The best advice I can give to parents who wonder if they have a budding golf star

Pray to God, or hope--whichever suits your belief system--that your child develops a true passion for the game.

Without this, it is hard to imagine a kid will put in the effort needed to succeed at a really high level.

Ever since Sean shot a 72 last year to win his junior club championship, I've somehow earned a nebulous status at the club as the father of a golf prodigy. Even though this was only his first sub-80 round of that tournament season, it seemed to change everything, and I sense there is a perception that I have some sort of expertise, even though I feel as if we are making this up as we go along.

I would quit my day job if I could get several thousand dollars each month for conversations at the club with those who congratulate his success while lamenting their own childrens' failure to launch into golf, or looking for insights into how to spark similar success in their younger kids.

Whatever success Sean is enjoying at this point, or how good he looks out there playing the game right now even though it may not be really successful, is attributable to pretty much one thing: the foundation is his drive and internal motivation to succeed.

His mother and I don't need to poke or prod him. If anything, I can foresee more a need to dial him back a notch and pace himself, than to push him to get out there to work on his game.

If we are blessed with anything, as parents of a budding golf star, it is with a child who has an incredible drive to see the fulfillment of his own dreams. Everything else we do for him to facilitate this process is only window dressing, and would likely prove for naught should he ever lose his passion for golf.

Our plan, if you could call it that, is to give him as much line as he needs. We'll support him as best we can, all the while making sure he knows that whatever comes his way will have been privileges that he has earned.