Leone’s Lessons: One thing I enjoy most about my job is to see
young juniors out on the driving range with their parents swinging
away. As a PGA professional, my job is to promote the future of
this great game.
One thing I enjoy most about my job is to see young juniors out on the driving range with their parents swinging away. As a PGA professional, my job is to promote the future of this great game.
Most golf facilities offer junior programs and camps throughout the summer, and if you have a youngster who is interested, I highly recommend enrolling them in one. If you’re trying to coach a junior, here are some tips that could help.
Start them off with some short putts. This will give them confidence getting the ball in the hole. Next, work on short chip shots just off the edge of the green, gradually lengthening the chip into a pitch shot. When they’re getting the ball airborne consistently, work on full-swing fundamentals. First, make sure the clubs are the proper length and weight. If they’re losing balance during the swing, the clubs are probably too heavy.
Teaching full swing fundamentals can be as simple as three steps — remember, we’re trying to make this fun and simple.
Step 1: Start in the address position with a good posture. Don’t worry so much about the grip.
Step 2: Swing the club to the top of the back swing and pause. Make sure they’re in balance.
Step 3: Swing through to the finish position, brushing the turf at the bottom of the arc and holding the finish for three seconds.
Repeat this exercise until they’re consistently brushing the turf with balance, then have them make a dry run with the full swing in a balanced, continuous motion. Finally, tee up a ball on a short tee and let it go.
Always compliment them regardless of how they’re doing during the learning process, and make it fun!
