When teaching golf to any youngster we must take into account a few things that we don't normally have to consider for older players just taking up the game.
There are many considerations such as lack of strength, overall coordination and the ability to concentrate for long periods of time.
The best approach usually is to make the game as much fun as possible, and this will make the young golfer want to come back to experience the game more.
What is similar to everyone learning the game of golf, and for that matter anything new is to learn the basic fundamentals first.
These fundamentals should be the foundation for learning anything, and we must look to build on that strong foundation.
So first of all and during our development period we will only concentrate on those fundamentals.
Once those are firmly entrenched only then should begin to focus on more advanced things such as shaping the ball or hitting flop shots.
I often like to use analogies with other sports, and in this case I'll use one with basketball.
If you're going to teach a young basketball player how to shoot obviously you would not start to teach him the three-point shot.
He would have to start off with the easiest and least complicated shot, which is the layup.
Because all of the rest of the shots in basketball can be built from this shot, that's where we should build our foundation from.
Your simplest golf stroke is the putting stroke, and we can build so much from the how we use this club.
The first thing that it will teach the young golfer is how to grip the club comfortably as well as give some basic feel for striking the ball.
Working on distance control plus ball contact on the sweet spot of the putter face will be quite easy with a little practice, because there is very little involved in the swing action.
After working on a good consistent grip and getting an understanding of the importance of gripping the club for maximum control, the next thing you can get into is keeping the head still.
This is the most important fundamental for any shot but again, because there is little movement needed to putt the ball, it is the best place to work on this vital aspect of the golf swing.
The last facto of the golf swing that young golfers should learn is the finish.
This of course will require going out and actually hitting balls, but again this should be done with the easiest club next to the putter to hit.
That will be the pitching wedge.
Just by taking half swings that is, 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock swings they can work on finishing with the weight on the front foot and the belly button facing the target.
This progression should allow the youngster to build his fundamentals from the ground floor in the easiest manner possible.