How to Teach a 3-Year-Old to Play Golf

Teaching your three-year-old to play golf begins with one simple rule: forget almost everything you know about a proper golf swing. This isn’t about building a future tour pro, it’s about sharing an experience, making a game out of movement, and spending quality time together outdoors. This guide will walk you through the practical, fun-focused steps to introduce your toddler to golf, covering everything from the right equipment and silly games to the most important element of all: keeping a smile on their face.

It’s All Fun and Games (Literally)

Before we talk about clubs or stances, we have to get our mindset right. The number one goal is fun. If your three-year-old isn't laughing and enjoying themselves, the lesson is over. You are not coaching golf, you are playing a golf-themed game.

A toddler's attention span is notoriously short - think minutes, not hours. A 10 to 15-minute session is a massive success. Your benchmark for success isn't a pured shot, it's seeing them swing and miss with a giant giggle. It's watching them get excited about hitting a wiffle ball two feet. Celebrate effort, not results. Any connection between the club and the ball is cause for a high-five. Remember, your enthusiasm is infectious. If you’re having a good time, they will too.

Getting the Right Gear for Your Pint-Sized Player

Having the right tools is paramount, mainly for safety and making the activity manageable for a small child. Leave your own clubs in the garage and invest in a kid-friendly setup.

The Clubs: Go Plastic and Lightweight

Heft is the enemy. A three-year-old can't manage the weight of even the lightest junior metal club. Start with a set of plastic toy golf clubs. They are inexpensive, light as a feather, and usually come with oversized heads that make it much easier to make contact with the ball. The forgiving nature of a plastic club head builds confidence and removes the intimidation factor of a "real" club.

The Balls: Soft is Non-Negotiable

Under no circumstances should you start a toddler with a real golf ball. They are hard, can cause injury, and can do some serious damage to windows, cars, and anything else in their path. Stick to these safe alternatives:

• Plastic Wiffle Balls: The gold standard. They're light, they don't fly far, and they make a satisfying 'thwack' sound.
• Foam Practice Balls: Another excellent choice. They are soft and safe for indoor or outdoor use.
• Oversized Plastic "Birdie" Balls: These are a great option that travel a bit more truly than a wiffle ball but are still perfectly safe.

The “Holes”: Think Big

A standard 4.25-inch golf hole is an impossible target for a toddler just learning motor skills. The target needs to be big, colorful, and obvious. Success breeds more interest. Use things like:

• A brightly colored beach bucket tipped on its side
• A hula hoop laid flat on the grass
• Your golf bag itself
• A large cardboard box (you can even draw on it to make it a monster's mouth they have to "feed")

Choosing Your Field of Play

Where you introduce golf is just as important as how. A traditional golf course or driving range can be overwhelming and, frankly, not very safe for a roaming toddler. Start small and in a controlled environment.

Your backyard is the ideal starting venue. It's safe, familiar, and free from the pressure or rules of a golf facility. You can set up your big targets and let them swing freely without worrying about other golfers. A nearby park on a quiet day also works perfectly.

When you feel they are ready for a more "authentic" experience, the perfect next step is a golf course putting green. These environments are usually contained, the grass is short and perfect for making contact, and it helps them understand the concept of rolling a ball towards a target. Just be sure to go at a non-peak time and teach them the etiquette of being quiet and calm.

Your First “Lessons”: How to Introduce the Swing

When teaching the mechanics, use simple, relatable language and focus on the general idea of the motion, not the technical details. Make it feel like a dance or a playful action.

Step 1: The "Shake Hands" Hold

Forget the overlapping or interlocking grip. That's for much later. The easiest way to get a toddler to hold the club is the "Shake Hands" method. Ask them to shake hands with the grip and then wrap their fingers around it. For the other hand, just have them place it right below the first. That’s it. It might look like a ten-finger or baseball grip, and that’s perfectly fine. The goal is simply to have them hold the club in a way that feels comfortable and secure.

Step 2: The "Superhero" Stance

Again, simple cues work best. Instead of talking about spine angle or knee flex, tell them to "stand like a superhero" - feet apart (a little wider than their shoulders) and knees slightly bent. This stance is naturally athletic and stable. Then, encourage them to bend over just a little from their hips to let the club head rest on the ground. You can make this fun by saying, "Now let's bow to the golf ball."

Step 3: The Movement and The Swing

Break the swing down into two simple motions:

• For putting: The "Tick-Tock" stroke. This is the easiest motion to learn. It’s a simple back-and-forth movement, like the pendulum of a grandfather clock. Use "tick" for the backstroke and "tock" for the forward stroke. Repeat it with them: "tick... tock... tick... tock..." until they get the gentle rhythm.
• For full swings: The "Sweep the Grass" motion. To avoid the natural tendency to chop down at the ball, encourage a side-to-side sweeping motion. A simple phrase is, "Let's sweep the grass with the club." This promotes a shallower, more rounded swing path that will have a much higher chance of making contact. Let their body turn naturally as they swing. There’s no need to restrict hip or shoulder movement, let them feel the rotation.

Step 4: Turn It Into a Game

Drills are for grown-ups. Toddlers need games. Frame every activity as a fun challenge. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Golf Bowling: Set up a pyramid of empty plastic water bottles or cups and have them try to knock them down by hitting a ball into them.
• Dragon's Treasure: Place a laundry basket or a cardboard box ("the dragon's cave") a few feet away. Their mission is to hit all the "golden" (yellow) wiffle balls into the cave.
• Target Practice: Lay out a few different targets (hula hoops, towels, toys) at different distances and in different directions. Call out a target and see if they can hit the ball toward it. Reward any effort, no matter where the ball goes.
• Follow the Leader: You take a practice swing and make a silly sound. They have to copy both the swing and the sound. This is more about mirroring and rhythm than technique, and it almost always ends in lots of laughter.

Your Coaching Playbook: The Golden Rules

Your attitude and approach as the "coach" will define the entire experience. Keep these rules in mind every time you play.

• Praise the Effort, Not the Result: A big swing and a miss deserves a "Whoa, what a POWERFUL swing!" Hitting the ball backward gets a, "You hit it! Awesome!". Every attempt is a victory.
• Keep Sessions Shorter Than They Want: Always end the session before they get bored or frustrated. It's far better for them to ask, "Can we play more?" and for you to say, "We'll play again tomorrow!" than to push them until they're tired of it. End on a high note.
• Safety First, Always: Teach them the "safety circle." When someone is swinging, everyone else stands outside their imaginary hula hoop. This is the one non-negotiable rule.
• Be the Player, Not Just the Teacher: Take a few playful swings yourself. Let them see you having fun. Your joy in the activity is the most powerful lesson you can give.
• Let Them Explore: If they decide the club is better used as a guitar or the golf ball is more fun to just throw, let them. Remember the main objective: a positive association with being on the grass, holding a club, and spending time with you.

Final Thoughts

Introducing your three-year-old to golf is less about the sport and more about planting a seed of joy. By focusing on laughter, play, and encouragement over technique and results, you're not just showing them a game, you're building happy memories and fostering a love for an activity you can share for many years to come.

Instilling that love for the game often starts with your own. The more fun and confident you are as a golfer, the more that positive energy rubs off. For improving your own game, it helps to have expert guidance in your pocket. Because Caddie AI is available 24/7 on your phone, you can get instant, simple advice on everything from reading a tricky lie to selecting the right club or devising a smart hole strategy. We designed Caddie AI to take the guesswork out of golf, so your time on the course is less frustrating and more enjoyable - a feeling certainly worth sharing.