Setting Up an Adapted Course Quiz.docx

Welcome to the Learn to Play Golf training module exploring how to build your Adapted Course and Run Your Course Play Event. The module will start by exploring the principles of the adapted course, why this is a vital component of the program and how this can be created at your club to support the...

Welcome to the Learn to Play Golf training module exploring how to build your Adapted Course and Run Your Course Play Event. The module will start by exploring the principles of the adapted course, why this is a vital component of the program and how this can be created at your club to support the delivery of your event. We then cover recommendations for how you direct the learners on your program to the most suitable starting position on the adapted course and how this will develop during their time on the program. We will then focus on an overview of the key components for running your course play events and finally, we will explore the three next steps for you once this module is complete. One of the key elements of the program is an opportunity for learners to get out onto the golf course from the outset. This will drive enjoyment and engagement but also give learners a real sense of what the game is all about. It is vital however, that the learners experience on the golf course is appropriate to their developmental stage as this will drive a number of benefits. Adapting the experience on the course to the ability of learners will help develop confidence so they continue to be engaged in the learning process. Adapting the on course experience to the developmental stage of the learner will allow them to achieve early success and this will drive enjoyment and continued engagement. At the early stages, avoiding the use of a full length golf course will help learners to understand their progression rate. Applying a developmentally appropriate on course system will help you to shape the learners\' understanding of playing the game and how this works within a club environment. Starting from simple scoring, through to pars, stroke indexes and handicaps. It will allow learners to play with others of varying abilities and have a social but competitive experience. Learners won't have handicaps and an on course system will help level the playing field. Finally, the adapted course will help you to demonstrate the progress the learner is making and this links to the 3-Level Progression Pathway within the program. The adapted course you can utilise within your program links directly to the Junior Golf Academy Adapted Course to enable you to utilize what may already be in place at your venue, The adapted course consists of 5 teeing positions and we recommend that you use an official tee box on your course as the furthest teeing position from the green which is known as the Academy Tee. From this teeing position, the total course length over 9 holes should ideally measure a maximum of 2,800 yards and each hole par should fall within recommend yardage guidelines. The remaining four teeing positions are then based on a percentage calculation of the Academy Tee you choose which can be viewed on the graphic on the screen. There is a recommended maximum guideline for each hole type from the Academy Tee that you choose to use on your course. The recommended maximum distance of a Par 3 for the Academy Tee should be 160 yards. The recommended maximum distance of a Par 4 should be 320 Yards. Finally, the recommended maximum distance of a Par 5 should be 440 Yards. The yardages for the remaining teeing positions are then based on a percentage of the yardage from the Academy Tee you have selected. When running your events, you should give your learners a chance to play on the course up to 9 holes but this will of course depend on your course access, layout and time available. The amount of holes that a learner will complete, will vary depending on their experience and ability, however those working towards achieving the scoring challenge within level 3 of the progression pathway should be playing 9 holes. The exact layout of your course will be up to you, but it is recommend that the learners get a real experience of playing the game and access to varying hole types and lengths. We recommend that your course consists of two Par 3\'s, five Par 4\'s and two Par 5\'s. Using the recommended maximum yardages for each teeing position and suggested course layout, we therefore can produce a maximum recommended 9-hole course yardage. Depending on the specific layout of your course, the number of hole combinations and yardage of each hole type, the total yardage will vary from venue to venue. It is your responsibility to make the teeing positions as visible as possible on your course during your events and for when your learners play outside of organized course play events. When setting up your course we recommend a number of actions. In the Coaches Toolbox there are a variety of resources to support the setup of the adapted course at your venue. You can access this on the Course Play page. You should clearly guide each Learner to the most appropriate starting position for them, based on their development progress and journey through the 3-Level Club and Course Ready Pathway. You can edit and print off a Learner Scorecard from the Marketing Toolbox. Make this available to Learners through your golf shop or welcome area so they can use it during independent play. During your on course events and classes you can lay out the teeing positions using coloured cones. The teeing positions can also be identified on the cart path adjacent to each hole, Learners can find the marker and tee the ball up anywhere in line with this mark. Better yet, choose a place on each of your holes and add a permanent marker. These can then be easily found by the learners when playing the course. In the Coaches Toolbox you can access a Building your Academy Course calculator. This calculator allows you to enter the yardage of your Academy Teeing positions for each hole you are using and it will calculate for you the recommend teeing position to consider using on each hole. To use this calculator, firstly navigate to the calculator at the bottom of the Course Play page within the Learn to Play Golf program section. On the calculator, enter the yardage of the official tee box you are using for the Academy Tee. The remaining recommended yardages for each teeing position and the total 9 hole yardage will be calculated for you. You should then assess each of these yardages on the course before transferring to your scorecards. As every venue will be different in respect of the course layout and its position relative to your clubhouse, you will need to spend some time building a course that is appropriate for you and your venue. We have some of the recommended steps to take when building your course. Before heading out to the course, we recommend you make use of the resources available to you within the Coaches Toolbox. You should firstly assess the 9 holes on your golf course that allow for a loop which is accessible to the clubhouse. Try to select 9 holes with five Par 4's, two Par 3's and two Par 5's to make a par 36, 9 hole course. Once you have done this, add the yardages for the Academy Tee to the Building your Course Calculator. The remaining tee yardages will automatically be calculated for you and will therefore guide you for going out onto the course and selecting the exact position for each tee. It will then be time to move out onto the course, and based on the recommended yardages for the remaining tee's you should assess the best position for these tee boxes on your course. Position the teeing positions where possible on a flat piece of land and at a favorable angle for the learners to approach the green or run the ball up. You should aim to add variation to the lengths of each holes but ensuring you positioning the tee markers within the recommended hole yardage brackets. Try to create interesting hole layouts by positioning the tee markers in a position that will challenge and engage the learner. Finally, make a note of the exact yardages for the teeing positions ready to transfer to your Scorecard Builder. Just prior to running your event, you should take some key steps. Firstly, add the exact yardages for each teeing position to your template scorecard in the Marketing Toolbox. You should aim to print your scorecards locally ready to give to each learner attending your event. Finally, use colored cones or spray paint on your cart path to mark each of your teeing positions if these are not permanently positioned. The starting position that the learner will play from during organized course play events, and independently as well as socially outside of these events, will depend on a few factors, This includes the stage of the program and progression pathway the learner is on, the distance the learner can hit the ball and the personal wishes of the learner. You need to be the expert guide, educating the learner of the best starting position for their development. The starting positions act as a guideline for the learner to achieve the requirements within the progression pathway and so their experiences are developmentally appropriate. It is also important to ensure that learners can play the course at the necessary speed so that they don\'t impact the enjoyment of others on the course. The Ace Tee which is the shortest teeing position is ideally suited to learners who can strike the ball 20 - 30 yards in the air with a mid-iron and a total distance of 40 yards with a driver. The Level 1 Club & Course Ready On Course Score Challenge can be completed from this teeing position. The Albatross Tee is ideally suited to learners who can strike the ball 40 - 50 yards in the air with a mid-iron and a total distance of 80 yards with a driver. The Level 1 Club & Course Ready On Course Score Challenge can also be completed from this teeing position. The third teeing position, the Eagle Tee, is ideally suited to learners who can strike the ball 70 - 80 yards in the air with a mid-iron and a total distance of 120 yards with a driver. The Level 1 and 2 Club & Course Ready On Course Score Challenge can be completed from this teeing position. The Birdie Tee is ideally suited to learners who can strike the ball 90 - 100 yards in the air with a mid-iron and a total distance of 160 yards with a driver. The Level 1 and 2 Club & Course Ready On Course Score Challenge can also be completed from this teeing position. The final teeing position is the Academy Tee and this is suited to learners who can strike the ball 120 yards in the air with a mid-iron and a total distance of 200 yards with a driver. The Level 1, 2 and 3 Club & Course Ready On Course Score Challenge can be completed from this teeing position. While it is essential that your learners get a true experience of playing the course, it is important that you nurture the confidence of learners and help them to enjoy playing and achieving success. Therefore, you can guide your learners to play the course using adapted rules. These rules will also help to promote speed of play during your events and when your learners may be playing independently or socially outside of the program. The adapted rules are added to the editable scorecard you can access within the Marketing Toolbox. The first adapted rule is restricting a learner to a maximum of 10 shots on each hole. Once the learner hits 10 shots, you should advice them to pick up their ball and add 10 to the scorecard. The Air Shot Rule allows learners to miss the golf ball and not have the attempt count as a stroke on their score. The Pick and Place Rule allows learners to pick and place the ball anywhere on the golf course excluding within hazards. Learners should still follow the rules of golf and place the ball within 6 inches of its original position. If a learner loses their ball, they can drop the ball next to a hazard or where they believe a ball was lost such as going out of bounds at a penalty of 1 shot. The Bunker Grounding rule allows the learner to ground the club in a bunker as long as they are not deliberately attempting to improve their lie. Additionally, learners are advised to attempt a maximum of 3 shots in the bunker. If after an unsuccessful 3rd attempt, the learner is able to pick up their ball and drop it to the side of the bunker without penalty. Finally, where required, learners can tee up their golf ball anywhere on the golf course excluding hazards. Ultimately, you are the guide on the learners' journey and they have a choice to decide where they play from on the course and the rules they use. However, it is important that learners develop the competency and understanding to play the golf course under the normal rules of golf as soon as possible in order to become Club and Course Ready. This will set them up for future involvement in the club and when playing with others socially and competitively. As can be seen on the graphic, it is recommend that adapted rules are not used for any learner who is working to achieve the On Course Challenge for Level 3 of the Club and Course Ready progress wheel where a score of 60 is required over 9 holes from the Academy Tee. The choice the learner is able to make on the program is vital. It is important that they buy into their experience on the program to drive long term retention in the program. We have some final guidance to help you navigate the learners' journey and when building your course and running your events. Firstly, you should guide the learner to play the amount of holes that may be appropriate for their experience and ability. You should also consider the impact on those playing in your events and other golfers on the golf course. Next, you should be bold when guiding the learner on playing the course and the experience that will be right for them. Provide them with the information as to why you are making the recommendation. Thirdly, remember those enrolled in your program are playing for a hobby and will be motivated by playing with their friends. It is important to let learners make a choice about which tees and rules to use as well as the number of holes to play in order to keep them engaged in the program. Finally, your events should be designed to give your learners a chance to play the course and play their own ball. However, from time to time it may be appropriate to make up small teams to play a Texas Scramble format. This will help those new to the program to build their confidence and enjoyment on the course. You have the flexibility to schedule your Course Play event at a time and date to suit your venue each month. You should allow enough time for learners attending the event to arrive and collect a scorecard, warm up, meet their playing partners, get to the tee and complete up to 9 holes on the course. You may also decide to run a short award ceremony after the event. It is also recommended that you allow time at the end of the event for those on the program to meet each other and reflect on their experience. On the screen now is an example of the event timetable using a Shotgun Start format. The event is scheduled to begin at 2pm on the first Sunday of the month. 30 minutes is allowed for registration and warm up with 2 hours and 15 minutes allocated for on course play. Fifteen minutes at the end of the event is allocated for socialising and a short award ceremony. The exact timings of your event will vary and be specific to the needs of your day, however, the flow of the event and role you are recommended to play includes starting with the event setup. You should ensure you have the equipment you need to run your event. Your adapted course should be setup, scorecards prepared, welcome table setup and any equipment required by your learners is ready to distributed. Next you should prepare to meet and greet event attendees. Provide them with scorecards, adapted rules, guides, and directions to the first tee or starting position. This is also an opportunity for your attendees to warm up before play if they wish. Shortly before play starts, provide an introduction to the group and be on hand to answer any final questions. You should then help direct event learners to their starting position to ensure that attendees arrive at their tee on time. You should be on hand throughout the event to support learners and assist with any issues. After the completion of the event, be ready to welcome learners in from playing and collect scorecards. At this stage you can also direct them to the social area where they can wait until all learners have finished. Take the opportunity at the end of the event to thank learners for attending, publicize the next event and allow time for learners to socialize. You should also use this time to help your learners update the challenges within the MyGame+ section of the GLF Connect App. To run your event effectively, you will need some equipment and you may also need to supply this to your learners, especially those new to the program. You will need Scorecards for each participant and editable versions can be accessed via the Marketing Toolbox. You should organize a welcome table to add a professional impression of your event and ensure you have all the equipment available to those attending and any information about your event. Although you should be recommending that learners purchase the correct equipment for the program, you should be ready to supply learners with an equipment bag if they require it. You may choose to supply basic on course equipment such as pencils, balls, ball markers and pitchforks. This will also help with the education of those attending. As this event takes place on the course it is vital that you are organized. The event should offer your learners the chance to play the Academy Course and therefore you need to ensure you set this up prior to the event beginning. The Step by Step guides available in the Coaches Toolbox will help you prepare but some of the key actions should be completed at least a few days prior to the event. This includes ensuring you have reserved access to the Golf Course, that you have the equipment you need for the event including clubs, basic equipment and scorecards. You should ensure you have some time blocked into your schedule prior to the event start time and message your students on GLF or via email reminding them of the event, their tee time and equipment required. On the day of the event and you should ensure you arrive at least 30 minutes prior in order to ensure the specific adapted course teeing positions are setup on the holes you are using if this isn\'t setup permenantly. You should do a final check to ensure you have all of the equipment required. Make yourself available 5 minutes prior to the event start in order meet and greet those attending. It's time to then run your event and deliver a great Course Play Event experience at your club! Providing a knockout experience to those attending the event doesn't just stop with delivering the event itself. What you deliver at the end of the event is just as important to it\'s success and development of each learner. At the end of the event, we recommend you take the time to actively encourage social connections between learners will allow those who may not have been confident in starting a conversation the opportunity to engage with others in the group. This is also a great chance to engage with learners on a one to one basis, to receive feedback on how they felt the event went and to provide additional support if needed. Learners should be encouraged to play together outside of the weekly classes, practice clubs and monthly course play events. Facilitating the opportunity to play together will help to improve the learner's ability, enjoyment and confidence on the course and you should ensure you promote these playing opportunities. To record the learners progress through the 3-Level Progression Pathway and the skill based challenges, the GLF Connect myGame+ feature can be used. Learners may have completed On Course Challenges during the event and can also log their score on the Course Play section. Finally, the event is an opportunity to promote the other opportunities within the program and you should be prepared with all of the information you need to promote the other program elements. Now it\'s time to take the next steps towards running your course play event at your club. Firstly, we recommend you have completed the three training modules relating to the Learner Program as well as your Experience Day Training. Next, complete the actions within the Scheduling and Planning Step by Step Guide. This will walk you through the steps to schedule your course play events across the program year. Finally, get prepared for marketing your event to the learners enrolled in your program and follow the remaining step by step guides to prepare and run a successful event.