How do you Practice? Everyone Post Here

[fairmorn308]

I thought i would make a thread to allow all members help each other out but i thought it was a good idea..

Post what your practice routine is and how long for etc

It will help other fellow members on the forums with ideas etc to get them to enjoy practicing more.

Post away guys

 

[Farneyman]

What about your routine????

I dont have a pre round practise routine. But I do go to a putting green once a week plus a visit to an old airfield for some short game practise and a weekly trip to the driving range. I have tried practise on the beech but thinned 90% of shots. It was good for lose bunker type sand practise.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It varies depending on what I am working on and whether I am at the driving range or on my clubs practice field. If I'm on the range I'll go through the bag and on the practice ground I'll only work on specifics (plus I'm too lazy to belt hundreds of balls and go and pick them up again.

At the range I'll start by hitting 10 or so 1/2 shots with a sand wedge after five minutes or so swinging with two clubs and generally stretching first. I'll then hit some full sand wedges trying to get a good turn but more importantly trying to get a good tempo. I'll then hit 10-15 PW's at one of the targets 100 yards away trying to hit the green with every one.

Then it is normally 10-15 with 8, 6, and 4 and then move on and hit my 5, and 3 woods for the same number of shots. With my driver I normally try and hit 15-20 and really work on a smooth wide takeaway, and full shoulder turn.

It normally takes about 2 hours giving myself a break and making sure I take the time to check my basics on each shot (grip, posture and alignment).

If I am on the practice ground I am far more specific. If I am having trouble with say mid irons I'll take my balls out but split them into piles of 20. I might then hit 20 with a 6 aiming at our 150 marker (definitely trying to keep the balls between the yardage marker and flags about 15 yards wide of it - also at 150 to represent the width of a green) and then hit another 20 with either a 5 or 7. Once I have hit two lots of 20 I'll stop and go and pick them up to give myself a break and to think about how it is going and what to work on.

If however I'm working on the scoring zone from 100 yards in I'll hit as many balls as I have in the practice bag using my PW, 52 degree and sand wedge and trying to hit them with 3/4 swings. I'll also work on hitting these with half swings, opening the blade, anything to get the ball o react and land where I want it.

It might seem an excessive number of balls (particularly at the range) but I love to practice anyway and it is a routine that works well for me.

Apart from that during the summer when I can get onto the putting green in daylight I'll also dedicate one evening a week to putting. I'll work mainly on putts from 3-10 foot on different breaks and then change and work on mid-range and longer putts to develop feel. I have an eyeline putting device (basically a mirro with a running rail) which helps me with alignment and getting my eyes over the ball and the rail ensures I take the blade back nice and square. In the winter I'll try and find at least 30 minutes over the weekend to keep the stroke flowing.

 

[haplesshacker]

H. Your usual concise reply then

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Hapless

That was the edited version. Just trying to give the man the answer to the question. Some things can't be summed up in one word.

 

[USER1999]

Homer - Even VJ doesn't work this hard on his golf!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Murph

Do you know what, my pro came out on Tuesday to give a lesson and I was out there working on my shots from 100 yards in and he said the same thing about practicing more than Vijay.

The thing is a) I actually enjoy it and b) providing you are practicing correctly and not just honing swing flaws into your game I believe you only get out what you put in.

I've not managed to play to my handicap in a competition this year (got close on Saturday +1 with 3 double bogeys and -2 actually won it) but now my pro has corrected my major flaw and having played a couple of rounds this week I truely believe I have a good score bubbling under the surface.

 

[muttleee]

I never post in threads that say "Everyone post here". No one tells me what to do!

Oh, wait...

 

[forefortheday]

smoke in gob, beer next to the mat 100 balls in a bucket then try and work on 1 thing and 1 thing only might be wedges could be my hybrid etc just depends on what I feel I need to work on.

Used to spend hour upon hour analysing my swing and reading all the magazines until one day I got so frustrated i started really hitting the ball hard and hey presto! through the ball nice connection!

I try to swing at 80% now but it taught me a lesson to relax and just swing

 

[andiritchie]

every range session i start by stretching making a full shoulder turn and holding it i warm up exactly the same every time so i always feel the same,then hit 20 -30 wedges 10 mid irons 5 long irons 3 3 woods and 1 driver,then repeat,i finish with more wedges and some knock downs with 8 and 9 irons to the 100 post

 

[USER1999]

Homer - Only taking the mick. Each to their own, I just play way too much, which doesn't leave time to practice. Also, our prctice ground is a bit small, and if you get more than 2 people down there it is mayhem trying to find your balls. Hope all this work pays off.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

murph

No offence taken. At least the wife knows where to look if I don't come home for dinner!

 

[Parmo]

I don't practice, I just don't have the time or energy for it after work and spending time with HID is more important on a weekend that a whole day at the club when I get tee off for 7am and have a nice relaxing round and be home for 11am.

 

[wilf_74]

I don't practice, I just don't have the time or energy for it after work and spending time with HID is more important on a weekend that a whole day at the club when I get tee off for 7am and have a nice relaxing round and be home for 11am.

Does your wife read this by anychance?!

Dont go saying this anywhere else, I just don't have the time or energy for it after work and spending time with HID is more important or we will have to send the boys round to shut you up!

 

[Smudge]

Im with Parmo on this my 1 round a week is all the practice i get!!!

 

[RGuk]

Sorry to sound boring and patronising...but I don't have a set method apart from the day before a big match.
What I do though is compartmentalise into various regimes what it is I want to work on. If time is on my side or after a lesson, I tend to work on my swing and not either strike (timing etc.) or direction. I just do lots of reps and drills until I feel things working. If I've had a bad round with lots of tops/fats I'll work purely on finding my rhythm and hitting it better, regardless (initially) of direction.
Last trip, I worked on checking my grip and swinging in-out as all I'd hit the previous game was slices and pulls. I laid a club down outside the ball aiming 20 degrees right. Towards the end I was finally pushing the ball.
That sort of thing....

 

[mrobbie]

Practice...

Sunday = 9 holes
Monday = 9 holes
Tuesday = a bucket at the range/chipping green to work on the areas I found weakest in Sunday/Monday rounds followed by 30 mins on the putting green.
Wednesday = 18 holes round the par 3 course
Thursday = pub
Fri = 18 holes with friends
Sat = 18 holes, or range & putting green, or 18 holes round the par 3 course (depending on what I am able to book)

I have the most understanding wife ever - she game me this membership for my birthday and wants me out every night so she can come along for a walk - AWESOME!

Handicap = 16.4 at the moment and have a goal of 9.4 by 15 September.

 

[Imurg]

Before a Medal or other compy I get to the range an hour before tee-off. A bucket of balls starting with the pw and going via the even number irons then to 5wood and driver hitting half a dozen with each and then back down to the lobber via the the clubs I havn't hit. Then I hit my last 6 with the club I am probably going to use off the 1st (driver most of the time). Then its time to get off to the tee and a quick chip and putt on the practice green before blasting one 50 yards right of the 1st fairway. Happens almost everytime..... But mostly I'll get a chip and a putt for a par. Maybe if I change the routine I'll get a birdie - but then I may also get a bogey.....

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I did that for the last medal. Spent ages rehearsing my 3 wood for the first tee only to find they had moved the markers forward and it was only a 5 iron shot instead. Pushed it straight right into the sand - DOH

 

[TonyN]

I just play as much as I can and spend a couple hours a week on the short game. Chipping on with either a PW or 7 iron. Now I only use a 7 from the fringe or a PW from 5-45 yards away, my consistency is alot better. Getting used to two clubs is easier than using them all.