A couple of weeks ago, the Bryans traveled to West Point, Miss. for golf.

We witnessed an amazing golf match at Mossy Oak Golf Club featuring 2 of the country’s best junior golfers. Cohen Trolio and Wells Williams, a rising senior, and junior in high school, play golf with my sons, George and Wesley.

Here is what I observed:

•They all played extremely fast.

•They all joked, laughed, and even “trash talked” with 1 another the entire round.

•They each had great balance with consistent tempo in their golf swings.

•The closer each player got to the hole, The more skill they displayed. They each were very close to the hole.

I have 2 points to make. Number 1, by observing then modeling behavior, it’s possible to improve skill.

Larry Bosewell, Keith Wright, and Dick Averitte were redundant with that message to me when I first started in golf. I bugged them with “how to get better” questions constantly.

The 2nd point I want to make is develop skill very very close to the hole and see how this influences your confidence the farther away you get. Short shot confidence can be the gateway to long shot confidence!

This message today was inspired by a 20-month old this past Saturday when he and his dad came out to watch his older brother in golf class.

This 20-month-old took a golf ball and first started dropping it in the hole with no coaching or adult direction. He simply walked the golf ball over and dropped it in the hole. He then went and got a driver and set the ball down inches from the cup and proceeded to attempt to knock the ball in the hole.

The driver was taller than he was so it was very awkward for him to use. He tried every part of the club, but struggled to make the ball go in the cup consistently. So he went and got an iron club which was shorter.

Same effort, same result, which again, limited success. He then went and picked out a putter, which was much smaller, and figured out how to get the ball into the cup consistently. He kept trying to figure out how to get that ball into the cup for 10 to 15 minutes before he did.

He tried numerous different ways and all of this was without any coaching from other children or parents. Incidentally, when he figured out that the putter was the best club, he set the ball close to the hole and tapped it in over and over and over.

It was hilarious and beautiful at the same time.

Lexington County Recreation and Aging Commision is restarting its brand new family golf program.

Parents can participate with their children ages 4 - 9, not excluding 10 - 13.

Visit the website, go to athletics, then find “Family Golf” at the bottom of the program options. Or call B.J. Bellville at (803) 359-4048 (extension 240).

The Irmo-Chapin Recreation Commission will hold 2 youth golf summer camps - July 20-22 and July 27-29. For more information, call (803) 345-6181, or (803) 772-3336.

Finally, the South Carolina Junior Golf Association Hootie summer series registration is underway. To register in the Columbia or Tri-County Chapters, go to www.SCJGA.Org .

The RBC Heritage will be played the 3rd week of June. At this point, it appears TV will be the only option to view the event.