Parents and Kids

Filed in archive Golf Instruction on August 12, 2007

The world of sports is littered with examples of parents who got in the way of their children's successful professional careers.

Women's tennis is rife with them. Men's golf has its share ( Sean O'Hair is one example).

And perhaps the greatest example of parental interference may be within the Wie family, although that story is still being written and may yet have a happy ending.

But there are also many, many examples where a father or mother has propelled a son or daughter along the path to golfing glory and done it with minimal scar tissue, emotionally speaking.

We rarely hear, for example, of Jack Nicklaus's father, Charles, and the impact he had on a young Jack learning the game; we more often hear of Jack's famous teacher, Jack Grout.

Guy Kinnings is a senior executive with International Management Group in Europe and he's a big supporter of parents who get involved early on with their kids.

Of course, the absolute best example of that is Earl Woods and son, Tiger.

There's an interesting story in the British media concerning the subject of parents and kids in golf.

In light of the Wie debacle and the many other young careers shipwrecked by well-meaning but interfering parents, this article - and Guy Kinning's take - offers a refreshing alternative viewpoint.