The CSGA Links Volume 5 Issue 2 June 2017 | Page 16

PSYCHOLOGY The most common of these unquestioned skills can be seen at every driving range around the world, rapid fire ball striking from the same location and lie. I’m all in favor of going to the range to hit balls, but it has to be more purposeful than robotically raking one ball after another onto a flat lie and firing away if we want to develop our skills as players. Hitting balls on the driving range and playing golf on the course are two distinct skills, and we’d be foolish to think otherwise. I’m not sure about you, but rapid fire ball striking from the same location and lie is a skill I rarely ever use when I’m playing on the course. In fact, there’s only one circumstance when the rules of golf allow you to replay a shot from the same location and lie and that’s when you’ve incurred a penalty shot. However, there are numerous golfers who believe practicing in this way will help them play better when they get to the course. So, how could your time on the range be more useful? Consider the following exercise: Next time you’re at the range, and after you’ve warmed up, rather than hitting one ball after another with minimal time between shots, wait. Depending on the distance of the shot you happen to be practicing (see chart for reference), take that designated amount between each swing as if you hit a shot on the course and were walking to where it landed. For example, if you were practicing hitting 175 yard shots, wait approximately 2 minutes before you make your next swing. Hitting balls this way will make your practice time much more purposeful and authentic to your experience on the course. Yards Time to Walk 25 17 sec 50 33 sec 75 50 sec 100 1 min 7 sec 125 1 min 22 sec 150 1 min 40 sec 175 1 min 55 sec 200 2 min 12 sec 225 2 min 28 sec 250 2 min 44 sec 275 3 min 1 sec 300 3 min 17 sec 16 | CSGA Links // June, 2017 If you want an even more authentic experience, practice “playing the course” on the driving range. Say you know you’re playing a specific course for your next competitive round, using the score card, make a game plan outlining the clubs you will be hitting off each tee, then “play the course” on the range. Again, use the chart above to determine the amount of time to wait between shots. Granted this will take more time and require focus and patience, which by the way are important psychological skills for golfers, and most importantly, you will begin to engrain the actual skills you will need on the course. @DrJoshBrant [email protected] www.csgalinks.org