My 9 year old disc golfing son

[rcracer757]

This is the first comment I have had on this forum in about 6 years or so. Anyway, last time I had a video of my son when he was 3. Now that he is 9 he is starting to get a lot better, but still has a long way to go.

I am looking for suggestions on what I could teach him as well as how I could improve my commentator skills, as well as video camera skills. I am looking into getting a new camcorder and I will take any suggestions on that as well.

 

[rcracer757]

I did see I posted my video from last year. When he was 8, the difference this year is I have started to get Karl in to tournament. He will have played in 10 total this year. At the start he started off really shakey with having 500 rated rounds. Lately he has been getting 800 rated rounds. Which I feel is pretty darn good for a 9 year old. I have been getting so excited about disc golf again that I even entered my very first tournament.

Made it really fun playing with people I have seen in other tournament but, only walked along with them while my son played. Playing allowed me to focus on my own game and see where my ability was compared to others. I nearly won the Rec division. Which tells me I am borderline to going up to MA2.

I started off signing my son up to novice and Jr., but there never seems to be too many that sign up to those divisions. I am going to just sign him up to Rec and then I could get a better gauge as to how well he is doing. I know he is a long way off from getting a sponsorship, but I would like any advice on what steps I might need to take to help him get sponsored.

 

[DiscGolfMaster]

Really cool. He is amazing for his age. Video recorder suggestion is to get a tripod. You don't have to use the tripod part, just have it extended, so when you are filming, it is touching the ground and you use the ground to stabilize it. That was confusing lol. Or you could use a broom handle if you figure out a way to attach the camera to it. Should make a huge difference.

I wish my 7 year old nephew could play. His parents don't really encourage sports like they should in my opinion. Not my place to say anything though. So I encourage him to play when I'm around and bought him a comet.

Does he really use all those discs in that huge bag?? Haha. Seems unnecessary to have that many discs at his power level. And he might play even better if he didn't have to lug that thing around the whole time.

 

[Mr. Butlertron]

http://www.discgolfstation.com/Disc-Golf-Glossary_c_157.html

^ here's some disc golf wordiology to help with camera commentary

 

[Steve West]

Kids that age learn by watching others. Forget teaching, just get him near the best players you can find.

 

[Discette]

Do they even make "camcorders" any more? Nearly every phone and digital camera can record HD video. Use a tripod, and get a camera/phone with image stabilization. Commentary isn't necessary during the shot, just an intro or a wrap up is all that is needed.

 

[bobmcnelly]

I'm pretty sure he putts better than me.

And maybe has a cleaner forehand.

Just keep it fun for him.

 

[DiscFifty]

Looks like he;'s enjoying it, way to go! However...I don't know if he (or pops) wants to compete with the better junior ams but he's going to need a backhand so he can get better lines, more power/distance, etc.

 

[retleftolc]

My son (14) and daughter (10) have played in some form or fashion since the ages of 2 and 5 respectively.

I recommend teaching the following-

Respect for other players.
Respect for the game.
That emotions are good, but getting too down or too proud doesn't usually end well.
Compete against the course.
How to talk to adults, and I don't mean 'yes, sir' 'no, sir.' How to have a conversation; look people in the eye, don't be afraid to ask questions, or have an opinion.
To be generous. If he wins discs, think about giving 1 to another kid or player.
While playing a round for score or tournament, try to think about the shot he just threw for no more than 5 seconds, good or bad.
Either practice or play for score. Don't mix the 2.

Things I wouldn't focus on teaching him-

Technique. Some advice is ok, but let him watch YouTube videos, go to pro clinics, and play with better players.
At his age, any advice that would get in the way of his imagination on the course. My son can make a disc do thing I can't conceive of.

My son is fairly talented, but plays football and 65 baseball games year. He plays 2-3 larger tournaments a year(e.g. Ledgestone) and 3-4 A/B tiers. This year he decided to play advanced, which is well above his rating. He's done okay and gotten a lot better. Maybe one day he'll be a world beater...or not. One thing is for sure, his attitude and personality (and some skill) have allowed him to become friends with top pros, caddie for them, travel and play, helped him get sponsored, learn from others, and have a 9 year old little boy come up to him at Ledgestone and say, "I know who you are. You're ...!"

So in summary, raise a good kid and stay out of his way.

 

[rd.bittle]

Teach him my number one rule in life, it serves well in any situation.


DON'T BE A D-BAG.

The rest he'll learn by being around better players and having fun.

 

[rcracer757]

Blown away with all the responses and some really good ones they are. I will be responding to each one of them in this post.

Really cool. He is amazing for his age. Video recorder suggestion is to get a tripod. You don't have to use the tripod part, just have it extended, so when you are filming, it is touching the ground and you use the ground to stabilize it. That was confusing lol. Or you could use a broom handle if you figure out a way to attach the camera to it. Should make a huge difference.

I do have access to a tripod and that should help out that shakiness.

I wish my 7 year old nephew could play. His parents don't really encourage sports like they should in my opinion. Not my place to say anything though. So I encourage him to play when I'm around and bought him a comet.

It is awesome seeing the younger players get into it. We have a local tournament around where I live where the Jenkins run it for the Jr. They even built this small course in Medina at Poolside. It is a very small beginner course that is 9 holes. Which is a perfect spot for that event. I had all 3 of my kids in it last year and they had a blast. Maybe there is something in your area. Another thing I would like to comment is all the parents were awesome. No one was overly pumping their kids up or talking down towards other kids. Which I have seen done in other sports.

Does he really use all those discs in that huge bag?? Haha. Seems unnecessary to have that many discs at his power level. And he might play even better if he didn't have to lug that thing around the whole time.

This last one I will comment on outside of the quote box. Helps me stay organized. Yes, the bag is HUGE for him and he really only uses 2 to 3 discs during a round. I do have smaller bags for him. He just really wanted that one bad after seeing everyone in the tournaments. He will be at the HUGE course in a few weeks. I will for sure have him cut down for that one.

http://www.discgolfstation.com/Disc-Golf-Glossary_c_157.html

^ here's some disc golf wordiology to help with camera commentary

Kids that age learn by watching others. Forget teaching, just get him near the best players you can find.

Thanks for the link I am always looking to learn how to improve.

Do they even make "camcorders" any more? Nearly every phone and digital camera can record HD video. Use a tripod, and get a camera/phone with image stabilization. Commentary isn't necessary during the shot, just an intro or a wrap up is all that is needed.

My phone is terrible and I am too cheap to buy a better one. I will have to think of some good intros. I really liked a few of them I have seen on You Tube. I tried out the commentary since, the music really was not a good choice on the last video when he was 8. I am still a rather larger guy and my breathing is a bit heavy when I am filming. Which is why I figure some sound other than heavy breathing is better. Thanks for the advice, the intro and wrap up will come in handy.

I'm pretty sure he putts better than me.

And maybe has a cleaner forehand.

Just keep it fun for him.

I have tried some fun practices where he throws about 4 discs during a round and sees which one he can do better with. He has a lot of fun with that one. He started off by watching me throw. Only I use one finger for my forehand shot he uses 3. He has really been working on his putting since, I bought him a basket. I also make sure not to play too much where I burn both of us out. We go 3 to 4 times a week which seems about right.

Looks like he;'s enjoying it, way to go! However...I don't know if he (or pops) wants to compete with the better junior ams but he's going to need a backhand so he can get better lines, more power/distance, etc.

Yes, for the most part he loves the sport. I would love to sign him up to the World Ams, although the price would be pretty high. I am guessing I will wait until he builds up that backhand and improves his overall game before I throw down the money for that. We do have a couple of pretty good Junior players that are in our area. All of them are older than he is.

My son (14) and daughter (10) have played in some form or fashion since the ages of 2 and 5 respectively.

I recommend teaching the following-

Respect for other players.
Respect for the game.
That emotions are good, but getting too down or too proud doesn't usually end well.
Compete against the course.
How to talk to adults, and I don't mean 'yes, sir' 'no, sir.' How to have a conversation; look people in the eye, don't be afraid to ask questions, or have an opinion.
To be generous. If he wins discs, think about giving 1 to another kid or player.
While playing a round for score or tournament, try to think about the shot he just threw for no more than 5 seconds, good or bad.
Either practice or play for score. Don't mix the 2.

Things I wouldn't focus on teaching him-

Technique. Some advice is ok, but let him watch YouTube videos, go to pro clinics, and play with better players.
At his age, any advice that would get in the way of his imagination on the course. My son can make a disc do thing I can't conceive of.

My son is fairly talented, but plays football and 65 baseball games year. He plays 2-3 larger tournaments a year(e.g. Ledgestone) and 3-4 A/B tiers. This year he decided to play advanced, which is well above his rating. He's done okay and gotten a lot better. Maybe one day he'll be a world beater...or not. One thing is for sure, his attitude and personality (and some skill) have allowed him to become friends with top pros, caddie for them, travel and play, helped him get sponsored, learn from others, and have a 9 year old little boy come up to him at Ledgestone and say, "I know who you are. You're ...!"

So in summary, raise a good kid and stay out of his way.

I loved reading this post. Congrats on getting your kids soo active. Plus, teaching them the right way to handle the overall game. I have been having trouble teaching my son to forget about his good or bad shots. I have been trying all summer long with that lesson. He has gotten in a few times, but still lets his anger get the better of him from time to time. He even exploded a couple of times during tournaments where I had to tell him we will pack up and leave if he does not settle down.

Teach him my number one rule in life, it serves well in any situation.


DON'T BE A D-BAG.

The rest he'll learn by being around better players and having fun.

This is a very tough lesson to teach sometimes. One of the last tournaments I had him in he was rubbing one of his good shots in. While an adult player did not have as good of a shot. I quickly apologized to the guy and told my son that is not the way we conduct ourselves.





All in all I am working this sport into a family fun thing we can do. I have been losing a bit of weight and have been able to walk further and further because of this sport. It truly is a life saver to me and a blessing to have something to do with my family and friends. Thanks again for all of the great advice I have gotten in this forum and I will be back way more often in hopes of adding value to this great forum.

 

[THUGNIFICENT763]

Fun is the key ingredient for getting kids into disc golf. When I take my 8 year old nephew out, I am in straight positive reinforcement mode. I never correct his errors unless he asks for my advice. I never tell him which disc to throw in a situation unless he consults me. I never point out his errors, and I always gas him up after he does something well. Now, he is at the point where he can point out his own errors and laugh when they happen. He can also forehand and backhand about 150 feet. I really wish I had the opportunity to get into this sport at an earlier age. These kids are gonna be absolute animals in the future. I, for one, will be excited to watch.

 

[rcracer757]

Fun is the key ingredient for getting kids into disc golf. When I take my 8 year old nephew out, I am in straight positive reinforcement mode. I never correct his errors unless he asks for my advice. I never tell him which disc to throw in a situation unless he consults me. I never point out his errors, and I always gas him up after he does something well. Now, he is at the point where he can point out his own errors and laugh when they happen. He can also forehand and backhand about 150 feet. I really wish I had the opportunity to get into this sport at an earlier age. These kids are gonna be absolute animals in the future. I, for one, will be excited to watch.

I agree 100%. I can not wait to see what the future of disc golf holds. These kids are going to be amazing to watch. I don't tell my son what to throw so much, but I do a fun thing where. We will do a round completely his way. Then the next round he has to listen to me on how to throw. My way was doing much better and now he just does those things without us having to play separate rounds. For the most part he has learned by watching other people. He can throw backhand about 150 feet, but his forehand is around 250 feet. I helped him switch up his putting. He used to throw it forehand, at first he was hardly making any putts. I just knew it would be better in the long run. Now he has been putting slighly better than me.

 

[THUGNIFICENT763]

He has a lot of touch on his forehand, you can't teach that. It is going to translate to an awesome approach game as he gains the power. As for forehand putting, it can prove surprisingly effective when you feel like you are outside of your comfort zone for a conventional putt. It is dicey at close range since your arm is not in line with your eye or your target, though. Still can be a useful skill. I know a guy who putts forehand with a FLX Buzzz and he makes many putts outside of 40ft. It makes me laugh every time. Who knows, he might have that 40ft laser too.

 

[Royalhghnss]

This is the first comment I have had on this forum in about 6 years or so. Anyway, last time I had a video of my son when he was 3. Now that he is 9 he is starting to get a lot better, but still has a long way to go.

I am looking for suggestions on what I could teach him as well as how I could improve my commentator skills, as well as video camera skills. I am looking into getting a new camcorder and I will take any suggestions on that as well.

I'd reccomend any Pansonic or Canon. I'd stay away from the cheap Sonys, the autofocus sucks.

I started out using a Panasonic HDC-TM700. It's a great cam that shoots 1080/60p. You can get em really cheap these days I'd imagine.

To help with stabilization I can't recommend a Neewer hands free shoulder mount enough. I've converted my entire crew to using them, and we all love them. Silky smooth pans and tilts, and it's 22 dollars!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0095DBBP...id=1473980427&sr=sr-1&keywords=shoulder+mount

As for filming, try to film from behind the teepad if possible. For shorter upshots and putts get your son, and the basket in frame, and just don't move. Follow the rule of thirds if you can. Avoid panning quickly as much as possible.

Less zoom is better than too much zoom.

As for getting better at commentary just watch tons of CCDG, it'll definitely help

Do they even make "camcorders" any more? Nearly every phone and digital camera can record HD video. Use a tripod, and get a camera/phone with image stabilization. Commentary isn't necessary during the shot, just an intro or a wrap up is all that is needed.

Lol yes they still make camcorders, and they're by far the best tool to film DG with.

Tripods are not really the best choice for filming DG. You have to level it for each shot, they're heavy, and they make it hard to tilt and pan. Shoulder mounts for the win. Even a monopod is way better than a tripod if you don't want to use a shoulder mount.

 

[rcracer757]

He has a lot of touch on his forehand, you can't teach that. It is going to translate to an awesome approach game as he gains the power. As for forehand putting, it can prove surprisingly effective when you feel like you are outside of your comfort zone for a conventional putt. It is dicey at close range since your arm is not in line with your eye or your target, though. Still can be a useful skill. I know a guy who putts forehand with a FLX Buzzz and he makes many putts outside of 40ft. It makes me laugh every time. Who knows, he might have that 40ft laser too.

That is a great idea to try out. I will have him try both ways out in practice and let it work itself out. It has really been exciting for the family and myself. Wish I lived in a better area to play all year round. I don't know how the guys do it with all of the snow.

I'd reccomend any Pansonic or Canon. I'd stay away from the cheap Sonys, the autofocus sucks.

I started out using a Panasonic HDC-TM700. It's a great cam that shoots 1080/60p. You can get em really cheap these days I'd imagine.

To help with stabilization I can't recommend a Neewer hands free shoulder mount enough. I've converted my entire crew to using them, and we all love them. Silky smooth pans and tilts, and it's 22 dollars!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0095DBBP...id=1473980427&sr=sr-1&keywords=shoulder+mount

As for filming, try to film from behind the teepad if possible. For shorter upshots and putts get your son, and the basket in frame, and just don't move. Follow the rule of thirds if you can. Avoid panning quickly as much as possible.

Less zoom is better than too much zoom.

As for getting better at commentary just watch tons of CCDG, it'll definitely help



Lol yes they still make camcorders, and they're by far the best tool to film DG with.

Tripods are not really the best choice for filming DG. You have to level it for each shot, they're heavy, and they make it hard to tilt and pan. Shoulder mounts for the win. Even a monopod is way better than a tripod if you don't want to use a shoulder mount.

WoW, I am blown away, I can tell you have experience with this and some great advice. The weather will be turning soon where I live and I am one of the wusses where I refuse to go out when it is too cold. I am going to wait until it warms up to buy this equipment, but now I know what to get.

I never knew the shoulder mounts existed and now that I do they for sure seem the way to go. I want to start filming next year during my son's tournaments. This way he can watch them and so can the other players on his card. Of course, I want to play a few of them since, I had a blast my last tournament.

 

[Royalhghnss]

WoW, I am blown away, I can tell you have experience with this and some great advice. The weather will be turning soon where I live and I am one of the wusses where I refuse to go out when it is too cold. I am going to wait until it warms up to buy this equipment, but now I know what to get.

I never knew the shoulder mounts existed and now that I do they for sure seem the way to go. I want to start filming next year during my son's tournaments. This way he can watch them and so can the other players on his card. Of course, I want to play a few of them since, I had a blast my last tournament.

No problem! Always happy to help someone filming DG. If you have any questions let me know!

 

[rcracer757]

No problem! Always happy to help someone filming DG. If you have any questions let me know!

I for sure will, I even copied the post you sent I am keeping it on my desktop until next year when I buy everything. I can not wait to start filming. Plus, it will be incentive for me to stick to going to the gym all winter long.