Golf Camps Are Effective for Significant Development

If you think golf camp at Black Diamond may be a positive choice for your children's golf development, you would be right on the money. But we suspect you are less aware of the social rewards from attending an all-day, all-week golf camp - or the learning through 'osmosis', of the core values of the game - traits such as integrity (the only game where kids are expected to call pentalties on themselves - no ref's), determination, perserverance, demonstration of respect for others (as simply as learning not to walk in another's putting line) - as well as the traditional, customary show of gratitude for playing together (shaking hands and thanking your fellow players for a great day and a good game is not only expected, it is 'hammered' into our participants throughout the week) and of course, last but not-at-all least, every moment of every day is an excercise in safety and concern for personal responsibility. We are careful to 'quash' any negativity or unsafe behaviour (psychologically, in particular - there is no bullying at golf camp, no insults, no making fun of anyone and no subjective judgements by anyone) - our rules are objective and consistent. If someone demonstrates any of the aforementioned faux pas, we simply remove them from the dynamic altogether. Our 'penalty box' is a golf cart (without a key in it) that kids spend exactly 2 minutes thinking about it - just like hockey - no point in arguing, rules are rules and there is little grey area.

As an example...

If we are working on putting (lots of kids in a small area with heavy-headed putters) and someone accidentally raises the putter past their waist - regardless of intent, we call them for high sticking and they sit for two. This has proven to be the single-most effective way to ensure safety in condensed groups of kids with what could be dangerous weapons with no intent to hurt anyone. Sometimes kids just miss a long putt and in the excitment of the moment, raise their arms in anticipation or swing their club a little too high in disappointment. These are nomal emotional responses and we have an objective, effective, zero-tolerance policy that everyone clearly understands when we begin each day. If you can imagine that I have never seen anyone with any intent to hurt anyone (and that is after hundreds of kids entrusted to my care since 1997) - and more importantly, I have never had anyone hurt - other than one little girl that hit herself in the shin with her putter and it bled a little - impoperly swinging the club around without using the safety position (holding the heavy clubhead in hand and having only the lighter end with the rubber grip on it to swing around without realization that they are even doing it). That girl was my daughter, Lauren. She's nine and an AWESOME golfer. She comes to every camp with us and helps captain the scramble teams - others watch her and learn. And they learn from her painful mistake and her story of how innocently it can happen (and how much it hurts). Kids quickly learn the importance of my safety concerns when I take my putter and swing it seemingly-harmlessly from a resting position over my right shoulder and drop it in with an axe-wielding motion. The result is my putter-head driven into the ground at a 45 degree angle and I can let go of the handle while the shaft bobs in the air. That image (or the image of my painting a face on a grapefruit and hitting it with a driver) sticks with kids. They all become referees. From the other end of a 10,000 sq foot putting surface, I hear kids excitedly yelling, "High sticking - she lifted the putter too high - that's a penalty". Now here is the really cool part. Often, the kid in the 'box' is often getting their first orientation of a golf cart. And whether they admit it or not, all kids wanna drive the cart. So, while they sit in the penalty box, they (almost pathologically) pretend to steer, familiarize themsleves with the distance to the pedals - they learn where the gearshift is and how to look at the motor under the seat. There is a cooler of water and freezies on the floor of the passenger side which they are welcome to while serving their two minute sentence. As you might guess, no one minds the penalty box. A couple of little characters have purposely (and safely) violated the rule on purpose - just to get the seat on the soft cart seat! My point is, (touch wood) we've never had anyone hurt in any of our many 45-hour weeks with children in our care. Entrusting my kids to someone else has always been tough for me. I ask a lot of questions and when I'm not certain the organizers of any event are not diligent in their efforts to keep my kids safe, I pull 'em. Immediately! It's a matter of not having any more kids than an instructor can safely handle - basic liability requires prudent and reasonable measures. By limiting the number of kids to eight for every one instructor, and subsequently grouping them into foursomes where only one of each team is allowed to remove the club from the safety position after taking their place over the ball (and ensuring that no one is within even five huge paces), we have never even had a close call.

My point is (obviously), our priorities are less about golf - that part just happens through planned activities with tight timelines for each different thing we do. And by different, I mean water gun fights, frisbee golf, soccer, field trips to the maintenance shed for an opportunity to sit on the tractors and mowers - and to see all the machines required to maintain such a huge property, and of course, (le piece de resistance) GOLF CART RIDES!!!!!!!!!!!!

The primary mandate is fun. The resulting development through osmosis is very 'rounded' and respect for others is non-negotiable. I actually fired one camper in 1999 for his inability to refrain from dangerous behaviour. We called Mom to pick him up an hour early and welcomed him back the next morning (a changed man, I promise) where he was clearly embarassed enough that no one had to even mention it again - he was leading by example for the rest of the week. Subsequently, when he tuned 14, we hired him to clean carts and service the range. That boy was one of our best employees - a team guy with a passion for doing a good job. Funny how it works sometimes - where kids are so easily written off as being undisciplined or behaviourally-challenged, they really just need to learn the validity of the parameters. Consequences are objective and delivered with respect. We will not tolerate anything but a fun, safe time for our campers. As a result, everybody learns. Everybody laughs. And everybody identifies with golf as a fun and cool sport.

Join us for golf camps in July and August 2010 - drop off is anytime after 8am with formal golf instructional activities commencing at 8:30am each day, where we head out for a few holes on the course to start each morning. That's right - the first thing we do is go golfing (before the early-morning golfers reach holes 15 through 18). We play out on the big course every single camp day - often twice. Tell me that doesn't sound too good to be true. Formal programming ends at 5:30pm and kids are free to stay and chip & putt while they wait for a ride. Supervision is perpetual and kids quickly feel comfortable enough to make their way around the clubhouse, use the phone, etc.

And, we offer unlimited text messaging between parents and kids to my cell. This allows mom and dad to check in anytime if there are early/late pick-ups, reminders for med's, sunscreen applications, moral support (the usual case is kids texting parents to tell them of their accomplishments in the moment - very cool to be able to share with Mom when you make your first par, or whatever).

If this all sounds too good to be true, I would encourage you to read the following testimonial from a parent that brough their kids to our camps three years in a row. Her name is Beverly and this is what she wrote after the second year of golf camp.

"The twins (Sarah and Gregory) loved their experience so much that we are already booking the same week of the summer for next year. And, while I wasn't sure how little Victoria would enjoy an entire week at only six years old, I can't begin to tell you how great it has been for her self-esteem. She hasn't stopped talking about it and her golf skills are beyond mine (not saying much, I suppose - however, you get my point). The emphasis on safety is appreciated and the on-course frequency was unexpected. Thanks so much for the summer memories that will be cherished always. See you next summer - kids can't wait!"

Need we say more?

There is a lot more to golf than meets the eye. Life skills and character-building experiences just happen. Golf learning activities and the mandatory demonstration of proper etiquette - golf 'education', if you will, is the 'mother' of self-esteem building for kids. Goal-setting, objectives and achievement are just simply happening every day. I don't know what else to tell you, other than golf camps are great for a lot more than learning just golf.

Won't you join us today? Scholarships are available for families with special needs. Don't even think for a second you can't affort it. If parents are willing to jump through a few hoops, we can help with subsidies or even tuitions paid in full (programs like Canadian Tire's 'Jump Start' or local businesses sponsoring kids in exchange for the promotional value - a little red tape is required to ensure accountability and that the most-deserving find a way to attend).

And every Friday night from 6-6:30pm, we will be offering free instruction for kids and a $10 opportunity per person to golf with cart as a family after the clinic. So if Mom brings her little girl for the clinic, afterwards, the two of them can play til dark for a mere $20 for two golfers with power cart - rentals if needed - an awesome access-granting, junior-focused, affordable golf opportunity. Only at Black Diamond - where we understand the barriers that prevent kids from getting all that awesome life-learning golf provides. And we knock 'em down with pleasure while our young participants flourish and grow.

Awesome.