Many golfers don’t even know where to find the driving range (I prefer not to call it that), but there are others who see it as a place for adventure, fun, and discovery. The fact that I work in this field could also be a factor. Since I was a child, I have always been a ball beater, but I now approach my practice sessions more with purpose and excitement. Practice is essential to improving in any field. Today’s topic will focus on how to make practice as fun as playing.
Since I was a child, I have always loved to practice on the range. I love the challenge of finding new ways to get a ball to perform the way I want it to. Today, I will share my “top 5” tips to make practice enjoyable and productive.
- Have a mission/goal/objective. If you are practicing on the range or course, you should have an objective. Otherwise, you won’t know how well you are doing. You might want to improve your iron trajectory or find out why you have a tendency to push the driver. You could learn to hit a softer lob or knockdown pitch. Always practice with a goal in mind.
- Do not just “do “… observe. Learning something new involves two components. First, you must determine what needs to be changed. You then work towards that solution. You can start by hitting a few shots. Don’t try to fix the problem. Instead, use these first few shots as your “lab rats”. Concentrate on your swing. Feel anything different? Make sure you are aligned correctly and that the ball is in the right position. After every shot, take a step back and think about what you thought you felt.
- Don’t just rake balls in front of yourself and pound them. This is only marginally useful. After each shot, move away from the hitting station, rake a new ball into the area and then practice the shot like it’s a real shot on the course. Choose a line behind the ball to aim at, then step into your setup position. Take your grip and think about your swing. Then, hit it. You can then evaluate your performance based on how the shot felt and what you think it was.
- Challenge yourself. After I play a hole, one of my favorite practice games on the course is to spend some time around the green and toss three balls in different positions. I won’t go to the next tee unless I have all three balls within three feet of my hole. If I fail to do so, I throw them in another area and repeat the process. On the range, you can do the exact same thing. Set a goal and limit the number of shots you can take to reach it.
- Don’t get in a groove. Harvey Penick gave Tom Kite golf lessons one day. I was impressed by his refusal to let Tom play more than 5-6 shots with the same club in a row. Tom would hit some 5-irons and then Mr. Penick said, “hit 8”, “hit driver”. He did this to ensure that Tom didn’t just get into a rhythm. Mr. Penick said that this paved the path for real learning.
I’ll give you a “bonus tip” that will help you understand the difference between keeping a score and practicing on the golf course. Don’t do both. Practice sessions are just that. It’s important to practice on the course at a relaxed pace and by yourself. If you play three or four golf holes in about an hour, and take the time to practice hitting real shots on the greens and into the fairways, it will improve your score more than a similar amount of time at the range.
Here are my five tips for practicing. I am sure I could think of more but we have plenty more time.
