Best use of time

[TRS30]

Hi all

Looking for advise on the best use of my time to really attack the handicap for the rest of the summer. Am off on hols this day next week for 10 days and then around for the rest of the summer.

Would like to have a schedule in place to start when I get back to try and get to a solid single figure player. I will have about 3 nights during the week, 2.5-3 hours and 3/4 hours at the weekend. At the moment am just playing and not doing any practice as such.

I have no areas of my game that are much worse/better than others. I know the focus should be on short game but what would people suggest as the best use of the above hours?

Cheers

 

[chipsandegg]

Hi,
A guy i work with who plays off 2 said to me "i will tell you how to get to mid to low single figures, for the next 2 months, every time you go to the course, dont take your clubs. Just take your wedge and putter and practice with them then after 2 months of doing this and nothing else start playing again as normal and your handicap will drop like a stone" He also told me that i probably wouldnt do it because it was so mind numbingly boring (which i didnt).
Andy

 

[freddielong]

Couldn't agree more practice your short game till your hands bleed, not only will it save you shots around the green but your general ball striking and tempo will improve.

 

[CrapHacker]

Realistically, and especially if you don't practise much already, I'd practice two out of three of the midweek sessions, and play 9 solo holes in practise mode the other ( practise / play / practise ).

Then try to put it into a serious round at the weekend.

Where I practise, I don't get to practise pitching off grass, so I generally don't bother, but I go to the practise green for 30 - 45 minutes putting first, then over to the range for a bucket of balls for another 45 minutes. If you can add some pitching / chipping time in there as well, I don't think you'll get too bored with it.

I'd also recommend planning what you're going to practise before you go, so it's not just aimlessly smacking balls about - which will get pretty dull very quickly.

You're obviously a load better than me, so your aims will be different, but until recently I've been concentrating on my backswing. Now I'm reasonably comfortable with it, I'm beginning to work on my transition into the downswing. Next I want to improve my lower body action, and use my core muscles better.

It's damn hard on your own, but by working out what you're trying to achieve in small steps means you'll have more chance of reaching your goals, I believe.

Good luck.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Last year I made the mistake of spending most evenings on the range hitting full shots and trying to groove the various swing changes I was making. BIG MISTAKE. I became stale very quickly and didn't play well in monthly competitions and so went out and practiced even more. By August I was actually grooving a serious flaw which took most of the Winter to eradicate.

This year I'm only practicing my full swing once a weeks and playing a few holes one night a week. Any other practice has been purely on the short game particularly chipping putting and my bunker play which after having a lesson has improved technically and just needs refining.

I've actually sat down with my coach and drawn up a sensible timetable of what to work on to make sure practice is a) constructive and b) interesting and he's set me a few drills to work on tosort various issues out.

Since the warmer weather in May I've had a 2nd and two 4th placed finishes so the practice is starting to pay off. Unfortunately these results only resulted in one cut (others in the buffer zone) so the goal now is to get the handicap down

 

[TRS30]

Thanks for the responses so far.

I got a lesson in early April and changed a couple of things, this tied in with getting new clubs from driver to putter. This meant that I spent most of April and early May at the range hitting hundred of balls a night to grove the swing.

I am lucky that my club has a good practice green, chipping area and couple of practice bunkers.

As comp are on differnt days, I was thinking of dividing up the four days as follows

-long putts and bunker shots
-holing out and chiping
-9 hole comp
-18 hole comp

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Sounds like a plan although I would look at the longer aspects of the game as well

 

[CrapHacker]

For me 2.5 hours of just holing out and chipping would get a tad dull. Personally I'd do a bit of hitting balls with the longer stuff as well. You can never groove a good swing enough. Even just checking you set up and swingpath will help.

But as long as it's in timeslots which are good for you, then great.

 

[Ste_Denial]

i havent had much chance to get to the range lately due to my exams, however i got a chance to go last nyt and i tried to rid my slice in my 3 wood which went well and to get a feel for my gap and lob wedge

 

[TRS30]

Could throw one night in at the range but is the total opposite direction to my course so might have to squeeze an hour in there at the weekend, tell the better half I'm off to the garden center

 

[haplesshacker]

Let's put it this way. If we spent as much time practicing as we do on this forum........

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Had a 2/12 hour session tonight. Spent 45 in the practice bunkers working primarily on distance control and grooving my technique which had become a bit lax. Had 30 minutes hitting a 56 and 60 degree wedge to the 50 yard flag and shorters working on clockface swings and trying to get a feel for distance. Had an hour around the putting green hitting chip and runs and chips from different lies with various clubs and manipulating the club face (opening and closing) and seeing how the ball reacted. Finished off with some chips over the practive bunkers to various targets.

I've learnt a lot tonight about my distance control and the fact that I do possess touch and feel and learnt more about which club performs best in certain situations. Time well spent

 

[TRS30]

Homer, that sounds like what I want/need to do. Thinking again about what I said earlier, spending too long on one/two specific things and I know I will bored, even will the best will in the world. Did you find the time went quickly/ get bored at all etc?

Hapless- couldn't agree more, guess that's why we have no pros on here