Golf Tournaments With Kids

My husband loves golf… so by default I love golf! Haha just kidding, but hear me out. He took me to a par 3 course where you play nine holes and all of them are par 3 holes. This began my enjoyment of golf. We soon went to the driving range together which was also fun! My only experience with golf before him was mini golf as a kid. After playing a few times and going to the range, my husband asked if we could go to a golf tournament together. I was lured by the promise of good food and fancy cocktails- this is common at golf events unlike other sporting events! And so began our affair with golf!

golf tournament with kids

Fast forward 4 years later and we have our son. This put a kink in my husband’s tee times on the weekend, but we have turned it into a family event! Our son attended his first golf tournament at 5 weeks old, the Safeway open at Silverado Resort. We saw Phil Mickelson and enjoyed lounging on the grass with our baby in all the new born bliss!

The Sony open in Oahu was his second golf tournament at 4 months old and his first plane ride! We hung out in the grass under a tree and saw pros like Harry Higgs!

sony open

Our son is now 18 months old and has been to 10 plus tournaments. We go to the Pebble Beach Pro-Am annually, and we won tickets to The Open in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2022.

We absolutely love going to golf tournaments with kids and here’s why!

Family atmosphere:

We are a huge sports family, but let’s be honest, some sporting events are less family friendly than others! I won’t be taking my son to an NFL game until he’s a bit older just due to the nature of the game and the crowds. Also he doesn’t do well sitting in a seat for 3-4 hours straight. At golf tournaments, the players have done a lot to make the game all about the kids! Tiger Woods event at the LA Rivera, the Genesis Invitational is a prime example. They have an activity center where kids can play putting games, get free souvenirs, and even autograph zones restricted by height! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to elbow a grown man out of the way so my son can get an autograph at other sporting events!

brooks getting autographs

Freedom to roam or chill:

We love the freedom golf events give our little boy, especially as he is running around now! We can run along the side of the fairways or we can post up a blanket on the viewing grounds. My husband and I will bring our stroller and our son will take a nap in the stroller while we follow one of our favorite pros. We have the flexibility to do whatever we want or need for our family without feeling like we’re missing out on the event. I won’t lie, I was nervous to bring my young child to a normally quiet sport event. But that’s the beauty of it… no one cares if your baby cries, and if your baby is screaming or crying, just walk away from someone teeing off. You have the space and freedom to get up and go whenever without feeling like you are ruining someone else’s time or squeezing past tight rows of seats blocking the view.

Brad and Brooks at Torrey Pines

Beautiful locations:

Pebble Beach pro am golf tournaments with kids

Golf courses are located in some of the most beautiful locations in the world! We absolutely love Pebble Beach and Torrey Pines! The landscapes are stunning and we love getting outside and letting our little man explore these places. While we try to attend the golf events on Thursdays or Fridays to avoid the larger crowds, we make a weekend getaway out of it and enjoy the surrounding areas on the weekend. Pebble Beach is located in Monterey, CA and we love visiting the aquarium and marina after the golf tournament or driving down the coast for beautiful views!

Access to athletes:

If I had to pick one sport that does the most for kids, it has to be golf. The athletes are doing so much to make golf a more accessible sport to all backgrounds. Between the charities and programs that they participate in and the way they interact with the fans during tournaments. We have met athletes such as Mackenzie Hughes, Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffle, and so many more. They are always super nice and so excited to see a young fan enjoying the sport!

Rickey Fowler are LA genesis golf tournament

Military support:

My husband is a disabled veteran from the United States Navy. Golf, like many other sports, shows an outpouring of support for the military. We are eligible for free tickets often through the Birdies for the Brave program. When we get military tickets we also get access to the patriots outpost, which is a tent set up with A/C, free food, free drinks, private bathrooms, and prime seating locations on a selected hole! We will spend a few hours here to catch a break from the weather and grab some food! They will provide hamburgers, chips, sodas, waters, and even free beer. When you enter the Patriots outpost you also get a free hat of the event’s name.