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Special Olympics offers training and competition opportunities in 30 Olympic-type sports for athletes 8 years or older. For children with intellectual disabilities ages 2 through 7, Special Olympics provides a Young Athletes Program. Special Olympics coaches have a unique opportunity to work with athletes in competitive situations to assist in their training for life. As a grass-roots organization, Special Olympics relies on volunteers at all levels of the movement to ensure that every athlete is offered a quality sports training and competition experience. Individual donors, corporate partners and many others make it possible for Special Olympics to offer children and adults with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage and experience joy through participation in the program.
English > Coach > Coaching Guides > Golf > Teaching Sport Skills > Golf Exercises
Coaching Guides

Golf Exercises

Caution: Full swing exercises should be used only after proper stretching exercises have been done.
 
 
 








 






 
 
 
 
 
 
Head-Wall Exercise
 
This exercise is a great warm up to test your posture control. You do not need a golf club.
 
  1. Assume your golf stance away from a wall or post, tilting forward from your hips. Relax your knees allowing your forehead to touch a post or wall. (If against a wall, you may also insert a pillow or cushion between wall and your forehead applying enough pressure to avoid dropping the pillow). Allow your arms to drop in front of your chest. Extend your target thumb to an imaginary ball gripping it with your rear palm as if on a golf club.

  2. Swing your arms back to the 9 o'clock position (hip high) while maintaining your spine angle and knee flex. Your head should remain the same distance from the wall. Your target arm will be parallel to the ground, thumbs pointing to the sky.

  3. Allow your head to pivot slightly away from the target, not pulling away from the wall as you swing to the top! Note how Jamie's chin has pivoted slightly out of the way to allow a full shoulder turn.



  4. Returning to impact, the head is still touching the wall and spine angle maintain in a position similar to the address as weight shifts into target side, arms drop and the target hip has "cleared" away from target line.


  5. This transition and pivot towards the target creates room for the rear side of the body to rotate and release on the through swing. Note how the rear arm has extended and rotated to the 3 o'clock position allowing the thumbs to once again point to the sky.

  6. The centrifugal force created by the pivot and arm swing around the spine will enable the golfer into swing to a well-balanced finish.
 


 













 
 



 
 
Rear-Wall Exercise
 
This exercise is similar to the Head and Wall testing your posture control especially in the impact zone. This exercise can be rehearsed without a club, with a club and even while hitting a ball. As a safety precaution, a chair, golf bag or broken shaft may be substituted when hitting a ball. 
 
  1. Assume your golf posture and place your rear end against a wall.







  2. Turn your torso, arms and hands to the top without letting your rear leave the wall. Feel your weight move into your rear leg as your back turns away from the target. Your head should counterbalance your rear-end, allowing you maintain contact with the wall as you swing the arms and hands swing over your rear shoulder.

  3. Returning into impact, your rear should stay against the post when you begin the downswing transition into your target leg. This will allow your arms to drop and wrists to unhinge into a desirable swing path.



  4. Keep your rear against the wall as you complete your pivot into the target leg and your arms release to the 3 o'clock position.





  5. Allow your arms to fold over the target shoulder into a balanced finish as your eyes "follow your ball!"
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
Double-Hitchhiker Lower Arm Rotation Drill
 
The purpose of this exercise is to develop proper forearm rotation.




  1. Assume golf posture extending target arm and gripping the wrist of the target arm with rear hand.







  2. Swing arms back to thumbs up, "hitch-hike" position. The forearms will rotate and rear elbow will point down to the ground as target arm extends across the chest.



  3. At impact, rotate arms and hands back to imaginary ball assuring target hand is facing the target.





  4. Continue through impact allowing opposite rotation of forearms and hands to thumbs up "hitchhike position." Target elbow will be pointing towards ground as rear arm extends toward target.



  5. Finish high with weight on target side.
 


 
Hands and Arms Set Up Drill
Hands and Arms Set Up Drill
 
The Hands and Arms drill will allow you to feel a maximum wrist cock, uncock and recock through the back and forward swing. Do this drill keeping your lower body quiet slowly several times swinging only the arms and hands. Once you feel the arms swinging freely and the hinging, unhinging and rehinging of the wrists, add your pivot of torso and hips.
  1. Establish your address position, without swinging the arms, turn your thumbs away from the target allowing the forearms to roll establishing a 90 degree angle with clubshaft and target forearm. This cocking position or "set postion" is shown in position 1 of the photo on the left.
  2. From the "set postion" swing arms to a completed backswing with thumbs under the shaft.
  3. Return to impact, position 3 by dropping arms and uncocking wrists at hip level.
  4. Swing arms to finish position 4 recocking the wrists and keeping arms in front of your chest.
 


 






 
 
Towel Exercises
 
An easy warm up to keep your golf muscles and swing path in check is the Towel exercise.
  1. Assume your golf posture, stance and grip with a towel.







  2. Swing your torso, arms and hands away as a unit. Allow the towel to drop over your rear shoulder. Shift your weight and begin the pivot of your torso.




  3. Swing the towel freely through impact into a balanced finish with weight on target leg. Rear knee, chest and hips should face target as towel drops over target shoulder.
 
Coach's Note: Warm-Up/Stretching exercises should make up part of each practice session.  
 
  
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