You should look no further than your nearest golf course. Introducing your children to the wonderful world of golf may be one of the best gifts you will ever bestow upon them.

Once the basic skills are mastered, golf becomes the ultimate equalizer. What other sport can young and old participate on an equal basis? Certainly not in the four major sports where youth has the upper hand has. I gave up basketball at age 33 when some overzealous 21-year-old elbowed me just above the eye while going for a rebound. Ten stitches later my basketball career was over. Baseball and soccer ended when I graduated from college. There was nothing left but golf and skiing. I took them both up vigorously.

In my youth, there was not the opportunity to play. In my humble neighborhood, only the rich kids played golf. The rest of us caddied for $1 a round. That was my introduction to golf, along with an occasional round on Mondays when they let the caddies play for free.

I did develop an interest in the game but never could visualize how important it would become in later years.

There was no junior programs in those days. Your father (a member) taught you or you received private instruction from the club pro. It was for the chosen few. We viewed the players as rich snobs.

Today there is ample opportunity for young people to receive excellent instruction at a reasonable cost. In fact, many local clubs have junior programs that are free to members’ children. The PGA finally came to realize that kids grow up to be adults and future members.

They better nurture them.

Also, over the past 50 years the American worker has had the benefit of more leisure time. That, along with the development of state and public courses, made golf more available to the masses.

It is not surprising to see a plumber teeing it up next to a doctor. That would never have happened 50 years ago.

I don’t know how many of you remember the CC or WPA both federally funded work programs. They built a number of golf courses throughout the country. The Amsterdam and Schenectady Municipal golf courses are the fruit of their labor. They even built our famous Hall of Springs.

I can honestly say I’ve never met a bad kid on the golf course. There is something about the game that brings out the best of them, not the worse. And it certainly occupied a good portion of the day. Most young golfers, once they get fairly proficient, will play 36 to 54 holes a day. That will account for 5-8 hours they won’t be hanging around the mall or getting in trouble on our street corners. And if pro-rated into the cost of babysitting, that is pretty cheap child care.

An interesting note, whenever youngsters are arrested for vandalism on a local course, it is rarely that the culprits pay golf. It is always someone with too much time on their hands trying to fill the void. Golf would certainly fill the void..

How old should one begin to play golf? It’s a debatable issue among local pros. Most will agree that six years old is a good starting point, but at that level it should be very low keyed. A cut down club, a wiffle ball and an introduction to the proper grip will probably be sufficient. They don’t need a golf course. Your backyard or an open field is all you will need. It is amazing what natural abilities our kids possess. Remember, also, that you are not trying to develop another Tiger Woods. You are introducing them to a game that will be available to them all their lives.

And when someday they close a million dollar deal on the Fairways of Pebble Beach, they will owe it to you.

There are two programs in our area worthy of your consideration. Brian Rhodes, a local teaching professional, has won many awards for his outstanding work with junior golfers. During the months of July and August, he will be available to work with fledgling golfers at the Airway Meadows Golf Club. His programs are well-organized, filled with basic skills and lots of fun...

Rhodes is a hands-on kind of guy. He leaves nothing to chance and is actively involved in every session. I am sure he can find a program to fit your child. Rhodes can be reached at 368-7473.

The second program is the Northeastern New York PGA Junior Golf Tour designed for the more experience golfer who is ready for some competitive golf. The tour is for youngsters (boys and girls) between the ages of 8 to 17. There are 10 tournaments scheduled for this summer with the opening event to be held at the Normanside Country Club in Delmar on July 2. The 13 to 17 year olds will play a full 18 holes while the 8 to 12 year olds will play nine holes.

The cost to join the tour is $75 and includes a number of special benefits. Each tournament involves an entry fee of $35 for the 13 to 17 group and $25 for the 8 to 12 year olds. The entry fee includes golf, lunch and range balls. The rest of the tour schedule is as follows: July 10 - Ballston Spa; July 16 - Airway Meadows; July 23 - Windham; July 27 - parent-child tourney at Van Pattens; July 28 - Albany C.C. (13 to 17); July 29 - Van Schaick (8 to 12); July 31 - Capital Hills; August 7 - Orchard Creek; August 17 - Tour championship at Eagle Crest.

This is a great opportunity to get your child involved in competitive golf. For further information, call 438-8645 or visit their Web site neny.pga.com. And the next time you are asked, ‘Do you know where your children are?’ You can answer, “Sure they are on the golf course having a great time. I am so proud of them.”