Golf Train Line

Skill: Strike
Time Required: 30
Activity Type: Physical
Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group, Small Group
Age Group: 6 - 9yrs, 9 - 12yrs, 13+ yrs
Play area: Gymnasium (large indoor space), Outdoor - Field
Safety Considerations: Remove any safety hazards and obstacles from the play area.
Remind participants to be aware of their surroundings and to keep their head up.
Remind participants to look behind them before swinging, and for participants to not be behind a participant who is about to swing their golf club.
Participants do not putt or hit the ball if a participant is in front of them.
Equipment: Different equipment for the different stations on the Golf Train line:
Drive (Fore!) station: 1 hoop, 1 small cone, 1 golf club (plastic), 1 tennis ball (or plastic golf ball).
Hole in One Putt station: 2 pylons, 1 golf club (plastic), 1 tennis ball (or plastic golf ball).
Obstacle Golfdom: 2 long ropes (or use lines of pylons), hoops, pylons, objects to use as obstacles, 3-4 golf clubs (plastic), 3-4 tennis balls (or plastic golf balls).
Practice Makes Perfect: pylons, hoops, 3-4 golf clubs (plastic), 3-4 tennis balls (or plastic golf balls).
Objective:
For participants to practice their golf swing and putting at different golf stations along the Golf Train line.
Other Skills:
Coordination
Set up:
There are different stations that could be set up for stops on the Golf Train line, depending on the space and equipment provided.
Please see attached document for an example of the different stations/stops to set up.
Drive (Fore!) station: set up a small cone with a tennis ball (or plastic golf ball on top), and then place a hoop around 20 feet away from the cone.
Hole in One Putt station: set up a pylon (starting pylon) so it is standing up straight and set up another pylon so that it is lying on it's side with it's bottom opening facing the starting pylon. Place these pylons around 5-8 feet apart. Put a tennis ball next to the starting pylon.
Obstacle Golfdom: Set up a mini golf obstacle course. Set up two ropes for the side boundaries. At the end of the course place a hoop or cone on it's side for the hole. Set up a starting pylon at the opposite end of the hole. Set up pylons, balls and other objects in the course to act as obstacles.
Practice Makes Perfect: Scatter hoops and cones in an area, with tennis ball/plastic golf balls.

Step by Step:
1. Go over with participants how to hold a golf club, how to putt and how to drive a golf ball.
2. Some points to remind the participants about: hold the golf club at the top and with two hands; when driving the ball, bring the club back and while looking at the ball, swing and follow through; make sure there is no one behind them when swinging; when putting, keep the club on the ground and go back just a little bit before swinging the golf club forward a little bit.
3. Divide participants into 4 groups (or however many stations are set up), and have them each start a station.
4. If there is not enough equipment for each golf station, set up an exercise station instead of a golf station. Have a list of exercises for the participants to do, have them play catch, kick a soccer ball etc...
5. Ensure the stations are spread out, and there is not a station or participants behind the hoop for the Drive (Fore!) station.
6. Try to have a leader at each station, or make sure there is a leader who can monitor the different stations.
7. Give each group a couple minutes at each station, or wait until all participants have had a turn and practiced. Then the leader will say "switch" or blow a whistle, and the groups will all switch stations.
8. The different stations along the Golf Train line (Choo Choo!):
9. At the Drive (Fore!) station, participants each take turns hitting (driving) a ball off the cone and trying to get it as close to the hoop, if not in the hoop, as possible. Make sure that the participants do not stand too close to the participant hitting the ball.
10. At the Hole in One Putt station, participants take turns putting their ball beside the starting pylon and putt their ball towards the pylon on it's side and try to get it to go inside the pylon. After each participant goes, they go retrieve their ball, and the next participant goes.
11. At the Obstacle Golfdom station, each participant will putt their ball from the starting pylon to the hole (pylon or hoop). The first participant will start at the starting pylon and putt their ball, trying to avoid any obstacles and not go out of bounds. After they putt their ball, the next participant will go to the starting pylon and do the same thing. After all the participants have hit once, the participant will the ball the furthest from the hole, will putt again. Continue until all participants have gotten their ball in the hole. If this is a competition, the participant who used to least amount of hits (strokes), wins that station.
12. At the Practice Makes Perfect station, participants will putt from anywhere in the area and aim for a hoop or pylon on it's side (the holes). This is where participants can practice their aim, technique and strength required for putting the ball a certain distance.
13. Could make each station a competition amongst the participants in each group, or amongst the groups. For instance at the Obstacle Golfdom, the group to have the lowest total strokes as a team, wins.
Variations:
Create different stations for the Golf Train line, and adjust the difficulty for the participants. Have a station to see who can drive the ball the furthest, or who can knock down a pylon by putting.
Create a mini golf game. Set up different cones (tees) and hoops (holes) around the area and participants will golf a couple holes.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.
Attachments: Download