Spring is in full bloom so let’s get into the swing.

Take advantage of the beautiful weather, load up the entire family and just go play.

Golf is one of the few games that the entire family can actually participate together.

This past week at Linrick Golf Course I witnessed 4 generations at the golf course of which 3 of the 4 were playing together.

There was 1 present acting as an observer. The almost 100-year old greatgrandmother was not playing, but observing, and it was a cool golf picture that I actually missed.

The main reason I whiffed is the 97-year-old looked 70. Then, as I was told her age, she was walking very fast across the parking lot. By the time I could catch up, she was driving away.

If I had any idea the person was 97, I would have snapped a family photo immediately. The age span of this family from youngest to oldest was over 90 years.

The Lexington County Recreation and Aging Commision (LRAC), Richland County Recreation Commision (RCRC) and the Irmo Chapin Recreation Commision (ICRC), each offer golf options, including the “Family Junior.”

The program curriculum is designed for young children and new families in golf. The entire family learns and studies the game together.

The basic fundamentals of swing is introduced through a brand new to golf movement education initiative called Impact Conditioning. In this new frontier or approach, the motor skills of striking are presented in a manner that allows learning to be fun.

While the method of how to swing is being introduced, the principles of playing golf are also being introduced. It’s very much like youth soccer, baseball, basketball and football. In some of these sports, in the early stages of development, parents are on the actual field with the children guiding them along.

Here are some comments from program participants. This 1 came in the middle of the 1st fairway at Linrick Sunday afternoon.

“I was a little worried that I may not hit the ball and may have been embarrassed but then I hit it,” Eliot Goodman said. “It was great and it’s fun to hit the ball.”

Elliot and her entire family have recently started practicing together.

“We practice at home together then we go to the range once a week,” said her mother, Ramsey Goodman. “Recently, it’s been on Wednesdays and we have fun together. It’s awesome.”

Bryce LaBruyere was an 8-year-old who invited his grandparents out to watch. “GiGi” and “Pops” LaBruyere were all smiles the entire time at the course.

“I just love it out here,” Pops said. “We have so much fun.”

The Learn Through Play Format is conducted in community. The lesson is introduced in a manner that all of the family, players, parents, grandparents and even friends learn with the real club and ball in hand on the actual playing field.

This next part will be quite a shock. On this particular day, there were 40-plus players playing together on the same hole in what is currently referred to as a “Family Blitz.”

You read correctly. Over 40 on a hole playing together.

The more the merrier and the very next evening at Linrick over 20 players played together in the same format in the “Weekday Supplemental Golf edition”.

The summer seasons will be on each of the park websites by next week, if they are not already available. Here are the parks that offer the Family Jr Programs:

http://richlandcountyrecreation.com/fall-golf-programs-at-linrick-golf-course/, icrc.net, , https://sports.bluesombrero.com/lcrac and https://sports.bluesombrero.com/lcrac/.