Last month I spoke of the importance of using your practice time effectively on your short game. This month we will have a look at ways to improve your practice session on the range. There is a saying in golf " If you practice without pressure, you better play without pressure". The best way to practice is with consequences, just like you would have when your on the course. You need to put yourself in that pressure situation as often as possible so you will be more comfortable handling it when it occurs. The main reason why so many golfers fail to progress is because their practice routine is poor. If you want to improve as a golfer you need to have a look at what you are trying to achieve when your practicing.
Time and time again you hear golfers saying " I can´t bring my range game to the golf course". When you hit a shot on the range the score is not noted but on the course its different. Your practice should simulate this as best as possible. Hitting a basket of balls on the range with the same club, no specific target, and the same lie, your not benefiting much at all from this. Obviously it is important to work on your technique, but too maximize your practicing time you should involve a certain amount of games to create a situation like you would have on the course.
The range here at Santo da Serra offers a host of targets and games for you to create and play. These are some of things that I like to do myself and have taught my pupils.
- Start by pitching, pick a target that is within a 1/2 pitch shot. Hit 10 balls and take your score of many you land for example to 15ft or within. Then try the same thing hitting a 3/4 pitch shot. It is the not the importance of which club you use or the distance you are hitting. It is the fact that you are putting yourself under some form of pressure.
- Try and hit 10 shots with your 6 iron for example with a low ball flight for into the wind, we have all been in this position where there is a strong wind into you, and you are never quiet sure how to play the shot.
- Hit to all the various targets around the range. The conditions are different every time you come to the range. See what club it is to each one this week compared to the next time you are there.
- Hit a shot that starts at a target and finishes at another. This is great for shaping a ball on the course. Try hitting it from left to right and right to left. There is many times when need these shots on the course.
- Imagine two targets on the range as a fairway, left of one of the targets is water and right of the target is out of bounds. Try and hit 10 drives in between these targets. You will see a big difference the next time you are on the course.
If you start to make your practice more difficult and have bigger consequences for off-line shots, your confidence, concentration levels, and your score on the course will improve. Play well!
