Practice Routines

For those of your who practice more than three times a week at the range, I was curious to read what kinds of range drills and practice routines are out there.

My routine goes as follows: warm up with full swings with my 3 and 4 irons, then hit my 7, 5, 3, Driver, 4, 6, 8, 9, PW. Then two different sand wedges, Gap wedge, Lob, then work my way back up to Driver. If there are any balls left, I play a few mock holes by creating fairways by using the range flags as boundries and hit driver/3 iron off the tee, and then an approach.

I would like to diversify my practice, let's hear whats out there!

you hit with your 60* at the range? I should try that, I thought it only went a couple of yards though...

I only use my 60* from about 25 yards and in. I like to get the feel of it so I am confortable striking it and being accurate so I can one putt after using it. I hit that as much as I hit my driver sometimes on a course, so lots of practice with it.

Start with my PW and when I get 5 good straight shots in a row I begin to work with my wedges (same drill, sand, gap, and lob). Then my 9 thru 3 iron, then 5, 3 woods, driver, same drill of 5 good shots in a row. I then imagine playing a par-5 using the driver, fairway wood, pitching wedge, then gap or lob wedge, in that order. The basket has 135 balls and that round will eat them up pretty quick. If I'm feeling strong I'll get two baskets. Oh, and I pick out one of the yardage markers as a target.

After stretching, I hit a few shots with my PW to loosen up, then pick either even or odd and work my way through the bag up to driver. That's about half the bucket.

The next half of the balls I work on shots of less than 100 yards. I'll pick a target out on the range of 60 yards for example, and hit different shots to it. High soft lobs, low spinners, etc.

Yep. After stretching, I work my way up from my 60 thru 4 iron, then hybrid 3, then driver. I hit each until I'm comfortable and I'm hitting them well several in a row. Sometimes I run out of balls still going through my irons. I think that's okay, as those mid to short fairways shorts eat strokes for all of us! On rare occasion I only take woods, if I really want to work on my tee box.

Almost every time I go to the range, I also take a sleeve of my own balls over to the chipping/sand/putting area after I've hit a bucket. I use a few of my own balls, because around the green is most certainly a 'feel' thing and I want to replicate the feel.

You never hit your 60* from outside of 25 yards? what if you've got an impairment in your way and the only option is to lob wedge it over? Open up the 56*?

I take my whole bag, find a line of flags/sticks to mark my 'fairway' and then progress thru my clubs as if I were playing a round. Tee shot and then a couple fairway shots off the grass/mat.

I rarely hit the same club twice in a row because I dont typically do that in any given round and I want to not get into a 'groove' on the range with one club that isnt likely to happen on the course.

If it's cold or I'm not warmed up... Particularly in the morning... I start with my 7i and take 3/4 swings for ~ 5 to 10 shots and try and aim 150yds down range.  I focus on my tempo - and striking down on the ball.

Then after I am a little more stretched... I move to my PW/50/54/58 wedges and start taking full shots at various targets from 50/75/100/115/120yds.  Focusing heavily on my trajectory and how I'm hitting my targets - looking for the proper shape to the shots (approximately 20 to 30 shots here).

Then I move into my routine where I will go long club (Driver/3W/4H/5H/4i/5i) - hit a shot - then move to a shorter club (6i/7i/8i/9i/PW)... I do this alternate shot - one shot at a time with my pre-shot routine.  I do this until I'm out of balls.

There are other days when all I will do is hit one wedge and one iron.  Like yesterday, I hit my 50* and 5i on a bucket of 55 balls.  And I was just focused on striking one shot with the 5i, then followed it up with one shot with my 50*... Alternating.  Focused on a 115 / 185yd distances and hitting at a flag.

Practice?  What's that?

OK.....somebody had to say it!  LOL

When on the range, which I really need to get to, this is my last reply today... Anyway, when on the range, I like to take every shot as though its a shot on the course. Pick a target, practice swing move, line up the shot, go. I want my shots on the range to mimic the time it would take to hit a shot on the course. Try to make it as though they are one-in-the-same. That way there is no "oh, I hit the ball so great on the range, but I just can't get it to convert to the course" As far as length of practice. I'll hit balls until I find that my mind starts wondering.

Putting hasn't been hit upon yet. I've detailed my putting routine here: I Love Practicing Putting!

I use Tiger/Jack's warm up routine. I start with my 56* wedge and start hitting small pitches and work up to full swings. Then move to 8 iron, 4 iron, 3 wood, driver, back to 8 iron, then 60* wedge. I usually hit about 10-15 balls for each club unless I'm hitting it well within the first few. I'm usually left with around 20 balls and just use it to practice distance control with my wedges or try carrying shots onto green to practice accuracy. Hard to measure full distance when the range is made of turf.

Playing devils advocate here.....

I have not hit a bucket of balls since 1995.  Not even a warmup bucket before a round and I have unlimited range priv's.............LOL...true story.

PS..I confess

I think I got frustrated once in 2001 and hit a single bucket once.

Don't you have to make a point or something to play devil's advocate?

Yes...since you asked.  I'd rather play. I hate practicing and I never do.  I know a few "ranger ricks".......

I say...just play!!!  Play a lot and you'll get good.

How's that?...since you asked....being devils advocate and all...LOL

Thank you - that's what I was looking for.

I suggest practicing at the start of the year and when there's not enough time to play a round. I'd still rather play solo at twilight to practice though. When I get to a problem hole or shot I just drop a couple and work it out at the scene of the crime. At the range everything seems easier.

I admit practice is necessary for those who don't have unlimited playing privileges.

For those who can ........just play!  My 2 cents....

Well Buckeye Nut, one could imagine that since you have reached a highly advanced golf ability level, if the listed handicap is accurate, then it seems to me that without practice to improve you have accepted your level and find no further need to develop. No complaint as if i could shoot one over par on 18 holes then i too may be pretty satisfied and 'smug' ! R u OSU alum?  ME 2 from the days of Archie Griffin.   Long long ago.