Practice
How we practice is crucial to our success on the course. Here are few examples of a good practice routine.
Remember to break your practice routine down into the percentages of the game.
For instance:
When you are on the practice tee remember these percentages….
70% is putting, chipping and pitching
30% is long game.
One hour Break down – days you are not playing
- 5 min: Start with your wedges
- ¾ swings – get your rhythm and timing…
- 10 min: pw – 6 iron
It should take you less than one minute to hit a shot… so for example 10 min for your pw – 6 iron, you probably would only hit each club twice maybe three times.
- 10 min: hybrids, woods and driver
- 10 min: pitch shots 20 /30/40/50 yards
- 10 min: Chipping from all angles around the green:
I like to take 10 balls because at SGR there are 5 flags on the practice green. I then put two balls at different locations around the green, so that I have uphill, downhill, and side hill shots. I get two shots at each flag. With 10 min I usually can do this drill twice.
- 15 min: putting
Star drill, fringe drill, inside/outside step drill, eyes closed, and your last 5 putts form 2 feet all 5 have to go in before you leave. The confidence of knowing you can put the ball in the hole will transfer to the course.
- 20 min of warm-up on days you are playing:
Hit 12 full swing shots on the range. That is 3 shots with 4 different clubs (pick whatever clubs you will be using the most on the course)
Then spend the rest of the time on the putting green. Start with 1 and 2 footers. Then putt 2 or 3 five footers, 2 or 3 ten footers, and then putt 2 or three 15 footers to the fringe (not the hole). We are looking for speed control not accuracy. Then finish with at least 5 , 2 footers that 100% go in the hole.
Things to remember:
Keep your routine in between each shot. We don’t want to “machine gun” balls out on the range. This only promotes bad habits. Pick a new target for each shot and go through your “Think box / Play box” routine. Just like your coach always said… “you play like you practice” or my favorite “perfect practice makes perfect”.
WHY?
How much we put into this game is what we get out of it. Remember that professional athletes spend a high percentage of their day working on every attribute of their golf swing, and mental and physical toughness. We tend to expect to play like to pros when we pick a golf club up once a week or less.
Remember that golf is not your profession it is your fun past time. It might help to think about why you play golf. There are many reasons to play and they are all unique for everyone. Do you like competition, either with yourself or against your opponent? Do you just enjoy the scenery and the people you play with? Do you play because someone wants you to play? This game can be a little obsessive if your not careful, some of us tend to neglect family and friends to play. Then there are some of us that think we should play like our spouses and friends that play 3 days a week and we play twice a year.
Understanding the “why” will also help us when we are not playing so well. It is also good to understand what happens when you are playing bad or good. I know that when I am playing bad I tend to get really quiet. I start criticizing myself and I pull away from the other people I am playing with. There are some people with get angry, throw golf clubs, and get angry with themselves. The sooner I am aware of this the sooner I am able to get back on track. We first have to notice what is going on and then change it. If I remember the “why” I tend to get back on track faster. It is hard for some of us to check the “ego” when we play. If I hit this bad shot it some how makes me a bad person. There are many issues we have, the first step just like in every program, is first admitting we have a problem. If I find myself getting quiet, I make sure I start to talk more to my playing partners in between shots. I laugh more and try to change my mood to help improve my game.
I think that we each need to put this silly game into perspective and just enjoy!
Remember it is a GAME!
