Does practise really make perfect??

[FudgeNudger]

Just wondering what are peoples views on practising?? I for one never practise but i do know that one of the pros at my club practises religiously more or less every day. The trouble is he gets NO better, infact i would say he gets WORSE. Surely a 'PRO' would be practising all the right stuff to improve or is there just no hope for the lad??

 

[surefire]

I believe practise can make perfect, but you still need to practise correctly and at the right level.

If you practise something you can already easily do you won't achieve much.
If you practise something wrong, you will just become perfect at doing it wrong.
If you practise something you can't do, you need a way of being able to do it whilst you practise. For example someone who hits a wicked slice, can't just go to the range and beat balls and think because they are practising they will get better, they need a way of correcting what causes the slice.

There are so many variables to practise that can increase or decrease its effectiveness, that you can easily come to the conclusion that it WILL or WONT make perfect depending on what you see or experience. It CAN make perfect, but only if applied properly.

Why do you automatically assume a pro would be practising the right stuff just because he is a pro?

 

[USER1999]

For the long game, then the practice needs to be correct, or it is just re-inforcing faults.

For the short game, then it is all about developing the feel for the shot, and yes, practice has to make it better, or the practicer is useless, with no talent at all, and should give up.

 

[jasondransfieldgolf]

Practice just perfects what you are practicing. So if you are practice bad things you get perfect at bad things, so that is why so many people get worse when they practice, not knowing what to work on.

 

[RGDave]

jason and surefire have it spot on.

I practice quite a bit (mainly in the summer, it must be said) and I've come to realise that bad practise is worse than no practise.

I worked like mad on 2 or 3 things (interconnected) not so long back and was hitting it really good. Normally I just go for one thing, but with a swing, it seems a leads to b leads to c. I kind of stopped the regime in the hope that it was fixed and I just needed to groove it....how wrong was I?
Although I'm playing and scoring well (for me), I realise I need to revisit my approach from a month ago before I forget it all and return to normal service....

 

[Aztecs27]

Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.

You have to be practising the right things. Murph and Surefire sum it up nicely.

I will be working on my short game prior to the St. Pierre meet in a few weeks (after I've sunned myself in spain for a week or so), in hope that I can find some touch and consistency around the greens.

 

[GOLFER1994]

Golf isnt a game of perfect...
It is a game of skill and luck. Perfection is impossible to achieve in the game of golf.
But practice will help alot !

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have tried to veer away from over-practicing having made that mistake a few years back. Now I try and limit my practice to specifics particularly the short game and from <100 yards. When I do practice the long game I tend to work on specific drills I've had from my lessons and so know what I'm expecting to see and how it should feel. Fortunately my teaching pro is usually around to keep an eye on my progress and give me a few pointers.

Self-diagnosis and trying to self-fix is a dangerous game and can lead to one flaw compensating another so I would say always go to a pro. If you know what you are working on and why then try and keep practice sessions short and varied to stop fatigue and errors coming in

 

[sev112]

i tend to practise without a club - i never slice or hook

 

[AMcC]

I agree that specific practice is very worthwhile. I used to always practice mid to long irons, but have now realised that short game practice, when undertaken properly is infinitely better. I have hardly been on range fo long game this year and it hasn't really suffered. The guys may correct me after Millport though.