Learn about the advantages of golf lessons for children on the autism spectrum.

Check the version of this article in Portuguese by clicking here.

Have you thought about signing up your son or daughter on the autism spectrum for golf lessons? If the answer is no, you should read this article!

In October 2017, I went to Florida to learn about a Center that offers golf lessons to children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities, called the Els for Autism Foundation at The Els Center of Excellence. The experience was very interesting and here I’d like to talk about the benefits of the sport.

Golf is a sport that requires lots of strategy. You need to analyze many variables so that the ball takes the correct course and enters the hole. The proper execution of the stroke, body posture, and strength applied to the club are just some of the things that need attention and care when playing. As a result, the sport helps increase levels of attention and concentration.

It is important to remember that golf also helps you burn calories through the physical effort of each swing along with the walk to each hole. This requires lots of energy which helps keep you in shape.

Golf lessons offer even more: They help with the student’s organization skills when he or she helps the teacher prepare for the class, while learning to use the equipment safely and waiting for a turn to play. The student is also promoting their health, stimulating the release of hormones that promote wellbeing, and activating Vitamin D production, because golf is played outdoors, with direct contact with nature.

To top it off, there are the benefits that come from accepting the rules of golf, principles that will help those on the autism spectrum improve their social interaction and coexistance.

What are the Ernie Els #GameON Autism ™ golf lessons like?

I spoke with the Chief Operating Officer of Els for Autism Marlene Sotelo via email and asked her to explain a bit about their teaching process. At The Center, children 6 and up can enroll in the group classes that run for 6 wees, 2 times per week for a total of 12 sessions, but nothing prevents younger children (around 4 or 5 years old) from playing golf in other golf programs.

To improve the learning strategy and the students’ routines, the program uses structured and predictable teaching techniques.

Marlene mentioned that each activity is prepared and organized in advance with visual supports to ensure all participants can engage in the lesson successfully. There are visual supports for the rules, communication boards to help with the participants in need of expressive communication support, receptive communication cards for the coaches to use in helping the students understand verbal instructions. A whistle signals when each activity begins and ends to assist with transitions.

Environmental arrangement with visual supports help the students understand the expectations of each activity during the golf lessons. There are clearly marked safety zones, banners, station signs, and hula hoops andcolored rubber markers to specify where the participants should stand when awaiting instructions.

“To promote active participation and prevent challenging behaviors from the students, we use a structured motivational system. Using a token board, we reinforce the targeted golf skills and autism concept introduced during each class.”, Marlene added.

The teaching style varies by student age, motor skills, ability to understand instructions, and receptive and expressive vocabulary. The idea is to focus the golf lessons on each student’s individual learning needs and abilities.

So to make sure that students successfully learn, the Els for Autism Foundation tries to find out how each person learns best (auditorily, visually, kinesthetically, or a combination of the three), if they have prior experience with golf or other physical activities, if the student is interested in the lessons or if they were made to attend the classes, and based on student’s receptive and expressive communication level.

How do golf lessons affect the day-to-day life of children on the spectrum?

Marlene said that students on the autism spectrum often spend a majority of their time participating in educational and therapeutic activities, without any time for recreation activities to develop the social communication abilities provided by sporting activities. Golf lessons are a leisure activity that a person on the spectrum can do alone or with others.

“The golf lessons take place in a calm and serene environment, capable of meeting the sensory needs of people on the spectrum. The sport also allows the students’ individual goals to be met based on their own set of abilities”, Marlene said.

The COO reiterated that children anywhere on the autism spectrum can play golf with the necessary support. The only exceptions are those who have levels of behavior that cannot be managed by the person who supports the student during the class, such as self-injurious behaviors, aggression towards others and elopment. Students exhibiting these behaviors are referred to private lessons where high levels of supervision and individual instruction can be provided.

At The Els Center of Excellence, parents may participate in the golf lessons to incentivize their children and to learn strategies to help their child develop social communication skills. The family is encouraged to take their children to other golf courses to reinforce golfing language through conversations and golf skills through practice and repitition.

Isn’t that cool? Whether it be golf lessons or any physical activity, it’s important that parents are engaged and bring the concepts learned into other spaces. That way, people on the spectrum will learn to apply what they learned to their day-to-day life and become more independent and happy!

I hope you have enjoyed this article on the benefits of golf lessons. If there is an autism-related question that you have, leave it in the comments section. And feel free to share our articles on social media!

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