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Instruction Card
Telescopic Rod
Iron Head
Scorecard
Impact Ball
Grip Trainer
Swing into Success
Behind the Project
As an insider who has golfed for 15 years, I want to give all children the opportunity to experience the benefits of golf, from building persistence and resilience to placing them outdoors. To bring this sport to all children, I created a compact kit for children with the necessary tools and instructions when starting golf.
Team
Solo Project!
Project
Product Design
Industrial Design
2023
The Problem
Growing Interest in Golf for Kids
But Not All Can Afford to Play
Why people love the game of golf?
Being Outdoors
Life-long Game
Handicap Adjusted
Current Trends
With the work-from-home schedules and the adjacent experiences from Top Golf, golf has become the largest growing sport among all ages in the past few years. People love the sport thanks to its outdoor aspect, challenges, and the ability to play with anyone with a handicap system. However, golf is still a sport for the upper class due to expensive equipment and facilities.
Age starting golf
Interest in golf
Cost for golf
Younger
Higher
Higher
User Persona
Voices of Challenges Beginning Golf
I interviewed five kids between the age of 7 - 10 on their biggest challenges when starting out in golf and they shared their frustrations.
Says
"This is too hard."
"I wish someone would show me how it's done."
"I don't know how to hit the ball right."
Thinks
"Am I doing this right?"
"Maybe I should try another sport."
Does
Struggles with swing stance and grip.
Looks around for help but feels unsure who to ask.
Feels
Frustrated to always learn something new but can never master the skills.
Proud when they get encouragement or improve.
Biggest difficulties for kids starting in golf
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Difficult to
begin alone
Need guidance
to improve
Lose interest
with time
Golf differs from other sports as an individual sport. The game helps children build independence but they still need clear guidance as it may not be as intuitive as other sports.
What's in the box?
Instruction Card
Guide children through learning process with clear steps and tips
Guide children through learning process with clear steps and tips
Grip Trainer
Steps
Loosen arms and hands
Place lower lifted mound between left thumb and palm
Interlock left index finger and right pinky
Place right thumb between two mounds on front of grip
Importance in the Correct Grip
The training grip gives the player control and stability when swinging the golf club. Grip directly affects the orientation of the club face at impact; the correct amount of pressure will increase the potency and precision of strokes.
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Impact Ball
Simple drill for effective practice in small spaces
Swing impact ball shows children the correct position at impact, keeping arms connected. Often, people arrive at the impact club first; this impact ball prevents it by keeping the club and body together at impact.
Steps
Place the ball between forearms
Swing back slowly where green is showing forward
Swing forward and check ball(line) position at impact
Follow through with the gray side facing forward
Importance in the Connected Arms
The impact ball trains the body and club to move together through impact and controls the direction by squaring the face through proper forearm rotation. Scooping and coming over the ball can be prevented by reducing body movement.
Scoring & Reflection Card
Adding a competition aspect to the kit makes practice more interesting
Encouraging Children to reflect after each round also allows them to self-improve by considering what areas they can improve.
Design Question
How might we make it easier for children to start playing golf by providing guidance, sustaining their interests, and fostering a supportive learning environment?
Difficult to Begin Alone
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Need parental help
-
Restricted by location or weather
Need Guidance to Improve
-
Need demonstration
-
Need easy to understand instructions
Lose Interest With Time
-
Repetitive without improvement
-
Need enouragement
Easily Accessed
Clear & Visual Instructions
Gamify Experience
My Solution
Assist Children Through the Learning Process by building a Kit Serving as Their Mentor
What are the benefits of a kit?
One-stop learning experience
-
Provide necessary tools
-
Keep Children motivated for long-term
Affordable
Compact
Portable
Ideate to Design the Most Compact Yet Educational Kit
1
Potential Items
Items to improve learning
1. Hole Box
Hold items and act as a box
2. Telescopic Rod
Adjust length of club
3. Impact Ball
Keeps arms connected
4. Putter Grip
Swap out when putting and aligns to club face
5. Grip Trainer
Demonstrates correct grip
6. Club Heads
Attach to rod and offer flexibility
2
3
4
5
6
Final Design
Prioritize Developing Fundamental Skills
To make the beginning process not overwhelming, I decided to focus on designing one area of the game - full swing, when determining the necessary items in the kit.
Instruction Card
Telescopic Rod
Iron Head
Scorecard
Impact Ball
Grip Trainer
User Journey
How Will Children Begin Golf With the Help of This Kit?
Scenario
Mika wants to pick up a new hobby that he can have long-term.
Expectations
-
Learn a new skill with clear guidance
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Feel accomplished
-
Convenient to use anywhere
Mika H.
Interest
Confusion
Guidance
Improvement
Discover interest and consider next steps
Follow instructions & tips to learn fundamentals
Improve on skill through practice and competition
Brainstorm relevant and interesting skills to learn
What's a fun skill I can learn at home?
I’m confused, what do I do with these tools?
I think I can easily follow these tips...
It feels so good to score my personal best!
Pain Points & Opportunities:
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Unclear goals
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High interest in learning
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Limited to at-home
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Uncertainty on where to begin
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Lack of information
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Ambiguity of learning from square one
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Guide user through process
-
Loss of interest
-
Incorporation of competition aspect
What did I learn from this project?
Key Takeaways & Future Works
The Power of Inclusion
Underrepresented groups need extra attention to create a more welcoming environment. When individuals feel valued and included, they are more likely to contribute, building a tighter community.
Synthesize Information
Synthesizing my previous experiences has equipped me with valuable insights for current research. Designing for the user necessitates a deep understanding of their needs, preference, and behaviors as your own.
Foster Growth
A child learning journey is continuous and influences their later development. Offering opportunities that actively support and nurture their physical, cognitive, emotional and social well-being can make a lasting impact.
What could be done in the future?
Technology Integration
Explore possibilities of integrating technology into the kit. This could include interactive elements like score-tracking apps, augmented reality features to enhance the playing experience, or even simple electronic components that react when a hole is completed.
Sustainability and Eco-friendliness
Look into using sustainable materials for future kits or designing a program to recycle old kits. Educating kids about the importance of sustainability in sports equipment can be a valuable lesson.
Expansion Packs and Upgrades
Plan for expansion packs or upgrade kits that can be added to the base kit. These could include additional obstacles, different types of putting greens, or even advanced golfing tools for kids who develop a deeper interest in the sport.
Partnerships with Schools and Educational Institutions
Establish partnerships with schools and educational institutions to incorporate the golf-for-all kit into physical education or after-school programs, promoting both physical activity and the fun of golf.
Existing Solutions
Lack of Educational Sources and Uninteresting Teaching Methods
When children are developing an interest in golf, parents with a larger budget would buy children a set of real clubs while those with a smaller budget would opt-in for plastic clubs or more golf inspired games.
How does the current market grabs a child's attention?
Compact
Oppourtunity
Though there are endless golf related products, there is a lack of products that combines accurate representation of golf and compactness for children.
Mobile App Games
Wooden
Golf Set
Plastic Toy
Golf Set
Franklin Kid
Golf Set
Accurate representation
Bulky
Pros & Cons of Current Products
Educational to extend and easily accessible
Inaccurate representation of golf
Lack guidance and motivation in learning process
These kits lack in:
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Accurate representation with compactness
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Instruction and tips when beginning
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Maintaining interest overtime