View Golf Course in Butte, said he starts kids in the youth program there at age 8. His expectations are low, but he stressed making the experience a good one.

"There isn't a whole lot of instruction at that point, it's pretty much let's have some fun and hit some balls," DeWitt said. "Grab a couple golf clubs and just let them swing away." No, the swing might not be picture perfect. But the key is to get the kids to take a full swing and hopefully they'll connect well enough a few times to advance the ball down the driving range.

Steve Wickliffe, PGA pro at the Old Works Golf Course in Anaconda, agreed. "Try to do whatever you can to make it fun," he said.

I took that advice recently and went with Leticia to the driving range.

The introduction Leticia is not entirely new to the game of golf. She's come out to the course with me many times during practice sessions on the putting green, as well as walking along for a few rounds.

She loves to roll golf balls on the green, arrange them and play other games. I figured that was a good introduction to the game and the course.

Most of all, I think she just wanted to hang out with her father, which is fine.

But now that she's taller and stronger, the time was right to get a club in her hands. I picked up an excellent set of Jack Nicklaus junior clubs from Bob Ward's Sporting Goods for $100. It includes a high-loft driver, hybrid wood, middle and short iron and putter.

They're made specifically for kids ages 5-8, with small grips and lightweight shafts that make them easy to swing. And the more lofted design makes it easy for a kid to get the ball off the ground.

Other golf club dealers around the area also offer junior clubs, including the pro shops at golf courses.

With new equipment in hand, I took Leticia to the public driving range at Copper Mountain Sports Complex on Beef Trail Road. It's always a good idea to start a kid on the driving range because they need the ability to advance the ball down the fairway long before they're ready to get on the course.

Leticia had a hard time getting the ball to fly. But I stressed to her to take a full swing and just try to connect with the ball.

She hit a few shots that, although low, made it 40 yards out into the range. That may not seem impressive to an adult, but it's a start.

And in reviewing photos I took of her while hitting balls, I discovered that there was plenty to be encouraged about. Leticia was turning her shoulders fully and getting the club all the way back to an excellent position.

I remembered some advice Wickliffe gave about some kids needing a target. It helps for some kids on the range to have something to hit at, so I told Leticia to aim at the 50-yard marker and try to hit it.

She didn't get any balls close. But her feet, knees and shoulders were well lined up and that's laying the groundwork for accuracy down the road.

There's a long way to go. Yet I was just happy that she wanted to come out to the range to hit balls, and already she's asked to go again sometime.

I figure she's also ready to start hitting some putts on the practice green.

Practice putting The art of putting is frustrating enough to make adults pull their hair out. But I'm convinced that's because people overuse the gray matter between the ears a little too much.

DeWitt said kids often have a remarkable ability to see the line of putts. His advice for kids starting out is similar to hitting full shots: let the kids have fun.

He recommends focusing more on speed than putting technique.

"You just try and get them to learn the pace, meaning how hard do I hit it to get it a certain distance," DeWitt said. "They learn that I take it back this far to hit it this far.

"If they can learn how far to hit it at that age, they have a better chance of becoming a good putter." Speed while putting is something adults struggle with as well. That's especially the case for long lag putts for which speed control is at a premium.

Wickliffe offered a drill to get kids putting and help them gain some confidence. "Start as close to the hole as possible — six inches — then let them knock it in and move back from there," he said. "They have some good images of the ball going in the hole." And Mike Crosser, PGA pro at Beaverhead Golf Course in Dillon, said kids can practice and improve their short games early on because it doesn't require them to hit the ball far. He said that's a key that can help kids score better early and is also a fun way for adults to play with kids.

"You can play a lot of games on the putting green — putt and chip for nine holes," Crosser said.

Etiquette Another early step for a kid is to let them tag along on the course. I've already done that several times and made it a good time for Leticia, occasionally having to carry her on my shoulders which certainly made it more tiring.

Expect some talking in your backswing, but that's a small price to pay to have the kids come along.

Wickliffe said kids learn a lot by watching you play a round. And they'll pick up on the etiquette of the game.

Whether you create the next Tiger Woods or not, the rewards of teaching your child how to play the game are well worth it. It's a sport they can pursue and something you can do together for the rest of your life.

Reporter Nick Gevock may be reached at nick.gevock@mtstandard.com.

Tips for starting kids at golf

• Get youth clubs: Today's youth clubs are far better than what was available in the past. I used to cut down clubs at a golf course and refit them with kids' grips, but they were heavy and had stiff shafts. Now you can buy a good kid's set for $100 with lightweight graphite shafts and lots of loft.

• Start on the range: Kids who are just starting out are a long way from being ready to play. Start them on the driving range and putting green. Just let them play at first and don't stress technique.

• Let 'em swing away: Don't worry about form at first. Just get young kids swinging a club. Encourage them to take a full swing and just connect with the ball.

• Get on the course: Kids learn a lot by watching adults, and golf is no exception. Take your kid along for a round and they'll pick up a lot about how to play the game. Walk the course so they get used to the exercise.

• Make it fun: Play games on the putting green. Have a nine-hole putting contest and once your child learns to chip, play a putt and chip match. These are ways that a kid who doesn't hit the ball far can compete.

• Be encouraging: Golf is supposed to make you want to pull your hair out, in my opinion, but a kid doesn't need that pressure. Give huge praise for their efforts, especially when they advance the ball down the range. Once you're on the course, praise any shot that goes straight even if it stays on the ground.

• Enter a junior program: Most golf courses have a junior program. They're an excellent way to introduce a kid to the game and are affordable.