Wilson boys hit the course for some R&R

Published 12:00 am Monday, February 18, 2008

NATCHEZ — David Wilson said the next thing he’s going buy for his 4-year-old son is a set of golf clubs.

The Dart found Wilson and his son David Wilson Jr. at the driving range at Duncan Park Saturday evening loosening up some tense muscles, after a minor car accident they had been in the previous day.

When Wilson offered his son the chance to try hitting some golf balls, he readily accepted.

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“This is the first time he’s picked up a golf club,” Wilson said.

David Wilson Jr. is a Jack-of-all-trades, his father said, and golfing will become one of the many father-son activities they enjoy together.

Wilson and his son also play video games, hunt and fish together, already, but there is room for more.

Wilson said his son’s shot is impressive when hunting in the woods.

“It’s pretty good for his age,” he said.

David Wilson Jr. even has his own gun.

“I supervise him pretty closely because he doesn’t quite understand the safety part of it yet,” Wilson said.

Together the duo hunt everything from raccoons to rabbits.

“(We hunt) anything that breathes that you can hunt, anything edible,” Wilson said.

Wilson said he didn’t start hunting until he was 12 and he regrets that, so he wanted to start his son out early.

But golf is new and Wilson was unsure of his son’s abilities.

As Wilson wrapped his arm around his son to help him achieve contact with the golf ball and David Wilson Jr. squealed with delight by knocking the ball 10 feet away, Wilson said his son quickly adapts to new activities.

“If he likes it, you can’t stop him,” he said.

When he was 2 years old, he got him a VTech V Smile TV Learning System, an educational video game, and he has mastered it, Wilson said.

“He can beat me at every game,” he said.

David Wilson Jr. also has a short basketball goal, which he loves, his father said.

“He’s gotten to where he can shoot pretty far,” he said.

Now, golfing is a new interest that can be added to the list.

Wilson said he’s not a big golfer, though he’s been getting into it the past few years.

“I stink at it, but I enjoy it,” he said.

His son’s interest in the game will encourage him to play more, he said.

“It’ll get me points with the wife, too,” he said.

Whether it’s golfing, hunting, fishing or video games, Wilson said he’ll keep an open mind and encourage his son to participate in any activity.

“Anything to keep him away from bad things later on in life,” he said.