Teeing up and first drives

Setup

1. Warm up first. Mark a teeing area with two cones as tee markers. With a bigger group, set up more teeing areas side by side, at least 4 m apart and all hitting the same way.
2. Cones downrange mark a wide fairway corridor.
3. Players who aren't hitting wait well back and off to the side of the teeing area, outside anyone's swing space. The coach stands behind the hitter, also well clear.

How it runs

1. The coach explains the teeing area: the ball must be teed between the tee markers and no more than two club lengths behind them. The player may stand outside that area. Players pace it out with a club.
2. Tee height: with a driver, about half the ball showing above the top of the clubface at address; a little lower for a fairway wood or hybrid.
3. One player at a time walks on with one ball, tees up, checks the space, hits, then steps off back to the waiting area. The next player walks on.
4. If the ball falls off the tee before a swing, simply tee it up again: no penalty. A swing that misses the ball still counts as a stroke.
5. Three or four rounds each. Collect only when the coach calls the range clear.

Coaching points

• Wider stance than for an iron; ball forward, roughly opposite the inside of the lead heel.
• Spine tilted slightly away from the target at address.
• Sweep the ball off the tee rather than hitting down on it.
• Smooth tempo and a balanced finish beat swinging hard.

Common mistakes

• Teeing in front of the markers or too far behind them.
• Teeing the ball too low for the driver.
• Ball too far back in the stance.
• Swinging as hard as possible and falling off balance.