Need the big guns here ..

[Jon K]

One of my girls decided she wanted to start playing some golf to spend more time with me. We started at the range yesterday. She's using my second set of clubs.

Here are two videos of her swing. Give me some help on what we need to work on. I've never taught someone from Day 1 before .. She's doing OK however gets frustrated quickly because she isn't consistent. She doesnt understand how tough the game really is.

Thoughts? This is her FIRST time every swinging a golf club. These videos were taken after I showed her the basics of the swing and what she should concentrate on. She's hit about 30 balls prior to this video.

[kevin.chan]

My son ( 7 yr old ) asking me to teach him golf. I dont think i have the patient ...LOL !

[gibbous]

She looks like she's yelling at you in the first frame of the bottom clip.

For a first day, I think that's really pretty good. It seems to me her hands are really far back toward her right side at address with the right wrist straight and left bent, club shaft pointing pretty much straight up and down. I'd encourage a little bit of a forward press with the left wrist more flat than the right. That will probably feel really weird, but I think it will help locate the bottom of the swing arc in a good spot.

Also, like tons of beginners she seems to have a little trouble getting off her right foot through the downswing & finish. In the practice swings in the top clip she ends basically flat footed, does a little better when hitting the ball, but still finishes without completely turning through the shot. The tip about making sure your belt buckle faces the target at the finish is an old one but there's a reason it's still around. If she can finish rotating all the way through the ball and come to a balanced, stationary position facing more toward the target I think a lot of the smaller things can work themselves out.

Just my opinion though, and I'm sure others will have more...

[saevel25]

She pretty much on plane taking the club back. I think she needs to hinge the club more and get more shoulder rotation in the backswing. I would get her to work on posture. She looks a bit upright and on her heals there, and she slouches at the ball. More bend in the knees, slightly and more bend at the waist.

[iacas]

Someone will say it, so I may as well be the first: get her lessons. Don't teach her yourself. If she has other friends that are interested a three- or four-person group session for two hours (golf instruction!!!) can work really well. Less cost, less pressure, more fun.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Get her fundementals better before teaching her how to swing, IMO. Or do what iacas recommended and have her see an instructor.

[Jon K]

I suggested that she go see the PGA Pro that helped me gain 20 yards off the tee and keep the ball on the fairway. She wants to "get better" first because she has a problem with being nervous in front of strangers. She's very competitive and if she isn't good at it, she doesn't like it and feels dumb. Women. Can't live with em, Can't live without em.

[deafheaven]

Get her her own clubs. They needn't be expensive but they do need to fit her. I'd start her going no more than waist high on the backswing. It won't take her long to start making good consistent contact. Then she'll be excited to get some lessons.

[Shanks A Million]

Someone will say it, so I may as well be the first: get her lessons. Don't teach her yourself. If she has other friends that are interested a three- or four-person group session for two hours (golf instruction!!!) can work really well. Less cost, less pressure, more fun.

My rule is that if you sleep with it, don't try to teach it golf. If you fathered it, you can teach it. Considering you're my age, you don't have a daughter that old, so I'm guessing the former (good going btw). Although, to be honest, I may break my own rule soon, but her interest level is absolutely minimal.

Heck, mine's way too pretty to be going out with me, so I'll keep her indoors where other guys can't steal her away.

[double_j]

Didn't get a chance to watch the video but I don't think I'd get too caught up in mechanics at this stage. Just tell her to have fun hitting the ball without too much instruction right now. The best thing you can do is to make sure that she never loses that feeling that hitting the ball should be a natural and athletic process. The swing monkeys in us want to analyze every position, etc. and we sometimes forget that putting an athletic move on the ball is 90% of the battle.

Just have her do what comes naturally and maybe make some tweaks from there. After all, I bet she makes a really natural and powerful swing when she's trying to hit one of her siblings! (just kidding, you know the point I'm trying to make).

If she really gets serious about the game or becomes more than a 'once in a while' golfer then you can invest in lessons and proper instruction with a focus on consistent mechanics, etc. For now, just keep it fun so she can enjoy the time with her pops!

[DavidFehertysBike]

I suggested that she go see the PGA Pro that helped me gain 20 yards off the tee and keep the ball on the fairway. She wants to "get better" first because she has a problem with being nervous in front of strangers. She's very competitive and if she isn't good at it, she doesn't like it and feels dumb. Women. Can't live with em, Can't live without em.

Thats a good attitude though. It will give her great motivation to keep working.

[treebound]

Last week I went to Storm's grass range on Blumound between Moorland and Calhoun (sp?) during lunch mid-week. Only a couple of people there so no real pressure or sense of being on-stage. An older gentleman there came over and gave me a brief short lesson or two and said he taught there sometimes. Seemed like an easy going personable guy who might be worth seeking out for some lessons for her. Or be clever and set it up in advance and make it look unplanned, you go to a teebox to the front of her, close enough if she needs you but not watching her.

Or hit the HalfPriceBooks and get a book on how to swing the club or one of those basic overall golf for women books and let her look at it on her own. Or maybe a video/CD for her to watch. Those will let her get to a comfortable point on her own where she might be ready to get instruction.

Just some thoughts from one of the locals on the site here. Seems to be several of us in the area.

The range up near Grafton on Port Road also has some open space where she probably won't feel like people are watching her, across the street from the hospital and adjacent to the short hilly par-3 course there.

Hope this helps some.

[a.youden]

What is the left arm doing at set up?? meant to be in one big straight line! Also VERY open at impact!! about 45 deg!