Two Putting Games To Teach Your Kids

 

I was really lucky that I grew up in a family obsessed with golf. I’ve had a club in my hand basically from the time I could walk, and I really hope to pass on the love of the game to my boys the same way my dad did for me. Part of passing on a love of the game is making it fun for the kids while also teaching them some good short-game fundamentals to build upon. As my boys have gotten big enough to start putting, I’ve gone back to my first days as an instructor teaching new people the very basics of putting, and I want to give you my two go-to games for beginners (or kids) learning the basics of putting.

Tic-Tac-Putt

Think original tic-tac-toe, but with golf balls instead of X’s and O’s. Grab some string, ribbon, tape, or something to make a 3x3 grid and set up about 10 feet away (to be fair, the distance is completely up to you, I just like being about 10 feet away for this game). Take turns making putts to “play” tic-tac-toe until someone gets three in a row or the game ends up in a draw. It’s a fun little game, but it actually teaches some great putting fundamentals like aim and speed because here’s the thing; for the putt to count, it has to stop in the square they are aiming at. For younger kids, you can be more lenient, but the goal is for them to be able to start picking their target and hitting the putt to that target. My boys have loved this game because it feels like just that, a game. They don’t even know they are learning golf fundamentals, they just know they are having fun! And isn’t that the ultimate goal when you’re teaching kids anyway? 

Putting School

This game is a little more complicated and is better to teach kids once they get comfortable with a club in their hand and more experienced hitting putts. Make a large square with tape, string, ribbon, etc. around the hole (I recommend something like 6 feet or so for the first “grade”) with one edge at the hole, extending back past the hole. This is the “target” zone for the putt to end up in, and the way that the student will “graduate” to the next grade. Each person gets three putts at the hole and the goal is to either make the putts or have them finish in the target zone. If the student gets two out of three putts either in the hole or in the target zone, then they graduate to the next grade. Once everyone playing the game graduates, make the target zone smaller and do it again! You can do as many rounds as you want, getting smaller and smaller until eventually, the target zone is just the hole or even a small area past the hole. This instills good speed control into the kids and helps them get used to making sure they hit their putts past the hole to give the putt a chance to go in. The worst habit that a kid learning how to putt can get into is leaving putts short. You want them to always give the putt a chance to go in, and this game helps them get into that good habit! 

There are so many games to be found online if you are wanting to get your kids into golf. I definitely wouldn’t say these are the only two you should play. But, if you want to teach your kids some good putting fundamentals while also showing them that golf is fun, I would recommend these two games! They are simple, easy to set up, and tons of fun!