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Kids these days really don't seem to get a lot of the things that I, a mere 10-12 years ago, got pretty well. Carey sees it (as a teacher), I see it as an assistant golf coach.

They just don't listen. At all. To anything. And then they get pissed when you ask them why they aren't listening.

I improved from a 95 to an 85 to a 75 in my three summers playing golf. I was the 6 man, the 2 or 3 man, and then the 1 man on my team. Three years after learning to play golf, I was winning the junior EDGA stroke play tournament(s) here in Erie. I practiced a helluva lot, but I attribute most of my success to my mental game: I knew how to get around a course in the least number of strokes. I knew how to maximize my scoring opportunities. I spent my winters reading everything I could find. I knew the theory behind just about every kind of shot and I'd practice the ones that I felt could help my game.

I had to explain to a kid yesterday why swinging "outside to in" produced a cut (ball curves from left to right). That's grade school golf, really. And don't get me started on the mental game: it simply isn't there. They blindly hit driver, always attempt the heroic shot, etc. How often does it work for them? 10% of the time, tops. Yet with a 90% failure rate they keep trying and trying.

I have one kid who might improve this year. He's got the best shot at it. The others, they're just treading water. I have the sinking feeling that this year's team will be no worse - and no better - than last year's team.

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