Practice, practice, practice.

haplesshacker

haplesshacker

Money List Winner
Joined
Jan 18, 2008
Messages
5,257
Location
Verwood, Dorset.
mid-life-crisis-man.blogspot.co.uk
As many of you know, I'm currently out of work and the good lady has got me full membership at the golf club as a b'day pressie.

Obviously I'm going to spend a bit more time at the club, but should I just play rounds, and how difficult is this when trying to keep an eye on where the ball is going when on your own?

Or should I split my time up to practice certain aspects of my game, like pitching, chipping and putting? Also does it matter if I don't use my 'game' balls for this practice?

Maybe I should just go round the par 3 course?

What's a 'useful' way to spend my time there?

As an ex instructor, I'd probably like to set up a 'training programme' with goals, achievements, and some kind of structure to it all.

At least whilst out of work I can try to make some massive improvements to my game. Which will hopefully stick with me when I end up with another job and are unle to play as much.

Thoughts please.
 
When I was in your situation 12 years ago, I played and played and played. But I was playing off 11 then. As you're in your 20's i'd say practice one aspect on the range/practice ground and then go and practice it on the course.

But there's no real substitute for being on the course.
 
I have to admit that i'm going through a phase at the moment of practising rather than playing. All though this maybe becaause the course has been closed for the past 2 weeks but the range has been open.
 
If you want to get your handicap down practice the short game.

You can practice on the course during the week when its quieter, I find this more enjoyable and its good to see the end result of your practice. I know this is frowned upon however as long as your not holding anyone up, you replace your divots and repair the plug marks I dont see the problem.
 
Practise makes perfect!

I'd definitely recommend you spend some time practising hapless.

I'm fortunately in work so my time is limited. I do however try to get some practise time in when I can.
It's far too easy to go and play but you don't hone the repetition which grooves your game (if you get my meaning)

Last summer, I went to the course and hit the practise area armed with a few irons and a tube of balls. Spent some time just swinging away with various shots. I then treat myself with a few holes as a treat to myself for the practising I'd done.
A wonderful way to spend some time at the course as well as improving your game.
 
Putting and chipping are great things to practice, and will help bring that score down, try and use game balls or at least fairly decent quality balls for this, so you get a similar feel.

Putt or chip 10 balls from various random lies in and around the green, calculate the total distance off all 10 balls in feet, from the hole when your done. If you "score" 17 feet, try the exercise again and try to beat your previous score.

This is a goal driven practice that focus`s the mind on the shots.

Another great practice routine is distance control pitching, if you have the area to do this, it will help your score more than most other forms of practice. Set out 4 or 5 markers from a flag or green, ranging from 25 yards up to 100 yards; drop 20 or 30 balls along this approach line at random and varying lengths (your markers now give you a rough distance to the target)

Now work randomly up and down the line with your wedge, hitting a 40 yard shot, then maybe an 85 yarder back to a 60 yard shot etc, mentally marking in your mind the length and power of each shot. Doing this for a few hours will give you a great feel for those approach wedge shots on the course, hopefully turning bogeys into pars, or pars into birdies!

Hope this helps.
 
The best short game practise once you have worked on technique is play one ball from one area and hole it out

I can spend hours doing it,its the most fun part of the game
 
Rubbish. It is your first membership, the course is there for unlimited play, get out, have some fun for a few months, and play it til you bleed. Plenty of time to practice later.

A bit of play can't do any harm, and will highlight what you need to paractice.
 
Actually in hindsight playing it as much as you can now will put you in good stead for the summer and competitions as you will be more attune to yardages and will get to recognise holes that you can have a go on and those that need a bit more savvy. You'll also find out bail out points if you have hit into trouble and get a feel for the greens while they are running slower.

Go out and wear a groove into the course.
 
I tend to just have 20-30 minutes on the practice green chipping and putting before I go out and play the course. I think there is no comparison to practicing out on the course. I will often play a second or even third ball if i dont like the result of the first. (if no one is behind)

My new club has a putting green and seperate chipping green with bunker. I plan on using these for an hour or two per week before I go out for my rounds.

Even if I only want to practice my pitch shots, I would rather go out on the course and play to practice it.
 
Pro I went to on Friday told me not to hit more than 60 balls in practice but in the time it would take me to hit a 100.

I half envy you, time to play, find out what doesn't work and time to try to fix it - but not the reason for the time.

Just go and have fun!
 
If you can play week days on your course, hopefully when its quiet, I find this the best practice time of all as you are more or less following the pattern of a game but you can slot in extras when you mess up just to show yourself the right shot, or that you can do it. ;)
 
Spent most of the day there today. Spent 30 minutes doing some chipping and close range pitching practice, and then went and played 14 holes on the easier of the 2 courses.

I was worried about not seeing where my ball went, but as it turns out only lost one, as for the other tee shots, well they didn't go far enough to lose. :(

Despite the lesson two weeks ago, I'm still sending the damn things left and low from the tee, and pulling them left on approach shots. At least I know roughly where to look for the balls though. ;)

The new Bettinardi BC3 putter is awesome though. As is the 56 degree MD wedge from GM, it stops the ball quicker than my MPRs.
 
Just keep at it hapless, all of a sudden something will happen when you are not expecting it, just keep plugging away.
 
It might be that in your new playground your swing sub-consciously tightened as you didn't want to make a fool of yourself (not implying anything just a generalisation) and that you were trying too hard on each hole as you were getting use to the layout. Give it a few days and as you get more comfy with everything you may find it clicking back into place.
 
Hapless - Suprised no-one has asked you this instead of saying do this & that. What are the three weakest areas of your game?? i.e. Driving, Putting, Chipping, 150yrds in, Long Irons, Woods off the deck, Bunker play, Play out of the rough?

What i would do is choose the three weakest areas of my game and work on those either one thing per day or all three in one day. For example i would choose:-

1. Driving - Get 20 balls out on the tee (not good ones) on our par 5 and practice that. then.....
2. Woods off the deck - trying to get them onto the green from where your tee shots should have landed. I did this with 5 balls last Friday afternoon and hit 3 drives on the fairway, got all 5 balls with 235yrds left and hit my 3-wood onto the green. 3 on the green, 1 10yrds short & one horrible slice.
3. 150 yrds in - again 20 balls firing them in with fades, draws, low & high. I managed to get 13 on the green an one 2" from the pin!!!

Practice on the course though mate, good excercise, not off artifical mats and more realistic.
 
Isn't the idea of boats to stay out of the water and not hang over the side waiting for a passing Great White to have a nibble?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Orikoru
How much do you spend on practice?
4 5 6
Replies
110
Views
4K
Neilds
N
B
Practice swing vs actual swing
2
Replies
33
Views
2K
HeftyHacker
HeftyHacker
HomerJSimpson
Practice
2
Replies
31
Views
3K
Neilds
N
M
Feedback on expectations....
Replies
10
Views
701
garyinderry
garyinderry
P
Driver for my daughter
Replies
5
Views
179
Golfmmad
Golfmmad
Top