Beginner Golf Lessons

Where should the beginner start? How should they start? I think there are many answers to these questions. What course of action should the teacher use to get the beginner to  improve the fastest?

I think for new golfers it is important to know if they have played other sports. Also I'll ask the type of hobbies and even what a student does for a living. The answers to these  questions help me design the type of approach I will use to best maximize the learning process. Some students want to know all that is involved with the swing yet some just want to be told what to do.

Skipping a couple steps like grip and other set-up things, let’s talk about swinging. How do you teach someone how to learn the swing? Do you start at impact? Do you start with small swings near the green or do you teach total motion?

I make the decision after I see them do what comes naturally. Usually, I try to teach them a combination of what impact should be like and how to learn how to feel the clubhead and clubface. Most beginners need to learn how to learn the golf swing. I strive for freedom, rotation and speed. If those things are going well, I move onto impact and the shape of the swing.

It constantly changes based on the natural ability of the student. I need to let them be who they are and let their swing speak to that. Even after taking only a couple swings, when you ask a beginner to reroute something, they can say that it feels awkward or unnatural. Use this feel to its fullest because it is a strong sensation that will stay with them forever.

There is so much information that a beginner needs. If they do any of it naturally, let them know. Tell them, show them what they are doing. They will be the most maleable in the beginning and if you can start them off right, the future will go wherever their desire and talent can take them.

Rick Nielsen
Head Golf Pro, Randall's Island Golf Center

Sharks & Minnows Baseball Drill

The Sharks & Minnows Baseball Drill is an excellent way to teach several baseball lessons while playing a school yard game the kids are familiar with! This is a perfect drill for indoor practice, but can be executed outside as well... You must have a tee, bat, ball and gloves set aside. The coaches will start off as the 'sharks' and the team as the 'minnows.' Set-up a batting order, with the first player starting on the tee. The rest of the players will start on a line (or wall) behind the batter. The coaches (or sharks) will start in the field, a safe distance away from the batter. The batter will wait for the coach's sign to swing. Once given the signal to swing, he/she hits and makes sure he/she places the bat directly in front of the tee. IF they throw the bat, a whistle is blown and everyone must go back! This is to teach players to not throw the bat after they swing. Once the ball has been hit, the rest of the players/minnows can now run. This teaches the runners to run on contact. For older players, make sure they tag up on fly balls or run immediately on grounders... The base-runners must get to the other wall or line before the coach (or shark), retrieves the ball and tags him/her. Once a minnow is tagged he/she must put their glove on and become a shark. IF a player who is now a shark tags a minnow with a ball in the glove and two hands on the ball, he /she can become a minnow again! Run through the order, or until your allotted time is over. This is a great way to start or end practice. Each player gets a swing on the tee, learns how to run on contact, fields and tags the runner properly with two hands. Remember, the object of practice is to try and keep it fun, while teaching the fundamentals.

Sam Golubov
President, SportsMechanics.com