Question:

Why does Karl "Play-up" in older age groups?



Answer:

He wasn't allowed to play with kids typically closer to his own age in either Sydney or the Gold Coast due to policies which the Organizations had in place. I tried in vain to have the main junior organization in Sydney allow Karl to play with kids his age from time to time, but was told that Karl was too advanced to play in that format. Sometimes the very people we entrust with massive funding intended to assist our juniors fail to "get it". It was extremely frustrating from a parent's position to try to convince such an otherwise brilliant organization that even a talented 8-year-old needs to be allowed to play in his own age group so as to make friends, but they prejudiced Karl due to him having such a low handicap. It was the most ridiculous situation imaginable, particularly as the events for 6-14-year olds which Karl was precluded from playing in were based on the "Callaway" handicap system, so Karl could simply have played with the appropriate handicap. Finally, after numerous long letters and not until after we left Sydney did they relent and offer to "allow" Karl to play in that format where kids closer to his age play. It was the most ridiculous abuse of bureaucratic power where the organization concerned had an obligation to meet the needs of every junior and failed to meet that obligation.

The situation in Queensland wasn't one of prejudice. They simply didn't allow juniors to play in the 9-hole competitions if they had an official handicap. Unfortunately for Karl though, he was thereby faced with having to compete in the 14 & Under age groups as he had an official handicap. So while one of his club-mates who was a year older than him and who Karl competed against at the 2011 Callaway Junior World Championships dominated that 9-hole series winning numerous trophies and prizes, Karl was faced with having to compete against some of Australia's best 13 & 14 year olds to win anything. Despite trying to fix what is a glaringly obvious situation that sees some kids refusing to get handicaps so they can continue to experience the feeling of winning in the 9-hole format by asking for a lower age division of Under 12 to be added the current lowest age group of Under 14's, it was all too hard.

Any sport administrator should know the importance of allowing kids to experience the feeling of winning. Whereas Karl enjoys competing against the world's best players in his age group in the USA, he doesn't enjoy the stress of trying to compete against world class 13 & 14 year olds and have to beat them to win anything.

However, since moving to Melbourne Karl has been allowed to choose to play with kids in his own age, so every month or so in Melbourne Karl will play in a 9-hole competition and hopefully experience that winning feeling whilst having a good time. Hopefully, Australian Junior golf administrators will realize the need to add lower age divisions such as Under 12 to their 18-hole junior tournaments to make the transition from 9-hole golf to 18-hole golf easier for the kids in the 10-12 age group.

But hey, what would I know, I'm just a parent of a junior golfer and we don't know anything.