Making the Most Out of Golf Practice

Many senior golfers can be found out on the practice greens several hours a day, constantly working on improving their technique. It’s unfortunate how few golfers over 50 really understand how to practice properly.

The next time you find yourself at the practice range, take a look around. Odds are that the majority of golfers practicing seem to only be “practicing” getting rid of their balls as quickly and with as much power as possible. There certainly is a place in your practice to groove your driver but the majority of your practice time should be spent focusing on the way your swing works and learning new strategies to implement for success on the course.

Practice Thinking!

The purpose of the time you spend practicing is to develop a natural swing and a sort of “golfer’s intuition” that keeps conscious thought to a minimal on the actual course.  Practice is where you think about and deconstruct your shots, applying new techniques to real life scenarios and preparing yourself for the mental and physical rigors of a round on the course.

Remember, what you practice is dictated by your ability.  If you are a beginner golfer spending all of your practice time trying to master professional techniques you found in a magazine, you are likely to a.) Never get anywhere and b.) Get frustrated and give up.

Before you practice take a moment to reflect on where your skills are and what little steps you can take to improve upon them.  Make your practice sessions customized to you!

The Practice Routine

Analyzing your game and deciding on the skills you need to improve with the day’s practice session is the first step towards progression. Now you need to establish a routine to implement your plan.

1. While practicing, always stay focused on your set goal for the day.  Since you are only practicing, ignore mistakes except to understand how you made them. A positive outlook is essential in attaining your goals.  In practice, there’s nothing to lose or be frustrated about.

2. Don’t expect to begin each practice session immediately.  Warm your body up with some simple stretches and then start with your shorter irons with smooth, slow swings. You don’t want to take full-power swings right away, before you have re-established your rhythm and fluidity… this is a good way to get hurt either physically by pulling a muscle or mentally by hitting a series of terrible shots early on as the basis for your practice session.

3. Practice isn’t just about swing mechanics, shot power or distance.  Rhythm should be an integral part of every practice session because proper rhythm promotes coordination and timing.

4. Even when hitting for distance, it’s important to always have an intended target.  If you just practice hitting the ball 200 yards without a target in mind and come to a hole where you need to hit 200 yards slightly left, all of your confidence from that practice session is immediately negated. Hit to the practice greens or trees in the distance so you are focusing on both distance and accuracy.

Of course, do not neglect your short game in any practice session. You should spend at least as much time at the chipping green as you do on the driving range. If you are short on time, you’d be better served to only practice your greenside touch rather than pound your driver for 20 minutes.

Lastly, realize the difference between a pre-round warm up and a practice session. Use your pre-round warm up to get your blood flowing and your rhythm set for the day. The pre-round warm up is not the time to try to implement some new swing tip you read this morning in Golf Digest. However, your focused practice session is where you want to groove your swing, implement advice from your golf lesson, and ‘listen’ to your body and mechanics. There is a big difference between pre-round warm up and practice sessions – use them both wisely.