How does fatherhood affect one’s very amateur, very very amateur, golf game? Asking for a friend…
My friend is playing the best golf of his entire life. Pin seeking, rolling the rock, hitting fairways…you name it and he’s doing it well. He’s floating around a 10 handicap and is playing to it consistently. Well, here comes the kicker…his wife is pregnant. Don’t get me wrong, I’m super happy for the guy and his soon to be family. I know they’ve been trying for a while now and are going to be amazing parents to the little one. But I can only imagine how this is going to negatively affect his golf game right?? You hear the horror stories (okay, I’m exaggerating in one of life’s most beautiful blessings but still) of the pros whose career never is the same after having children…so how does some regular Joe just keep playing to the best of his abilities once the little one arrives? There’s no doubt in my mind that he will have to play less once this little focker pops out. So undoubtedly, he will have to make the most of his opportunities when he gets the time to escape the family. Okay, I am overexaggerating here and again I am very very happy for them of course.
Now, being a golf dad (or just dad in general) seems like the coolest thing in the world and absolutely life changing. But with that change my buddy is just scared he’s going to get back to his 25 handicap days where every round was frustrating enough to look like Bobby Knight throwing chairs in 1985…or the infamous Matt Every club toss from the 2019 AT&T Byron Nelson…hell, it’s always fun getting out with the fellas for a nice weekend round and some comradery but man it feels so much better when you play at a competent level. If his scoring average dips, the worst part is he KNOWS he can play better (low to mid 80’s) but just wont be able to because of the time it takes to be a dad.
So, this is a call to action to any of the golf dads out there that can share some tips so I can relay them to my guy who’s about to be a first-time dad. I need Golf dads to unite here, share their secrets, and make a push to keep our games at the level we want them to be. Oh, and maybe any tips to help guide the little one towards loving the game as much as I, I mean my buddy does. I am sure as hell not going to let him give up the game just because he is going to have the responsibility of caring for another human life…not on my damn watch.Also any infant/toddler gifts relating to golf that are must haves from personal experience, that would be amazing. So, what is the realistic expectation for his game? How much will his handicap go up?
Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you on the next tee box.
JMDSportsTalk 
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