Payton "Tiger Protege" -- Graduate of Golf Camp!

Payton made a commitment at the first of this summer to read 1 hour each day and to spend time with his reading tutor twice a week. If he successfully met his part of the deal he would be enrolled in the Hank Haney Golf Camp @ Westridge Golf Course & Dad would buy him a new golf bag for his clubs.

Well...........Payt has been a reading champ and is getting great feedback from his tutor. Because he fulfilled his commitment, he attended Golf Camp this week!!!!!

Here are few pictures of Payton with his new gear......Dad couldn't help but buy him a TaylorMade visor, sun glasses, golf glove, towel, balls and tees (a bit more than the agreed upon golf bag.....but what can he say other than he loves his boy). Dad taught Payt that 'real' golfers always mark their golf balls with a sharpie so they do not lose their ball with other golfers balls. Payton chose to place 5 black dots on his golf balls -- with the explanation that this was done because his sister, Abby was 5 years old. :-)

Once his gear was on, without hesitation Ashie told him that he looked like Uncle Adam. As you can imagine, he thought that was the coolest thing ever!!!! (I think he is still smiling about that)

Camp was from 8:30am - 12:00pm Monday through Thursday. Payton's best buddy, Declan, enrolled with him and they became inseparable all week long. Dad was so excited about the week that he went into work late each day just so he could drop the boys off and check out the camp.

Payt learned how to chip, putt, and use his driver and irons. Here are a few pictures of him putting on the practice green before the camp began on one of the mornings.

Payt entered the putting contest on the last day of camp and placed in the top 5 out of 25 golfers in his age group. Tiger-like accuracy -- unlike his Dad who is awful on the green........

On Tuesday at camp, as Payt explained it, he hit the ball so hard with his driver that the head broke right off.......Mom and Dad know better that it was more like he hit the ground so hard that his club broke. He needed to have a driver, so Dad and Payt went out Tuesday night to hunt for a new one. The new club was a bit pricey so Payt had to buy 1/2 of the price. His portion, $20.00, will begin to be deducted from his weekly allowance. At his rate of pay it will only take him 10 weeks to pay us back -- pretty good when he considers it is an interest free loan.

On the last day of camp they allowed the parents to golf with their child. We arrived at 7:30am, it was not difficult waking Payton, he was ready to go! We played a modified 9 holes (actually about 7.5 holes) and teed off mostly in the middle of the fairways bout 150 yards out on each hole. The boys had a great time and played their best when I told them that for a good shot they could drive the cart.......funny how play and effort picked up with this little caveat.

They survived the heat -- 104 degrees on Wednesday -- and had a great week. Payton has definitely found his favorite sport....golf.

Tiger Woods better look out!!!!!!