The secret to getting a kid hooked on golf is to keep it fun and pressure-free – at least according to Golf Digest 50 Best Teacher John Elliott Jr.
Elliott says that any instruction has to be simple and very relatable for the kids. So when he tells them how to properly take their grip, he doesn’t talk about weak or strong, or left or right. He just tells them to give the club a “high five” with their top hand, and “shake hands” with the club with their bottom hand. That way, they’ll have the correct, slightly-strong grip that will help them hit long, straight shots.

Now another part of the game that’s a little tricky to teach kids is the finish, partly because they’re so focused on hitting the ball that they may not continue through to the end of the swing. But Elliott has a couple of cool tips for that as well.

In the magazine, he talks about teaching what he calls the “Ponytail Finish.” He tells children to keep swinging through until the club lands on the ponytail at the back of their head (or the imaginary ponytail if it’s a boy!).

Now, another thing that Elliott uses for this is to tell the child to think of four things being completely straight up and down at the end of the swing – completely vertical. And those things are the spine, the entire left leg, the right thigh and the right foot. If you can get your child to think of those four things, she will swing through to a full finish every time!