Practicing

[richart]

Am i the only person on this site that doesn't spend hours practicing every week ?

I play golf about once a week, but i don't practice, apart from the odd chip around the garden when the weathers good, or a bit of putting on the carpet in front of the tv, when HID is watching a 'make over' programme. I understand hitting a few balls as a warm up before playing, but hours of practicing during the week before playing at the weekend ?

I did find the practice ground at my club for the first time in over two years recently to try and sort out my very wild driving. On the course a few days later it was just as bad again, and the problem was only sorted when i reverted to the three wood.

I get the impression that some golfers actually prefer practicing to playing. I am sure that all the practice must be having great results, otherwise why do it ?

Each to his own, but i would just like to voice an opinion as the so far silent non practicers. Perhaps i am not taking the game seriously enough , but i just play for enjoyment, and boy do i enjoy it.

 

[Owen_Thomas_14]

Im the same as you on this one . Definitely need to practice more if i want to get lower .

 

[pokerjoke]

I dont really practice because i enjoy it[even though i dont mind it either,i practice because i want to get better,perhaps you have come to the stage where your happy with your handicap.Im one of these people that is not happy with just turning up every week and moaning when i play crap,if thats the case why bother.To me practice is as important as playing because it allows you to work on the weak parts of my game.And as i said its because i want to get better,it sounds to me that you dont mind either way.

 

[Alex1975]

@OP If I played off 9.5 I think I would practice less. I would have to say that you have some skill if you can play to that handicap and not do any practice, has it always been the case?

I practice/play 5 times a week and I know I am getting better but I also do enjoy it. The range is a great way to end the day for me, it helps my golf if I dont mess about too much and it cleans the days crap from my sole.

 

[Losttheplot]

As I mentioned on another thread, I did used to practise and thats how I got to playing off 8 but now I havent done any for ages and I play to 18 more than I do to 8.

I think you need to do some form of practise or regular playing to retain a good handicap. Or just be gifted, to which I am not

 

[crux]

Surely it's motivation based. Put simply I want to play to a SF handicap as soon as possible, with my talent I could spend 10 years playing once a week with no practice and maybe I get there, maybe I don't. But I'm inpatient and I want to find out if I'm that good sooner rather than later so I practice. Luckily enough I mostly enjoy practice too.

OP, how did you get to single figures? Are you one of golfs natural talents or did it take you years of steady improvement?

 

[Region3]

I might go to the range once a week or so in the summer, and the practice putting green on the side of a hill and chipping green with longer grass than my back garden keep me away from those.

I feel so ashamed

I wonder if I can get any lower without practicing? Maybe I should start a blog

 

[USER1999]

I kind of practice. I am always early to golf, as I hate rushing, and so while I wait for the others, or wait for my tee time, I practice chipping and putting. That said, I am better at both out on the course than I am in the practice areas.

I also go to the range occasionally (more so in the winter). I am equally rubbish at the range, so I wonder why I bother.

 

[richart]

Surely it's motivation based. Put simply I want to play to a SF handicap as soon as possible, with my talent I could spend 10 years playing once a week with no practice and maybe I get there, maybe I don't. But I'm inpatient and I want to find out if I'm that good sooner rather than later so I practice. Luckily enough I mostly enjoy practice too.

OP, how did you get to single figures? Are you one of golfs natural talents or did it take you years of steady improvement?

I played as a kid, and got to single figures, by just playing a lot. I didn't practiced then, as my club didn't have a proper practice ground. Had six lessons when i started , and a couple more over the next two years and just played the course.

Gave up for years and came back to the game three years ago. I just enjoy playing the course, and the buzz from playing competitions. Always been competitive, so i need someone to beat, but also enjoy the social side.

Ultimately you have to be able to play on the course, so why not play the course more, rather than the artificial conditions of a driving range ? No pressure on the range, but on the course trying to bring home a good round ?

I can understand golfers that practice to improve, and those that actually enjoy practicing, but i suppose i don't fit into either camp.

What surprises me on this forum is how much everyone seems to practice. In our roll up at the club we have a full range of handicaps, but hardly any practice on a regular basis.

Having done some tennis and swimming coaching, it is important to remember it is quality of practice not quantity. Practicing a fault just ingrains it more.

 

[richart]

I might go to the range once a week or so in the summer, and the practice putting green on the side of a hill and chipping green with longer grass than my back garden keep me away from those.

I feel so ashamed

I wonder if I can get any lower without practicing? Maybe I should start a blog

You have taken the first steps to admitting you are a non practicer

 

[NWJocko]

With the OP, i never practice and never have done. Only lessons i ever had were fron my grandad when i was a kid and never had one since.

A number of factors i suppose, chief of which is time, or lack of it. Any "golf time" i get i want to play.

I know i could do with a putting lesson at the very least but would i sooner do that than play in a weekend comp? No!

 

[crux]

I think practicer's are overly represented on t'internet forums.

In real life I seldom see anyone else practicing unless I go to a range. Nobody on the putting green, nobody except the kids taking instruction at the practice ground.

Having said all that, most of my own practise last year was on the course during a swift 6-12 holes after work. I certainly don't love the driving range!

 

[viscount17]

I do practice but I practice badly - I go with good intentions but those soon fall apart or I get bored.

How and what to practice has to be taught or it becomes 'buy a bucket of balls, hit until none are left, go home'.

 

[griffgolf]

I never bother with the range...I get bored with it way to easy.

I play once in the week if time permits then its a comp on a saturday

 

[Smiffy]

Never practice.
If I get to the course earlier than expected I look on it as as opportunity to wander around the pro shop or to have an extra cup of coffee.
Never set foot on the practice putting green before a game, neither do I go into the nets.
Gear on, walk to the first tee and play with what I have on the day (which varies from day to day).

 

[Alex1975]

Surely it's motivation based. Put simply I want to play to a SF handicap as soon as possible, with my talent I could spend 10 years playing once a week with no practice and maybe I get there, maybe I don't. But I'm inpatient and I want to find out if I'm that good sooner rather than later so I practice. Luckily enough I mostly enjoy practice too.

OP, how did you get to single figures? Are you one of golfs natural talents or did it take you years of steady improvement?

I played as a kid, and got to single figures, by just playing a lot. I didn't practiced then, as my club didn't have a proper practice ground. Had six lessons when i started , and a couple more over the next two years and just played the course.

Gave up for years and came back to the game three years ago. I just enjoy playing the course, and the buzz from playing competitions. Always been competitive, so i need someone to beat, but also enjoy the social side.

Ultimately you have to be able to play on the course, so why not play the course more, rather than the artificial conditions of a driving range ? No pressure on the range, but on the course trying to bring home a good round ?

I can understand golfers that practice to improve, and those that actually enjoy practicing, but i suppose i don't fit into either camp.

What surprises me on this forum is how much everyone seems to practice. In our roll up at the club we have a full range of handicaps, but hardly any practice on a regular basis.

Having done some tennis and swimming coaching, it is important to remember it is quality of practice not quantity. Practicing a fault just ingrains it more.

It is a golf forum though so you will get a more "into it" golfer on here in the main. Clearly your one of the exeptions but I would think that people on a golf forum are even more golf nuts than in your roll up or member of your club. We are golf geeks!

 

[richart]

Not so sure Alex, a few non practicers are coming out !

 

[percy_layer]

Am i the only person on this site that doesn't spend hours practicing every week ?

I play golf about once a week, but i don't practice, apart from the odd chip around the garden when the weathers good, or a bit of putting on the carpet in front of the tv, when HID is watching a 'make over' programme. I understand hitting a few balls as a warm up before playing, but hours of practicing during the week before playing at the weekend ?

I did find the practice ground at my club for the first time in over two years recently to try and sort out my very wild driving. On the course a few days later it was just as bad again, and the problem was only sorted when i reverted to the three wood.

I get the impression that some golfers actually prefer practicing to playing. I am sure that all the practice must be having great results, otherwise why do it ?

Each to his own, but i would just like to voice an opinion as the so far silent non practicers. Perhaps i am not taking the game seriously enough , but i just play for enjoyment, and boy do i enjoy it.

I think you're in the majority, we have a members practice ground level with the 11th hole and i usually have the place to myself, there are two or three members who also use it but i might see them there once a week.

I practice because i want to improve and i also enjoy it. I love playing the game but i'm also very happy on a nice day to be on the range or short game area. A sunny day, big pile of practice balls, good turf to hit from and not much wind and i'm content.

The main range next to the shop opened today, so should see a few more people warming up before their games as it's so close to the first tee.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have overpracticed in the past (2009 in particular) but as I've said before golf and most sports never came easy. While I was a junior and an assistant I benefited from playing every day and so it was easy. Once I started work I needed to practice to keep any sort of reasonable standard up.

I enjoy it. I find it rewarding and therapeutic (I must be mad) and when it pays off on the course it is doubly pleasing. However nowadays unless I'm working on a swing change after a lesson, I'm trying to restrict my practice (once the nights get lighter anyway) to 120 yards and in. I can hit the ball pretty welll now (perhaps the driver still needs work) but don't give myself enough birdies chances and convert the ones I create.

I certainly intend to do what I did last year and play as many holes as I can over the summer and use the course as my range. Of course the thing to bear in mind isn't how much you practice but how well. Ingraining faults isn't going to cut the handicap.

At least my clubs practice ground is grass so I get a fair reflection on my shots and don't have the forgiveness of a mat. We've a decent practice bunker and short game area and this is where I need to invest my time

 

[AuburnWarrior]

No practice from me - for no other reason than I don't have the time. Plus, I find practicing rather boring.

I must be doing something right though, I've played every Sunday apart from one and only not played to my handicap (or better) once.

And yes, I arrive at the course on my trusty steed.....