“ The Art of Practice ”
Sample Practice Session
good exercise for flexibility , but it probably did nothing to improve your golf game .
There is a great old story I read in a book titled “ The Golfer and the Millionaire ” where the millionaire is a scratch golfer and is actually teaching the golfer how to become mentally tough on the golf course .
One day the millionaire shows up to give the golfer a lesson and he notices the golfer hitting a few putts on the putting green . The millionaire sits down on the grass next to the green and starts throwing darts into a tree . The golfer sees the millionaire throwing darts and is curious but keeps on putting .
After a few minutes the golfer becomes aggravated and asked the millionaire , “ What are you doing ? Don ’ t we have a golf lesson scheduled ?”
The millionaire replies , “ I ’ m doing the same thing you ’ re doing … throwing darts at trees .”
The millionaire goes on to explain to the golfer that without a purpose to his putting practice , or any practice for that matter , he would be just as well off throwing darts at trees . It would do the same thing for his golf game .
The point to the story is to always have a purpose to your practice . We all need a road map to follow . Then we pinpoint our weaknesses and create a plan to work on them .
Below are just a few ideas to help create better practice habits . Remember ; “ No Throwing Darts at Trees .”
“ The Art of Practice ”
1 . Grip , Aim & Set-Up - Always check and work on The Big 3 Fundamentals – Grip , Aim and Set- Up ( Set-Up includes stance , ball position and posture ).
2 . Practice the Short Game - The short shot leads to the long shot .
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70 % of the game is played within 100 yards of the hole . Put 70 % of your practice time into this area .
3 . Golden Practice Rule - Practice with an aim club on the ground to insure proper aim . A golden practice rule is if the aim club is not on the ground you should line each shot up from behind as you would on the course . Take your time .
4 . Stretch Drills - Stay flexible by stretching and working on your technique in the mirror . I love to swing the heavy club to build strength and flexibility .
5 . Drills vs . Thinking Mechanical - Find drills to help you with certain fundamentals versus consciously thinking about swing mechanics . Ex . Hitting balls with your feet together for balance .
6 . Pre Shot Routine - Work on your pre shot routine on the range . We need to learn to separate practice from playing so at the end of each practice session work on lining each shot up as you would on the course and try to get the mechanics out of your mind . Try to find one thing to think about such as starting the swing with the shoulders or target .
7 . Aim Small – Miss Small – Always pick a small target versus a big one . For example , when on the tee instead of looking at the whole fairway pick out a stripe in the fairway or a tree in the background .
8 . Think Positive – Think about where you want the ball to go versus where you don ’ t want the ball to go . Ex . If there is a pond on the right , tell yourself to hit the ball in the fairway versus saying , don ’ t hit it in the pond .
9 . Master the Wedge - Be as good as you can be with a wedge . Learn the 20 , 40 and 60-yard wedge shot
and learn how to master the wedge . The driver has to go through the same hitting area as the wedge . If we ’ re not good at the wedge how on earth can we be good at the driver ?
Sample Practice Session
1 . Wedge Practice – Lay a club down for aim , use your wedge and hit 10 shots to a 20-yard target , 10 shots to a 40 , and 10 shots to a 60 . Stay relaxed and focus on the target . Work on balance by holding the finish on each shot .
2 . Feet Together Drill – With club on the ground for aim use a 7 iron and hit 20 shots with the feet close together ( about 6 ”). Use 50 % to 75 % of your power as this is about accuracy versus distance . It ’ s OK to let the right heel ( for right handers ) come off the ground slightly on the follow-through . Hold the Finish .
3 . Go Through the Bag – With a club on the ground for aim go through the bag hitting 2 wedges , 2-9 irons , 2-7 ’ s , 2-5 ’ s , 2-5 woods , 2-3 woods and 2-Drivers . Then tone down with a few small wedge shots .
4 . Routine Practice – Remove the club for aim and repeat step 3 going through the bag but align each shot up just as you would on the golf course . Try to get the mechanics out of your mind and think about one good swing thought such as start the swing with the shoulders . Pick out specific targets , forget about the mechanics and trust yourself . Let it rip . Tone down with a few wedge shots and call it a day .