Adapted-Teeing-System.docx

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...

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.