I don’t often employ the word regret when reminiscing about my life, but, man, I sure do wish my parents would’ve introduced me to golf much earlier than middle school.
While I was convinced that I’d be the next Michael Jordan on the basketball court (all 5-foot-8 of me), had I dedicated myself to golf instead of pursuing other pipe dreams, safe to say I’d feel way more comfortable today with a golf club in my hand.
As the game keeps growing and interest booms, it’s been amazing to see so many young kids flocking to the game. Among that group of newcomers is 6-year-old Jack Cantin, who since picking up the game as a toddler has twice won the Little Linksters’ annual “Best Pee Wee Golf Swing in the World” competition.
What makes this little guy’s swing so great? Jack’s father, Eric, and Little Linksters’ founder and PGA professional Brendon Elliott offer some insights below.
How Jack found golf
Eric Cantin said his son was naturally drawn to the game
“He’s been in love with golf since he was a baby, watching the PGA Tour with me while sitting on my lap,” Eric said. “When we watched Tiger Woods win the 2019 Masters, he saw me cry after the final putt went in. He knew I loved the game, and it was special to see him gravitate towards it [at such a young age].”
After finding a common love for the game from his father, Jack was gifted his first set of clubs for his first birthday — and he’s been hooked ever since.
“I bought him a plastic set of clubs and he never put them down,” Eric said. “Once he could walk, he would wake up in the morning, go straight to his clubs, and hit ball after ball after ball. He had an amazing attention span as a toddler, so we worked on the fundamentals even before he could talk.
“He knew how to hold the club, setup his stance, do a balanced backswing, downswing, finish, and freeze by the time he was just 18 months old. To this day, I’ve never seen Jack swing at a ball and miss. Not even the first time he tried.”
2 short-game drills that keep Jack sharp
According to Eric, Jack loves to work on his chipping and putting on the family’s home putting green, challenging his dad almost daily. This helps Jack work on improving his routine and his focus — with the winner getting a popsicle.
One of Jack’s go-to practice routines is using an alignment mirror to help dial in his putting setup. Jack and Eric also devised the following putting drill:
1. Set up a tee every foot for 10 feet
2. Start at one foot and work your way back to 10 feet, advancing only with a make
3. For each miss, move back one spot
While Jack is dialed on the greens, Eric said his son most likes to compete against (and beat) him in chipping.
Want to dial in your stroke? This dollar bill putting drill is absolute money
“His favorite game is a chipping contest, where the first one to chip in from the greenside rough wins,” Eric said. “Jack and I stand side-by-side and each take a turn chipping to the same hole, usually from about 10-15 yards away. We don’t leave until one of us chips in.
“He beats me 50 percent of the time and usually chips it in under 10 shots…and I’m a 6 handicap!”
Though Jack loves to compete and has shown plenty of interest in improving, Eric says he avoids pushing his son too hard, and just tries to make it all fun.
“We just want him to be happy,” Eric said. “We’re hopeful that he can continue to follow his passions in life, learn the importance of his influence on others, and continue to help those around him who need it.”
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