Junior Golf
 

Dear Yoda,

When teaching Juniors new to the game, how much detail do you use during the Basic Motion Curriculum?

I fear that I will lose their attention if I am too thorough. Can you please advise on how I can keep it fun but informative?

Thank you,
spike

Spike,

What age are juniors...........and how are you teaching them one on one or in a group lesson/summer camp?????

Sorting Through the Instructor's Textbook.

B-Ray

Hi Spike,

May be of no consequence but I have spent hours coaching junior cricketers. To a man they all wanted to hit the ball out of the park or just bowl fast.

Theory, and structured learning, did not appeal to them but swiping the ball or pinging the batsman sure did.

Show them how to grip and swing the club and then let then wheel away at the ball. Finesse comes later bit by bit; drip fed or, otherwise, in bite size proportions.

Good luck in your endeavours.

Thanks Burner and B-Ray.

I've just been asked to set up a Golf Academy for a prestigious International School here in Thailand. The ultimate goal, for those into golf, is be able to play and think well enough to get a golf scholarship to just about anywhere.

The kids at the school are K-12 grades. We have no idea how many students we will have in the Academy as we are just growing the grass right now. Luckily things grow fast here.

Most of the teching will be in group lesson form. Classroom stuff, drilling and hitting balls to a target, type thing. My thinking is like what Burner and Golfguru suggested....good information but light in the beginning, then building from there.

As I have been investigating TGM for the past couple of years or so i've been able to fill the gaps in my teaching knowledge. I guess I would like for my kids to fill those gaps early. The understanding of Basic and Acquired Motions is very appealling right now and I'm just wondering if this would not be a better approach than going out and bashing balls around?

What do you think on these lines?

I think it is great, but certainly combine that with things they really enjoy. Have targets that they can hit and get a prize when doing basic and acquired motion, you might help plant the seeds of loving short game practice.

Matt

Junior Clinics Redux
 

Sometime in the last couple of months I wrote a detailed post on exactly that subject. I stressed the use of the 'MacDonald Exercises' and how they could be applied. If someone would locate and post this piece, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

:)

P.S. It could also have been a Private Message response. So, if someone looks hard and still cannot find it, please let me know. Unfortunately, if it was a PM response, there is a high probability it has been deleted. :crybaby:

ola:salut:

http://www.lynnblakegolf.com/forum/s...ed=1#post39845

Teaching Junior Clinics
 

Spike,

I did a little more homework. As I suspected, my post was not in the archives, but in a Private Message response (edited slightly for clarity) to Amen Corner on the same subject a few weeks back. For the exercises themselves, I referenced the same link that Attikc provided above. Thanks, Attikc!

Thank you guys so much!

My thinking right now is to show how the hands and arms work in a putting motion then move on to chipping to include a little extensor action. Before Acquired Motion, I'll mention the pivot and how it is coordinated with the right forearm takeaway and the upward bend of the right forearm at the elbow. "All in the same direction"...back, up and in. (thank you LBG forum!) I think then from there we can experiment with delivery down, out and through the ball.

My thinking is "Controlled Folly". Having fun, but with something to do while you are doing it. Kids are pretty smart these days...not a hell of a lot of respect for stuff, but if it is made interesting and there are the targets available that mrodock mentioned....well who knows what might happen.

Not another Korean superstar!???!

P.S. Yoda, I hope to be in a position to have guest speakers come and teach to our students. Would you let me know if that is something you'd like to do?

Thanks again guys, very cool.........I LOVE IT HERE!!!

Have Dowels / Will Travel
 

Sure, Spike. Lately, 'Travel' has been my middle name. Let me know.

Thank you, Lynn. I'm hoping to have some awesome summer camps next year. It would be the perfect complement! I'll definately let you know when!!!

Junior Golf Rocks!!!
 

Spike,

Over the past couple of years I had the pleasure of running my own junior program. In fact this program was the catalyst to me becoming a full time teacher and moving up in the world of golf instruction as quickly as I did!!!!

The program ran eight weeks during the summer meeting three times a week. There was also a fall and spring program with private instruction available year round as well. The first year I taught 78 juniors and the second year I taught just over 100 juniors all ages 6-14, but pretty bottom heavy in the 6-10 group.

With the 6-10 to group I found the most success by teaching them the grip first with the main focus being the #1 and #3 pressure points being set up properly. I then taught them the chipping stroke: set up your lower case "y" at address with a flat left wrist, also known as impact fix, and then keep the left wrist flat back and through. From their I taught them the pitch stroke toe up to toe up with a flat left wrist......here is where it can get individual I let some students play the pitch from a impact fix hand position at address and I take some students back to standard address, but the focus is on gaining the flat left wrist through impact and into the toe up finish. I also use toe up to toe up to teach the student to start to rotate the club a little back and through (for older kids 10-14 I started to teach a hinge action). Then I go "L" again flat left wrist is the focus.

From here it gets fun once the student understands these basics you can have contests and get into countless variations of shots for trajectory and shape. I believe if a student develops a flat left wrist, solid chipping stroke, toe up, and "L" swing their golf swing will develop nicely. Also I should note here with some of the younger juniors I did not like having them stop at follow through on acquired motion because I don't believe they were strong enough and they tended to decel through impact but I did make sure that they had a flat left wrist through impact.

Just my thoughts on what worked for me.

Good luck with your program. Junior Golf is the most rewarding teaching I've done.

Sorting through the Instructor's Textbook.

B-Ray

Also I should noted.....We spent countless hours on the putting green. Working on the Geometrically Flat Left Wrist and Proper Set Up and Pace. I believe this was where my students turned into players, and that's why quite a few went on to play tournament golf locally.

Also we did one playing session of four holes every week!

Sorting Through the Circuit Player's Handbook.

B-Ray

B-Ray's Bamtam Brigade
 

Thanks for these insights, Brandon. Great post! :salut:

Hi B-Ray, nice one. Teaching made simple, thanks for that! Your program sounds like a lot of fun....your kids were lucky to have you!!! I can only dream that we can reach those numbers. But, even if we only have one I'll take your advice and inspiration to the mat!

Thanks again,
spike

Yoda Travel _______????

T(hompson) No More
 

Lynn T(ravel) Blake

:golfcart2:

Junior Golf
 

I too love working with junior golfers and operate an after school golf program that has about 40 schools and growing. I've written a mini junior book, give our T-shirts and have a ball for 4-9 sessions with the kids. Let me know if I can help or if you have questions.

You are blessed with a wonderful opportunity to not only teach golf but to prepare kids for life. One day one of your students will become a champion golfer. Many of your students will travel the world competing in Golf representing your school, country etc. As a father I have learned the far greater challenge is to build Champions of Life!

An endeavor is will persue with all my heart. Thanks, mb.