Junior Development Pathway @ Chris Jelly Golf

We are passionate about developing the best junior pathway for golf in Northern Ireland and become world leaders in the quality of our coaching, our pathway and primarily the players that come through our academy. Our ambition is to increase the participation in golf firstly in the Lisburn and Castlereagh borough and beyond. Not only do we want to increase the participation but we want to help the players that join our academy coaching programmes to maximise their golfing potential. Initially as an academy we are striving to develop competent junior golfers who go on to play for our teams and championships throughout our country. Our next aspiration will be to help our players go on to gain provincial and national honours and moving on to play golf for a living on many of the world tours that there are now mainly the PGA tour and LPGA Tours. This is our ambition as an academy and we want to hold ourselves and our coaching to the highest standards setting our ambitions and aspirations high.

We have four main areas of progression and development and these are broken into sub sections or levels. We have done this so we have a clear pathway for our junior golfers and parents to understand. With this in mind with our experience in coaching juniors its easy to get bored if there isn’t a progression of sorts and also it will be a sense of achievement when they progress through the levels gaining their ‘bands’.

The Three main headings or stages are:

Development – This breaks into level 1 and level 2

Improvement – This breaks down into level 3 and 4

Performance – This breaks down into level 5 and 6 (junior competitions in club), junior teams (in club), Irish Junior opens and US Kids type competitions)

High Performance – level 7 (playing in junior championships that are Golf Ireland Sanctioned)

To progress you must pass the previous level and cannot jump a level unless you have had previous golfing experience and it is felt that by the coach that you as a player will benefit more and enjoy the appropriate level.

The general structure of a typical group coaching session will look like in levels 1-4 :

5 minute set up

10 minutes fms – throwing a ball and catching a ball in one to one for mat or in a circle throwing to different players or a skill at coach’s discretion.

5 minutes on safety (where to stand, only hit on coaches command)

5 minutes – explanation demonstration of skill and a brief into how club works.

20 minutes – player’s involvement in skills game

5 minutes – fms

10 minute gather up all equipment with players help to leave hall and golf bag tidy.

5 minute set up

10 minute warm up FMS (Fundamental Movement Skill) and safety reminder

10 minute demo and/or technical instruction

20 minute players on task

10 minute FMS or TGFU (Teaching a Game for Understanding)

5 minute down tools and pack up.

It may not be in exactly this order however we would like to cover all of these topics in each session.

Development –

Who is this for? – This is for ‘Players’ who are taking their first steps into the game and those who need to develop their fundamentals so they are able to play on a shortened course.

With each level we will filter in some of the most common rules for golf that will help the players enjoy their golf even more so. Etiquette will also be intertwined in most sessions but don’t be alarmed by this; golf etiquette is really a fancy term for doing things so the game can be played more quickly and fairly.

Development Phase

Level 1 (development) – Yellow Band

In level one we will coach:

• Fundamental movement skills (throwing and catching)
• Set up fundamentals with an introduction to holding the club soundly and also a sound golfing posture and having a basic understanding on ball position and width of stance
• Putting skills – direction (Face angle) and getting it in the hole or directed target from 3 ft and in
• A games based introduction where most of the learning will come from playing games
• Basic safety aspects of golf

If and when the players display these skills they will earn their Yellow band and progress to level 2

Level 2 (development) – Orange Band

In level two we will coach –

• Fundamental movement skills (coordination Skills)
• Swing – Set up fundamentals with an understanding of where our pressure (weight) should be at address and the finish position holding a balanced finish from a ½ length backswing.
• Putting – controlling distance from 15 feet and in and trying to hole from 3-8 ft
• Introduction to chipping – what a chip shot will look like and what club(s) are the easiest to use for these shots
• On green manners to learn – were to stand when others are putting, not standing on others line and marking the ball
• Starting to keep score and learn basics of scoring
• Short on course play up to 5 holes keeping score – maximum of 8 shots per each hole – when you beat a score of 30 you can progress

Level 2 Completed and also the Development Phase complete

Orange Band and Bronze Medal Earned

Improvement Phase

Now we have reached the ‘Improvement’ Stage and Levels 3 & 4

Who is this for – This is for players who have completed levels 1 & 2 or have demonstrated an ability to progress and have already had some coaching. Also at this stage the golfer will show some sound fundamentals and has progressed to the golf course in a shortened format.

Level 3 – Blue Band

• Continuing on with swing into full swing with balanced finish with an iron
• Learning the importance of centre strike
• Short game – chipping and pitch shots from 20 yards and in
• Putting – distance control from 10 – 20 ft with the emphasis on centre strike
• In teams of 2 or 1 v 1 introducing competition for putting
• Introduction to driving (fundamentals and set up) – the differences between driver and iron
• Fundamental Movement skills will be based on ‘Movement’
• Short course – up to 9 holes

Level 3 will be completed when all players display an understanding of the importance of centre strike both for full shots and also putting. There will be skills games for chipping, putting and iron play and once completed the player may progress.

Blue band achieved

Level 4 – Purple Band

• Re cap on all fundamental movement skills and a development into increasing the speed of these, whether its simple catching, coordination and also movement.
• The importance of centre strike in driver
• Introduction to ball flight laws (face, path, attack angle, Dynamic loft and speed)
• Putting – distance control from 20 + feet into 5 ft circle
• Short game shots in bunker and exploring the loft
• Short game becoming more competitive based between players
• Short course – beating par is the key to progression

Level 4 and development phase Completed

Silver medal and also Purple band earned.

Now The ‘Improvement’ Phase has been completed we have moved to levels 5 & 6 which we call our ‘Performance’ Phase.

Performance Phase

Who this is for? – The golfer that has a handicap and/or is trending that direction. They can get round 9 holes on the shortened course in par. The player is starting to play in competitions and championships. Players who are on the pathway to rounding their skills in all aspects of the game whilst being competitive not only with the competition but more importantly with themselves.

Level 5 – Red Band

• More on course play and developing on course skills and scoring (full tees 9 holes)
• Understanding Ball Flight Laws
• Skills games from 100 yards and in
• Training to play
• Explorative play short shots (flop shots and different clubs from different lies)
• Shot shaping and trajectory (learning what controls this)

Once able to it the ‘9 shots’ – High Draw/fade/Straight – Low Draw/Fade/Straight – Mid Flight Draw/fade/Straight and also complete the full tees 9 holes in +4 or better progression can be made to level 6.

Red Band Earned

Level 6 – (Black Band)

• Differences in types of practice – blocked/random/variable/competitive/explorative
• Course management and mental skills
• 1 v 1 matches and leagues
• Introduction to golf stats and how they may help you
• Introduction to technology (Trackman and Boditrak and how they can benefit your game)
• Junior competitions at club and interclub. Also we will encourage players to enter competitions outside of the club like US Kids competitions and also Irish Junior opens and equivalent

Level 6 Completed and Black band Earned as well as a gold medal

High Performance Level 7

Who is this for? – This is for junior players who have an ambition or are currently playing in Golf Ireland, R &A, European Golf Association and USGA sanctioned tournaments. The coaching will be both group and individual and the focus will be on competitiveness and the ambition to be as good a golfer as we possibly can be. We at Chris Jelly Golf will set the standards high but we suspect the players themselves will be setting their own standards.

• group sessions half/full day sessions
• competitiveness within the group
• Championship Preparation
• Stats will be used to prepare training
• Skills testing training
• Wedge yardage challenges

This is our Pathway through from beginning your golf journey right up to playing and competing in championships wherever that may be. Our passion as an academy is to get as many players into golf as we possibly can with the ambition of becoming the best golfers we can be. We strive you help golfers try to reach the golfing aspirations whatever they may be. We hope you can put your trust in us and join the never ending journey of what golf can give.