How to practice golf the right way?
Even hitting thousands of balls at one of these great indoor practice nets would not help your game. Pulling from the left or lead side in the golf swing is the most efficient way how to practice golf. Have you heard this before? “I hit the ball amazing at the range yesterday, but I just can’t get it going today …
Do you have a driving range practice routine?
The best part about having a driving range practice routine to follow is that it gives you structure so that you are practicing with PURPOSE! Swing instructor and golf pro’s would call this DELIBERATE golf practice.
Are You wasting your time practicing golf at the driving range?
Unfortunately, this kind of practice is all too common and won’t get you the perfect golf swing you’re after. If this is you every week then you are wasting your time practicing at the driving range. Even hitting thousands of balls at one of these great indoor practice nets would not help your game.
Do you practice the same golf swing faults over and over?
You’re practicing performing the same golf swing faults over and over. The more and more balls you hit, you’re trying to make compensations so that the golf swing will repeat and perform more consistently. You probably don’t know this is happening, but it is!
5 minutes: Stretching
Spend the first few minutes stretching and doing an active warm up. This might include squats, lunges, or a plank. I know you’ll want to hit balls right away, but it’s important to get your body ready so you don’t groove any bad habits.
15-20 minutes: Technique and Targets
S et up a station with two groups of five golf balls. On the first batch, hit five balls working on mechanics and nothing else, maybe using a drill your coach told you about (block practice). On your next five balls, go through your routine and hit to different targets, scoring each ball 1/5 as you go (random practice).
20 minutes: Putting
The most important putts to practice are short putts (three of four footers), birdie putts (10-20 foot putts) and lag putts (30+ feet). Spend 5 minutes on a straight, three foot putt in order to work on making sure the ball starts where you are aiming.
15-20 minutes: Chipping and Pitching
Pick three clubs and go around to different places around the green. Force yourself to hit the same shots with each club. Learning how to use an 8-iron and a sand wedge from the same location will help you learn to have touch and feel around the green so that you can shoot lower scores.
How to practice golf for better results?
The best way to do this is to record your golf swing on video so you can clearly see what is happening and why you get the results you’re getting.
Why is practice bad for golfers?
The problem with most golfers’ practice is they don’t address the real problem in their swings and are not working towards fixing them. This is wasted practice and if this is you you're wasting your time at the range and need to address the problem quickly.
1. Lots of wedges
I’ve written about this before, but when recreational golfers hit the range, they generally hit lots of 7-irons and a few drivers. Pros, by contrast, generally hit a ton of wedges, and a ton of drivers, and not much else.
2. They use their pre-shot routine
Yes, it’s boring, and you’ve probably heard it before. But it’s important. Don’t just bang balls into the distance. Step into every shot with a specific purpose.
3. They set up swing drills
Especially during practice round days, every pro I saw spent at least a few minutes using a drill to improve their technique, so learn from them. Don’t go nuts though.
4. They pace themselves
Pros are very deliberate with the pace of their practice. It’s not a race; they’re trying to practice with a specific rhythm that matches what they do on the course.
5. They play skill games
Whether it’s setting up tees around the hole, or, as you see GOLF Top 100 Teacher Mark Blackburn working on with one of his students below, an alignment rod straight in front of them which they are trying to curve their ball around, pros are constantly playing games as a way of challenging themselves while they practice.