Swing and finish in balance
Ready when: Putting grip and tick-tock (b1) done; a safe zone is marked.
What you are learning
The golf swing at a slow, smooth pace with the interlocking grip, finishing balanced on the front foot and holding the finish for 2 seconds. A balanced finish shows the swing was in control.
Words on this card Club, Grip, Lead hand, Interlocking grip, Fairway, Backswing
- Club
- The stick used to hit the ball. A set has clubs of different lengths and angles.
- Grip
- How the hands hold the club; also the rubber handle.
- Lead hand
- For a right-handed player, the left hand is the lead hand (higher on the club) and the right hand is the trail hand.
- Interlocking grip
- The little finger of the trail hand hooked between the first two fingers of the lead hand.
- Fairway
- The strip of short grass between the tee and the green.
- Backswing
- The club going back, the club swinging on past the ball, and the balanced pose at the end.
Set up
A plastic club, a foam ball or tennis ball, a hitting mat, a safe zone behind the hitter.
Weather: dry ground
Show it first for the one teaching
- Grip: hook the little finger of the trail hand between the first two fingers of the lead hand.
- Feet a shoulder-width apart, the ball in the middle, knees soft.
- Swing back slowly, then through, letting the club brush the grass.
- Finish with the chest facing the target, weight on the front foot, and hold still for 2 seconds.
Your part while they practise
Stand well to the side and behind the hitter; call "all clear" before each swing.
Step by step
- The interlocking grip.
- Feet about shoulder-width with the ball between them.
- A slow, smooth swing back and through.
- Hold the finish for 2 seconds.
How much: 10 swings, 3 rounds 8 min a session 3 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Precision
Play as close as you can to cones at 10, 20 and 30 m.
Who plays: 1 to 3 players against each other; you call "all clear".
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Put cones at 10, 20 and 30 m
- Each player hits 3 balls at the 10 m cone, then 3 at the 20 m cone, then 3 at the 30 m cone
- Everyone fetches the balls together when all have hit
- Fair play
- A grown-up hits with a shorter club or from 5 m further back.
- Points
- 3 points for a ball that stops within 3 m of the cone; 1 point within 6 m; 1 bonus point for each finish held for 2 seconds.
- Fouls
- No points for that ball
- Swinging before "all clear"
- Falling off balance at the finish
- Hitting toward another person
- Winning
- The most points after 9 balls.
- 8 points for 1 star
- 15 points for 2 stars
- 22 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
Swing without a ball.
A fairway of cones to land inside.
What you will see, and what to say
- the child falls back at the finish
Hold the finish, stay balanced
Weight ends on the front foot. - the club hits the ground early
Brush the grass
The bottom of the swing is at the ball.
Self-check
Hold the finish for 2 seconds on 7 of 10 swings.
Stop and get a coach when
A club slips from a hand; stop and check the grip.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains swing, balance.
awiseathlete.com/sports/golf/golf-b3