How much do you practice?

**senorchipotle** · June 20, 2009

My goal is to cut my handicap in half by the end of the summer, so i'm hitting consistently in the mid 70's. So, for all you guys who are already there, i pose this question to you in particular; or anybody else who wants to answer it's fine as well. So, how much do you practice, and what kinds of drills do you do to ensure consistency?

**wedge player** · June 20, 2009

My goal is to cut my handicap in half by the end of the summer, so i'm hitting consistently in the mid 70's. So, for all you guys who are already there, i pose this question to you in particular; or anybody else who wants to answer it's fine as well. So, how much do you practice, and what kinds of drills do you do to ensure consistency?

i practice 3 hours a day m-f play 18 sat and sun my practice is 5/8 irons 3/8 pitching and the rest putting

**Jax** · June 20, 2009

for high school tuesday & Thursday 9am-11am then driving range 1-3 depends

**right handed phil mickelson** · June 20, 2009

I practice about 1-2 hours every day, with at least 3-4 rounds of golf a week. Its important to incorporate those rounds of golf to work on your course management because you can't get a handicap on the range. I hit 100 shots on the range, and then go chip and putt for about 20 minutes to practice. If I'm playing a practice round, I'll use 2-3 balls and try different scenarios around the green, or in the fairway. I'll try and work the ball different ways to see what works out better for me.

Consistency is different according to people's swings. For me, I try and work on turning my hips more on the backswing, and feel like my arms are lagging behind be on the downswing. That helps me get consistency in my shots. What you want to try and do is to hit on the range until you hit a 'perfect' shot. It has the right height, right line, right distance. Hold the finish of that shot and think about what you just did. Make a mental note of it and try to do it again. If it works for 5 shots on each club, then write down what you did. This helps me keep a mental note of what I need to do to hit it right.

Also, go out and figure out the yardages of your clubs. I still need to do this myself, but don't just go up with a 5 iron on a 167 yard hole (generalization: I'd be hitting 8 iron), since your 5 iron is 'about 170'.

If you can, get some lessons from a local pro. They will always have something to show you to work on.

Most importantly, work on your short game. This is where most of the score saves come from. If you can get your chips inside of 2 feet every time, that is the best save you can do for yourself. Putting is THE most important part of your game. So, you might want to devote all of one of your practice sessions to putting. Hope This Helps!

~RHPM

**right handed phil mickelson** · June 20, 2009

Also, if you don't already have one, build a routine that works. A routine helps you rely on something you know, and gives you a comfortable feeling in pressure situations. It gives a lot of consistency also. Have fun!

~RHPM

**enis750** · June 20, 2009

rarely....
i might hit the range once every 2 weeks or so
BUT..before every round I get there at least 1 hour to 45 mins early and putt/chip
i will also golf 2-3 rounds every week

sometimes i will golf by myself, hit two balls from every location and play a "texas scramble"...would you call this practice?...maybe i guess, dunno.....

just cant stand the range, i would rather get out and hit the links
i strike the ball well off the T and irons
you can always improve the short game, so thats why i arrive early before each round..gets u in the groove

now that i think of it, maybe i do practice a bit!! hahahah!
good thread dude, never realized it! hahaha!

**senorchipotle** · June 20, 2009

thanks guys... it seems like the consensus is, i need to practice quite a bit more. i play 2-3 times a week but don't practice much. i'm sure that's the cause of my inconsistency. it feels like the first 4 or 5 holes getting my rhythm down, and by that time i'm already two or 3 over.

**87vert** · June 20, 2009

Usually get out to the range twice a week and try to play twice a week. All depends on how I'm feeling and the weather. oh and the wife :)

**goblue107501** · June 20, 2009

Hardly practice at all. I am lucky to play 2-3 times in a month and maybe mix in a small bucket every once in a while just to keep the muscles loose. Wish I could play more, just don't have the time and money to play all the time.

My only thing is that if I am lucky enough to schedule a round I will get to the course plenty early to hit balls, and then putt and chip as much as possible.

**MA5Bergey** · June 20, 2009

I don't have a ton of disposable income, so I can't go every day, even though I would love to. I do go to the range every other day (so it's 3 days a week one calendar week, followed by 4 the next) and try to get a minimum of 1 round in every weekend, but I usually try to get in at least 2.

**right handed phil mickelson** · June 20, 2009

Hardly practice at all. I am lucky to play 2-3 times in a month and maybe mix in a small bucket every once in a while just to keep the muscles loose. Wish I could play more, just don't have the time and money to play all the time.

Then how are you a 5.7 handicap?

**ApocG10** · June 20, 2009

I practice a lot. Before I got hurt, I took lessons and spent a lot of time on the practice range, driving, chipping, putting, every day. A lot of time was spent in the practice bunkers also. My favourite practice is putting though. Im quite good at it, and rarely every 3 putt.

I'd say i was practicing about 8 hours a week, and playing an average of 5 rounds.

Now i cant play again till mid to late july :(

**CG031** · June 20, 2009

About 12 hours a week of pure practice (driving range, putting green, bunker shots, etc.) and about 1-2 rounds per week of actual playing on the course.

**Cooker** · June 21, 2009

Go to the range twice during the week, hit balls for about 1.5 hours, putt and chip 1.5 hours.
Play a local Pitch and Putt once a week, play off the grass, no tees and play 2 balls.
Hit a bucket of balls before each round and putt for .5 hour

**Parker0065** · June 21, 2009

Back in my single days I was putting in 12 solid hours of practice a week but in my married life I get in about 4-5 hours of practice and play 2-3 rounds per week.

I've always tried to split my practice time 40/60 with 40% on the full swing and 60% on the short game and putting. I use two training aids that I've found are great to swing even at home without a ball, those are the medicus 5-iron, and the Maximus weighted driver.

As far as drills on the range I may practice a number of things, but one mainstay drill I have is hitting balls with my feet together. This has always helped me synch my swing and get me in a good tempo.

For the short game my son and I will play a game where we each chip ten balls from a spot to our own designated hole, then we will putt out all ten balls and the player with the most one putts wins that round(if you 3-jack it negates a one putt).

Another game we play to improve lag putting is we will putt from 50-80 feet with two balls, then pickup the one closest to the hole and putt out with the one that finished the farthest away.

The best advice I can give you is make sure your practice is productive. It takes me a while to hit a bucket of balls because I go through my whole preshot routine for each shot and hit the shot with a purpose and a target. If I'm working on a very specific move in my swing I may hit 30 or 40 balls without the preshot routine. The other day I was working on a particular move with my long irons to get as much lag in my swing as I could. I must have banged 40 balls in a row, but at that moment I was focused on grooving one particular move in my swing and I wasn't focusing on a target. After I felt I had it down I went back to my preshot routine and focusing on a target.

There's many way's to practice so you just have to find out what is most productive for you.

**shankapotamus** · June 21, 2009

I'm in high school, don't have a job, and my great uncle owns a golf course so:

I play 5 rounds a week. With two more sets of nine on tuesday and friday for high school team practice.

I hit two buckets of about 75 balls. One before round, one after.

I putt for two hours a day. Chip for about an hour.

Unfortunately, I've only been playing for a year and a half.

**anthonykim3** · June 21, 2009

i pracitce a good 10 hours a week during school play at least 54 holes a week summer
a good 15 hours a week and 6 rounds a week

**goblue107501** · June 21, 2009

Then how are you a 5.7 handicap?

Pretty easy really. I used to play -- a lot. I took a good set of lessons several years ago so I know my faults and how to correct them. I have a good swing and good short game so when I am able to play I always keep the ball in play and make a bunch of pars.

I did the work to get to this point. I wish I had the time and money to take my game further. I don't, but I can live with it. I don't compete at all except in a scramble here and there if someone wants to pay for it. I usually just play for fun with my friends.

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