As my dad used to say, "drive for show, putt for dough." He was a scratch golfer back in the day. As a kid I used to spend much of the early evening in the back yard chipping with a 7 iron or wedge. I never did get the driver right and instead hit a 1-iron of the tee a fair amount of the time. If you're accurate from 150 yards in you can score well. I got down into the high 70's and that was as a so-so putter. Chipping can save your butt.

As for the career thing, the future job market is not like it was when most of us were younger. The advice I give to my 16 year old is to find something he loves and pursue it. The money will follow. But, have a backup plan (likely writing code).

Randy - showed him the link and his eyes lit up! 'Dad! I could be a guide right now! I know a buncha honey holes for Sandies and Crappie! I should sell my John boat and motor and upgrade, get the word out the folks - business guys at the hotels or what ever and take them out! I got plenty of rods.'

Now he's on line looking three boats down the progression to make it a viable bidness. Good Lawd what did you start !!!

Do you know any fishing or hunting guides well? Most will admit that the customers can be real azzhats. If they can't hunt or fish and mess up, it will always be the guide's fault. Many feel that the guide is their slave, at least for the day, down to carrying their gun and picking up behind them. Soon your hobby will become a job and you'll hate hunting and fishing. When hunting, firearm safety can be a problem too. I personally know guys who guided and are handicapped now due to shooting accidents and some who had close calls. No thanks.

G

My grandfather worked in the forest at a tree nursery repopulating forests after they were logged. As a kid I thought that was stupid, and that successful people wore suits.

I pursued monetary success, and got what I asked for to some degree. I spend most of my life sitting at a desk. (First went for engineering, then settled into IT.)

In the last few years I've gotten really into hiking. But I have a hard time getting away from work to make it out into the forest.

I wish I had been smarter when I was younger.

What If Money Was No Object? - YouTube
(I have a hard time in embedding from my phone, but this is worth the click through.)

Lube, your son is 14.

Of course he wants to play golf or go hunting or whatever.
Hopefully he is at a good school that rewards academic achievement. When he has achieved the highest he can, mentally and physically- and with full and encouraging support from his guardians, he is welcome to do whatever the eff he wants with his life. Your job as a Dad is to build the scaffolding. Don't skimp on the underpinnings.

Randy, I think you have it correct with Biological Sciences. The money is adequate, but the experience is beyond belief.

Matt does make a good point. Important to keep open options for the future. A solid education will serve him well whether in the business of guiding/outfitting. Or if his interests change in the future to some unforeseen new direction.

I like that he is looking for opportunities now to dive into trying his immediate goals.
Nothing like real world experience in the field to make clear the realities involved.

I admire how you listen to your son, and give weight to his thinking. This should really open up two way communication so he can hear your concerns about the need for a strong education come what ever.

Most of the folks (with a few exceptions) that I know that did the job they loved in high school live in the parent's basement 30 years later (except for those who wanted to be pilots). There is reason why there are separate/different words for "work" and "hobby." One is something you can tolerate/enjoy because they pay you to do it. The other you enjoy, but in general...you pay to get to do it. Although money can't buy you love, it generally gives you the time and wherewithal to pursue the people/things/pursuits you do love. It pays to be realistic.

Obviously there are exceptions...John Force's daughter featured in another thread is a good example...but you have to remember that she is basically just taking over the family business and is heavily subsidized/supported by her family. If she fails, she will have other opportunities. How much are you willing to subsidize your child over the rest of their life?

One doesn't have to have a "fun" job to have a fun (satisfying) life.

I grew up next door to my cousin who took to the outdoors and has done pretty well for himself.

Mark Kayser - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have only been to one high school reunion, my 10 year.

One of the girls I had dated a few times was there. She had a very dark tan and of course I asked her what was up. She went to college for two years and hated everything about it. She sold everything she owned and moved to the Bahamas. She went to work at a guided dive shop. Within 4 years she opened up her own shop. She was not raking in huge bucks, but she loved her job. She had to deal with stupid tourists all the time, but most folks that are going to go dive are not the total morons.

She was loving going to work every day.

Lots of great perspectives in the responses.

I had a circuitous route to college since I was chasing the baseball genie for a year and a half out of high school.

To support myself I worked a lot of "strong back, weak mind" jobs. Since I had kayaked most of my life I also started running white water rivers for pay. I eventually got into the college I wanted on a scholarship, continuing to run rivers for pay in the summer.

Pretty good start and I learned a lot of things, which I'll share for Max:

- While a college degree is not an harbinger of success, the rigor and discipline it takes to do well at a good school is invaluable. A college degree(s) also represent options: The goodness of having more than one alternative in life to make a living cannot be overstated.

- Minor in business regardless of what you want to do in life. Take the appropriate accounting and finance classes. I made my children do this because it is critical to understand the principles of business and finance. It just is.

- Being a guide or working at an outdoor job is great when you are single and relatively unencumbered. I can't recall a single married person in their 30's I worked with running rivers or working manual labor jobs that was happy...unless they owned the enterprise or were in a position of leadership. Plan to either own it or have an exit strategy.

- Work your dream job in the summer as soon as you can, find a way to do it. Work for free if you have to to get a foot in the door. Learn to shut-up and work hard while watching and observing. My daughter has been offered full time employment already (she starts her senior year this fall) because she has kicked butt at internships and part time jobs. She has a great rep that has led to recommendations and follow-on employment in the area she loves.

- Service jobs, like guiding, etc. are hard since people can and do suck.

- Be the ball, Max.

the kid is 14.

wait till he gets into girls..then this entire conversation he just had with you will be a distant fuzzy memory.

personally, i wouldnt want any of my hobbies being my source of income. then fun becomes work.

my job lets me live. my hobbies and loves makes the living worthwhile. balance is the key for me.

It's never too early to start living your dream!

Randy

Work ethic helps....
 

My daughter is 24 yo. No pics. She started working at age 15 at a new bakery store.
She liked to work and she liked the $$. She is extremely good in school and recently left her pt real estate secretary job(answering the phone and putting house listings for sale on the internet). She is now working towards her Phd and doing research in the medical/psychological area. This suits her well as she likes working alone.

Many years ago I said to her that my aim is to make her independent. She lives with her boyfriend who also is extremely hard working. As the above respondents say have a backup plan. Keep him in school as long as possible. Instill good values in him. Don't give him much stuff. Make him work for it. Hopefully he will find work that he enjoys...