Teens on the Tee
Lesson Plan # 1
Core Lesson: Welcome and Showing Respectand Exploring the Game
- Core Values: Respect-to be nice and kind in one’s actions.
- Core Lesson: GAME (Go play, And Explore, My interests, Enjoy what is fun for me)
- Healthy Habit: Safety - following the rules and using proper equipment helps you stay safe.
Play– Lively activity or exercise performed for fun, recreation and enjoyment.
- Golf Skill:Putting and Full Swing Pitching Wedge
- Etiquette: What to do when you are not hitting (“Grips in the grass”)
- Rules of Golf: The Game and Stroke Play and Match Play
- Golf Fundamental: Get Ready to Swing
- Homework: Pages 1 – 7 PLAYer Book or Pages 1 – 9 Par Book
Welcome – Since this is the first day of class try to get the students started on the activity as soon as possible. If possible, the Lead Coach should stay behind to give a 5-minute summary to the parents of what their kids will be doing in the PLAYer classes. They can also open the floor up for a short question and answer session. The assistant coaches should get the class started on the warm-up and lesson plan.
Warm-Up: Let the kids take turns rolling the Healthy Habit Dice and repeat five to seventimes. Talk about the importance of warming up.
- Roll the dice with numbers first (ex. You roll a 4)
- Roll the exercise dice to pick the workout (ex. Jumping jacks) and then do 4 jumping jacks.
Opening Questions: After completing the golf fitness warm up exercise above, coaches and participants will discuss the following questions:
- What does Respect mean to you?
- How do you show Respect at school, in sports, with your family, or with your friends?
- Code of Conduct – Respect for Yourself, Respect for Others and Respect for My Surroundings
- What does it mean to you to be “safe”? – Go over Grips in the Grass
- Why is safety important in sports and other activities?
- Explain the acronym GAME (Go play And explore My interest, Enjoy what’s fun for me)
- What does GAME mean to you?
- How can you use GAME to help you today?
- Ask each of the participants to commit to keeping a positive attitude and having fun for the day.
The discussion above is to help participants understand that golf and their experience with The First Tee is going to be fun. Please do not spend more than 5 - 8 minutes discussing all the material above.
Rules of Golf and Etiquette:
Etiquette - Being respectful of others, holding equipment safely when not your turn, remaining a safe distance when others are playing their ball.
The Game - Golf is a game where the PLAYer hits a ball with a club from the Teeing Ground into the Hole by a stroke or several strokes. Rule 1
Stroke Play - Stroke Play is where the PLAYer counts the strokes he/she made on each hole and adds all holes together. The PLAYer with the lowest number of total strokes wins. Rule 3-1
Match Play - Match Play is where the Player counts the Strokes he/she made on each hole and compares that to the strokes of the other Player. The Player with the lowest number of strokes on that hole wins that hole. If the Players tie it is called a Half. The Players keep up the number of holes they win and compare to each other. The Player with the most holes won, wins the Match. Rule 2
Motor Skill Development Activity 1: Exploring the Course Using Different Sports Balls
Objectives of Game: To practice skills from other sports, observe participants current motor skill abilities, and gain an initial exposure to the game of golf.
Objectives of Golf Fundamental: Students will draw on experiences from other sports to learn about the golf fundamental “Get Ready to Swing” which may include target awareness and distance response.
Supplies: cones, tees, tour sticks/alignment rods, noodles, golf balls, hula hoops and various sports balls/equipment
Description of Set-Up:Lead coach should set up 3 -5 short holes using any space available to them. Each hole should be 20-40 yards long and should be very creative. Make sure to set up tee boxes and safety zones at the start of the hole. You can create landing zones that serve as check points for the hole. The goal is for each hole to experience some new part of the golf course. Remember, on a golf course there are: tee boxes, fairways, greens, rough, hazards, sand traps, trees, etc. Try to have your holes explore as much of these as possible. If these are not naturally at your disposal, use cones, noodles, tour sticks, hula-hoops, string and anything else you can think of to create them. For the hole make a large circle or use a hula hoop and when the ball lands in the target it is holed out for that hole.
Pre-Game:Split the group up into teams of 5 - 8 (depending on group size). Each group will start on a different hole. Some holes may have two groups depending on the number of holes the coach was able to set up. Each group is assigned a coach who is to serve as the groups “tour guide.” The tour guide’s responsibility is to briefly talk to the players about the different parts of the course on each hole. Topics could include:
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- Where the hole starts
- Where the hole ends
- Description of Hazards
- Basic rules
- Safety
- Respect
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Game Rules: On each hole, the group will play using a stroke play format. Try to use SNAG balls, tennis balls, soccer balls, kick balls, foam balls, frisbees and footballs if they are at your disposal. The twist is that each group must use a different athletic motion to complete each hole. The options available are:
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- football (overhand throw)
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- softball (underhand throw)
- bowling (rolling on the ground)
- soccer (kicking on the ground)
- basketball (jump shot)
- Frisbee (side arm throw)
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Make sure that all set-ups utilize safety zones!
***Coaches: This activity will help you determine where each player is in the motor skill development process. Try to let them do the activities on their own without much help or instruction. However, coaches are free to give SUGGESTIONS throughout each of the activities.
Golf Activity 2: Putting 3 Coins
Objectives of Game: To demonstrate a smooth putting stroke and practice consistent putting speed and distance.
Objectives of Golf Fundamental: Students will be displaying distance response with this activity.
Supplies: cones, tees coins or other markers, string, scissors, golf balls
Description of Set-Up: Set up Three Coins or tees or other markers on the putting green with three balls.
How to Play:The putter needs to go back and forth equal distance with consistent tempo. The goal is to get all the balls to roll the same distance.
Have the kids practice this for 5-10 minutes. Have some string and scissors near-by. Next have them attempt to hit all three of their balls the same distance. Then give them a piece of string and let them cut it to represent the distance the balls are apart. At the end, the person with the smallest string wins.
If time permits repeat this activity various distances from the target.
If you have additional time you may also want to try this activity. On the putting green set out 10, 20 and 30-foot targets. Ask the kids to figure out how big of a stroke it takes to go that far. Mark the length of stroke they need to take with three tees (1 where the ball starts each time, 1 where the putter finishes on the back stroke, and 1 where the putter finishes on the follow thru). Then let them make the putt and see how close they were to the correct stroke length.
Golf Activity 3:Full Swing with Pitching Wedges
Objectives of Activity:To hit to targets on the driving range and demonstrate a full swing.
Objectives of Golf Fundamental:Have the students demonstrate their stance and grip as part of their “Get Ready to Swing” routine.
Supplies: cones, tour sticks, noodles, golf balls, hula hoops and anything else that can be used as a target
Description of Set-Up:Set up 7- 10 hitting zones on the driving range using cones as tee markers. Use the diagram below to help guide your set-up.
How to Play: Split participants into groups of 2 - 3. Before beginning, the coach leading this station should explain that the pitching wedge is designed to be used for shorter shots and will go up in the air versus staying close to the ground. Once finished each group should be assigned a hitting station. Players will hit to the noodles and hula hoop targets set up on the driving range. Each participant should hit a few shots and then switch with their partner. Have a coach work with the group that is waiting to hit by helping them with their grip and stance. After each participant has hit a few shots take a quick break and demonstrate a quick grip and stance. Encourage the kids to try their way or they may want to try the way that was just demonstrated. You can also have one of the children demonstrate their grip and stance as the kids tend to relate better to other kids.
***Coaches: This activity will help you determine where each player is in their understanding and application of the full golf swing. You can use this information and their motor skill level from the previous activity to develop groups for the rest of the classes.
Bridge to Life: Use the following questions to help participants apply their “on-course” work to their “off-course” activities and experiences.
- How did you use Respect today during your play?
- Is it important to have fun? Why?
- Does anyone know the part of the golf course where you usually start the hole from?
- How do you hold the club? Do you think everyone should hold the golf club in the exact same way?
- Why is safety important in golf? Outside of golf?
- How are golf moves like some of the other sports moves that you used today?
- How can you make a GAME out of anything? Ex: Doing math problems quickly then seeing how many you got right. Listening to music and seeing how much you can clean in 30 minutes.
- What did you learn about how to behave on the greens? Why is it important to follow our Code of Conduct? Respect for Self, Others and Surroundings.
Lesson Plan Progression: Activities will follow this sequence.
- Fitness Warm Up
- Opening Discussion – Respect, Safety, GAME, Play and The First Tee Code of Conduct
- Activity 1 – Exploring The Course
- Activity 2 – Putting 3 Coins
- Activity 3 – Full Swing with Pitching Wedges
- Bridge to Life Questions
- Homework Assignment - Pages 1 – 7 (PLAYer) or 1 – 9 (Par)
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