Why FunFlight™ Works - the answer is all around you
Why does FunFlight work? Simply put, the answer is scaling and keeping things fun. One of the main aspects of golf that hard core golfers brag about (and beginners lament) is that golf is the same for everyone. You play the same courses, use the same equipment, and the same rules. Although this a true and noble viewpoint, the question big question is - what if we approached everything in life that way? I'm pretty sure it wouldn't make ANY sense.
Why is it that new golfers should be subjected to the same rules, challenges, and skill levels that professional golfers are held to? Would it be reasonable to think you play tennis, basketball, baseball, or soccer the same way professionals do? In any skill, don't you learn incrementally and increase the challenge level as you go? Why seek perfection when you just want to have fun on your day off with your friends and family. In that sense, FunFlight is like a pickup game of basketball in your driveway with your family. You still call it basketball even though you don't have a regulation court, a referee, a regulation sized ball inflated to official capacity...and maybe you even double dribbled a few times and let it slide. The same could be said for baseball, tennis, etc. The point is, to play a sport for fun, you do not have to be official and do everything the same way the professionals do it. That's not to say someone who started off playing basketball in their driveway cannot eventually end up being a professional basketball player. Stories abound with that exact story line.
FunFlight is fantastic and a total no-brainer for kids.
One of the biggest complaints from kids learning golf is that they never get to play; they are always practicing but never playing. Getting kids on the golf course who are learning the game is challenging. They have to lug around a bag that seems like contains a ton of bricks; they have to constantly choose different golf clubs; they miss a lot; they stand in unsafe places where they can get hit with their playing partners errant golf shot; they play scrambles where everyone hits from the same spot - which makes them more likely to get hit with a golf club. Plus, they take forever to play! So, understandably kids are kept on the sidelines and only allowed to practice until a certain skill level and understanding of the game is achieved. For many kids that process takes too long and in the meantime they have decided they like baseball or soccer better because they get to actually play the game. With FunFlight, after some basic instruction, you shorten the golf hole, hand them one club, a FunFlight ball and stress the heck out of being safe. Kids love FunFlight and golf...if you let them play. They get to learn like kids. And by the time they start to get bored with FunFlight, they are ready to move to the next challenge level - which is FunFlight+Putting or real golf, but the difference is - by then they have already established a love for the game of golf!
Now, think about how kids learn in other sports. The following aspects of a sport are adapted to age appropriate levels in almost all youth sports: Field size, ball size, target size (goal, basket, etc), equipment size (racket, bat, etc.), and rules of the game. The only aspects golf has tackled is equipment size (length and weight) and altering field size (hole length). Ball size, target size, and rule simplification still need to be addressed and adjusted accordingly for kids to be able to successfully learn. Are there kids who can learn golf traditionally - absolutely. Does it work for everyone - no. Are we losing a lot of kids who would love to play golf if they had they chance to actually play the game - yes.
Think this is a kids game? Not so fast.
Let's talk about adults. Adults are stressed out people and are typically pretty self-conscious. They have a lot on their plates and are looking for some time to kick back and de-stress. Golf seems like such a relaxing sport where they can get exercise, be outside, and spend time with their friends and family at the same time - awesome. So they sign up to learn to play golf. The first thing they do is start looking at the price of golf clubs - woah. Am I going to like this? Do I have the money to do this? Once they arrive at the course, no matter how fun and relaxed you go about teaching golf, golf ends up like just another stressful thing on their plate that they have to master. Remember this, remember that. Don't do this, don't do that. Many adults who start playing golf are terrified of looking stupid and getting yelled at - and that doesn't sound like fun to me. I also get golfers who wait until retirement to learn because they know that they are going to have to devote a lot of time to golf in order to learn how to play. Why does the story have to be this way? Can't someone go out and play golf with their friends after a little bit of instruction? Shouldn't they be able to have fun doing it? Why does learning golf have to be a major undertaking? I'm getting depressed so lets change the story.
A person wants to learn golf. They borrow one club from a friend or find one at a second-hand store. They come out for some basic rules (5 simple rules right) and swing instruction. They are given a huge ball that almost looks too big to miss. You have them take some swings and off to the course we go. Some fun things happen, some funny things happen, some good questions get asked in real time. They learn to change the length of their swing to make to the ball go in the hole. They did it. It was fun, maybe a little goofy looking, but lets definitely do this again. Maybe I'll even bring another friend next time. Now people are learning to play golf and love it. The more they play the better they get. They feel like they are ready to challenge themselves by decreasing the ball size or increasing the hole length. Everything is done when they are comfortable and stress is eliminated.
What does Pickleball have to do with FunFlight - EVERYTHING.
Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America and if you've never heard of it you can watch the video. Pickleball is touted as "A paddle sport created for all ages and skill levels. The rules are simple and the game is easy for beginners to learn, but can develop into a quick, fast-paced, competitive game for experienced players...A fun sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong" -usapa.org The reasons why pickleball is taking off are many, but the few that I would like to point out are that is a social sport with minimal physical requirements on an adaptive course entered into with minimal monetary and time investment. Participants can start playing pickleball socially and either choose to stay there or take it to a more fast-paced competitive nature at their own choosing. People like spending their time getting exercise in social sporting avenues that are easy to learn at their own pace and require minimal investment and commitment. But as it seems, once they are able to dip their toe in, many take it all the way to a higher level challenge themselves to improve. That is where the differences between FunFlight and pickleball end. Pickleball is a new game for some and an end game for others - especially for old tennis players who can no longer withstand the physical demands of tennis. FunFlight, on the other hand, is an introductory game where people can develop their skills and potentially work towards becoming a golfer in a more efficient, effective, and fun manner.
Why is it that new golfers should be subjected to the same rules, challenges, and skill levels that professional golfers are held to? Would it be reasonable to think you play tennis, basketball, baseball, or soccer the same way professionals do? In any skill, don't you learn incrementally and increase the challenge level as you go? Why seek perfection when you just want to have fun on your day off with your friends and family. In that sense, FunFlight is like a pickup game of basketball in your driveway with your family. You still call it basketball even though you don't have a regulation court, a referee, a regulation sized ball inflated to official capacity...and maybe you even double dribbled a few times and let it slide. The same could be said for baseball, tennis, etc. The point is, to play a sport for fun, you do not have to be official and do everything the same way the professionals do it. That's not to say someone who started off playing basketball in their driveway cannot eventually end up being a professional basketball player. Stories abound with that exact story line.
FunFlight is fantastic and a total no-brainer for kids.
One of the biggest complaints from kids learning golf is that they never get to play; they are always practicing but never playing. Getting kids on the golf course who are learning the game is challenging. They have to lug around a bag that seems like contains a ton of bricks; they have to constantly choose different golf clubs; they miss a lot; they stand in unsafe places where they can get hit with their playing partners errant golf shot; they play scrambles where everyone hits from the same spot - which makes them more likely to get hit with a golf club. Plus, they take forever to play! So, understandably kids are kept on the sidelines and only allowed to practice until a certain skill level and understanding of the game is achieved. For many kids that process takes too long and in the meantime they have decided they like baseball or soccer better because they get to actually play the game. With FunFlight, after some basic instruction, you shorten the golf hole, hand them one club, a FunFlight ball and stress the heck out of being safe. Kids love FunFlight and golf...if you let them play. They get to learn like kids. And by the time they start to get bored with FunFlight, they are ready to move to the next challenge level - which is FunFlight+Putting or real golf, but the difference is - by then they have already established a love for the game of golf!
Now, think about how kids learn in other sports. The following aspects of a sport are adapted to age appropriate levels in almost all youth sports: Field size, ball size, target size (goal, basket, etc), equipment size (racket, bat, etc.), and rules of the game. The only aspects golf has tackled is equipment size (length and weight) and altering field size (hole length). Ball size, target size, and rule simplification still need to be addressed and adjusted accordingly for kids to be able to successfully learn. Are there kids who can learn golf traditionally - absolutely. Does it work for everyone - no. Are we losing a lot of kids who would love to play golf if they had they chance to actually play the game - yes.
Think this is a kids game? Not so fast.
Let's talk about adults. Adults are stressed out people and are typically pretty self-conscious. They have a lot on their plates and are looking for some time to kick back and de-stress. Golf seems like such a relaxing sport where they can get exercise, be outside, and spend time with their friends and family at the same time - awesome. So they sign up to learn to play golf. The first thing they do is start looking at the price of golf clubs - woah. Am I going to like this? Do I have the money to do this? Once they arrive at the course, no matter how fun and relaxed you go about teaching golf, golf ends up like just another stressful thing on their plate that they have to master. Remember this, remember that. Don't do this, don't do that. Many adults who start playing golf are terrified of looking stupid and getting yelled at - and that doesn't sound like fun to me. I also get golfers who wait until retirement to learn because they know that they are going to have to devote a lot of time to golf in order to learn how to play. Why does the story have to be this way? Can't someone go out and play golf with their friends after a little bit of instruction? Shouldn't they be able to have fun doing it? Why does learning golf have to be a major undertaking? I'm getting depressed so lets change the story.
A person wants to learn golf. They borrow one club from a friend or find one at a second-hand store. They come out for some basic rules (5 simple rules right) and swing instruction. They are given a huge ball that almost looks too big to miss. You have them take some swings and off to the course we go. Some fun things happen, some funny things happen, some good questions get asked in real time. They learn to change the length of their swing to make to the ball go in the hole. They did it. It was fun, maybe a little goofy looking, but lets definitely do this again. Maybe I'll even bring another friend next time. Now people are learning to play golf and love it. The more they play the better they get. They feel like they are ready to challenge themselves by decreasing the ball size or increasing the hole length. Everything is done when they are comfortable and stress is eliminated.
What does Pickleball have to do with FunFlight - EVERYTHING.
Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America and if you've never heard of it you can watch the video. Pickleball is touted as "A paddle sport created for all ages and skill levels. The rules are simple and the game is easy for beginners to learn, but can develop into a quick, fast-paced, competitive game for experienced players...A fun sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong" -usapa.org The reasons why pickleball is taking off are many, but the few that I would like to point out are that is a social sport with minimal physical requirements on an adaptive course entered into with minimal monetary and time investment. Participants can start playing pickleball socially and either choose to stay there or take it to a more fast-paced competitive nature at their own choosing. People like spending their time getting exercise in social sporting avenues that are easy to learn at their own pace and require minimal investment and commitment. But as it seems, once they are able to dip their toe in, many take it all the way to a higher level challenge themselves to improve. That is where the differences between FunFlight and pickleball end. Pickleball is a new game for some and an end game for others - especially for old tennis players who can no longer withstand the physical demands of tennis. FunFlight, on the other hand, is an introductory game where people can develop their skills and potentially work towards becoming a golfer in a more efficient, effective, and fun manner.