Half swing to full swing

Setup

1. Warm up first. One hitting line, stations at least 3–4 m apart (wider for adults), everyone hitting the same way.
2. Three targets downrange at short, middle and longer distances to suit the group.
3. Each player has one mid iron and a small pile of balls, about 15 for the session, so the volume builds gently.

How it runs

1. Half swing: hands back to hip height and through to hip height, the club and lead arm making an L at each end. Five balls at the short target.
2. Three-quarter swing: hands to shoulder height back and through. Five balls at the middle target.
3. Full swing: a full shoulder turn and a held, balanced finish. Five balls at the far target.
4. House rule: move up a stage after three good strikes out of five; otherwise do five more at the same length.
5. Players only hit when the coach is behind the line, and only walk out to collect when the coach calls the range clear.

Coaching points

• Turn the body; don't just swing the arms.
• Same rhythm at every length. A bigger swing is longer, not faster.
• Finish balanced: weight on the lead foot, chest facing the target, hold it for a count of three.
• Check grip and posture between stages.
• Stop and tell the coach if anything hurts, especially the back or wrists.

Common mistakes

• Jumping to full swings before the half swing makes good contact.
• Swaying sideways instead of turning.
• Stopping at the ball with no follow-through.
• Swinging so hard that the finish wobbles.