Just Bragging: I made a Golfer –
By Wayne Halm –
I made a golfer yesterday — What did you do? –
On March 27th 2015 I took a man and his two sons, aged 7 and 13, out on the Kauai Lagoons course. We just played the back nine.
The man and the older boy were big hitters, and they both were working on a nasty slice. They discussed ideas about grip, swing plane, and weight shift – and didn’t need help from a bogie golfer. They rode together, leaving the younger lad with me.
I sensed that the boy didn’t want to be on a golf course where his brother was getting all of his father’s attention. He apologetically told me that he had only taken one lesson and wasn’t very good. Of course I took the challenge and decided to change that.
The lesson was apparent, someone did a good job. I actually envied the lad’s big smooth, all the way back, and all the way through swing (my joints aren’t that flexible anymore). The swing was pretty but the results were not – the ball just skipped and rolled a few yards down the fairway.
I watched a couple of shots, and then cautiously offered my favorite tip for the situation. (Are you reading this Elizabeth Bethel?) I asked the lad to try looking at the grass behind the ball rather than the ball during his swing. He agreed and hit the ball into the air about 150 yards right down the middle of the fairway. Oh yeah, there were a bunch of grins, cheers and high fives before we rode down to his ball.
At his ball the lad waved to his brother out in the right rough – then pulled out a five iron and repeated the shot. To be sure we did more high fives and atta-boys while we waited for his brother to hit his shot.
Some golf instructor should be proud, that lad and I marched right down the middle of the rest of the fairways. And yes, the swagger in our steps grew with each hole.
Back at the clubhouse he pulled me over to an attractive woman and announced, “Momma, this is Wayne, he showed me how to look at the grass. I beat brother on two holes!” He hugged his mother’s waist. She looked at me, smiled, whispered, “Thank you”, and hugged her son back. You bet that big dumb grin was all over my face.
I made a golfer yesterday – and it feels good! I encourage everyone to work with the little ones – the reward is memorable.
Come play golf with me.
About Elizabeth Bethel: She is the Editor of ProgolfNow.Com ( http://www.progolfnow.com ) and writes a blog called Staying In The Short Grass ( http://golfingwithbeth.blogspot.com/ ). She and I have discussed the ‘look at the grass’ tip before. Take a look at magazine and blog to see what else she has to say.
The Kauai Lagoons Golf Club 800-634-6400 or http://www.KauaiLagoonsGolf.Com .
Golfing on Kauai 
Awesome story 🙂 Nothing like building up someone’s confidence just to watch them bloom. Brilliant 🙂 Great photo too.
Aloha Wendy,
Thank you – That was a very good day for me.
A Hui Hou,
Wayne
Wayne, great story! There is nothing more rewarding than teaching someone and watching them get it, congrats! Love the photo too. Am going to borrow for my desktop. Thanks!
Brian
Aloha Brian,
Thank you. Golfing with the young lad was a happy experience for me. I will remember it. The picture is of the 16th hole at Kauai Lagoons. I bogied it today, on in two but was worried about getting the pictures I needed and 3 putted. Yeah, let’s blame the picture worry. How is your rehabilitation coming alone?
A Hui Hou,
Wayne
Wayne,
I have walked 9-holes on two occasions without difficulty. Still not feeling perfect but well enough to play and practice. I should be able to achieve my goal of walking 18 holes by the end of April. Thanks for asking!
Brian
Aloha Wayne,
What a great and memorable story! As Arnold Palmer said “making a positive change in the life of a child is the most significant thing you can do”. I think that says it all, great job my friend.
Cheers!
Josh
Aloha Josh,
Thank you. I will remember that day and I just had to write about it.
A Hui Hou,
Wayne