Practicing

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Practicing and the Practice Range 

Does practice make perfect?  No!!  Perfect practice makes perfect!!! Some golfers need to practice more than others,  I fall into that category.  However, others can practice very little and achieve the same results, given their skills are the same.

What I want to discuss here, is practicing and the practice range.

First of all, remember as I have said, don't work on your game on the golf course.  Work on it on the practice range!!!

Another thing I would like to address, is why most people can't bring their practice range golf to the golf course???   Have you often wondered this?  Of course you have.  I can't count the times I have said, "I hit the ball great on the practice tee, but can't seem to carry it over to the golf course!"  There are several reasons for this, but I want to zero in on just a couple here.

If you are hitting ball after ball repeatedly on the practice range with the same club, naturally you begin to hit the ball the same.  But golf on the golf course, isn't like that.  You don't hit your driver 50 times in a row. That's one of the reasons your practice range golf swing isn't carried over to the golf course!!!

For the most part, most golfers, just go out to the range and bang balls, one after another, after another, after another, and their game never gets better.  First of all, just hitting balls in and of itself doesn't really accomplish anything, except fatigue!!!  The situations on the golf course are different than those on the practice range.

Instead of just banging ball after ball, usually with the driver, why not hit the shots you will most likely get on the golf course itself.  Try hitting a ball with your driver, then pull out an iron.  Select a target on the range, and pull out the iron that will get you there and hit it.  Then pretend that you missed the green about 40 yards, and pull out a pitching wedge and hit it.  Mix it up and hit all the clubs in your bag as if you were playing a round.  Play 18 or 39 holes on the practice range.  You will find that using the practice range in this manner, will help reduce your score on the golf course.  You will be hitting shots, that you will have on the golf course.  You are practicing to play on the golf course, not the practicing to play on the driving range!!!

Additionally, don't just hit the ball anywhere on the driving range.  Pick a target.  If you are hitting a driver, pick a yardage sign on the left and one on the right that resembles the width of a fairway on one of the holes on a golf course you normally play and can vividly remember.  Try to hit your ball between those, not just anywhere!!!

And even more importantly line up each shot and, use your pre-shot routine, before every shot!!!  Imitate what you will be doing on the golf course.  Take your time between shots, just as if you were on the golf course.  Remember it is not quantity but quality!!!