Do you practice "correctly"?

[Crusher47]

I voted "some of the time"  I usually start very focused and shooting each ball like I'm on the course, but I will also use the same club for multiple balls, sometimes even a half bucket to try and see if I can get some consistency with my shots.  One thing I do not have is a pre-shot routine.  I normally line up, then just let her rip.  I try not to think too much when I'm hitting the ball.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by Crusher47

I voted "some of the time"  I usually start very focused and shooting each ball like I'm on the course, but I will also use the same club for multiple balls, sometimes even a half bucket to try and see if I can get some consistency with my shots.  One thing I do not have is a pre-shot routine.  I normally line up, then just let her rip.  I try not to think too much when I'm hitting the ball.

You should think about developing one, doesn't have to be fancy or elaborate but even at the highest handicap level it is beneficial.

[dave67az]

Originally Posted by 14ledo81

I meant that I am not sure of exactly "how" to fix my own swing flaws.  I may think I am doing the correct things to fix them, but they may very well be wrong.  Similar to learning anything without the proper instruction.

To me, that's the cool thing about practicing the pre-shot routine.  You can have swing flaws and still work on ingraining a repeatable routine.

I've related golf to bowling before, and I do that because I'm a far better bowler than a golfer (190+ average in most leagues).  I took bowling lessons from a pro years ago and I'm confident that's what really helped me.  I plan to start golf lessons this year, so I still consider myself a novice when it comes to golf (after 30 years).

The point is, my bowling pre-shot routine (from the time I step on the approach to the time I release the ball) is identical, within a second or so, every time I take a shot.  It has allowed me to take the mental game completely out of my bowling.  The only thing I have to do is think about is which board I'm going to hit...the rest of the shot is habit.  It's so habitual, in fact, that if it gets interrupted at any point I have to start over (luckily it doesn't take long).

My goal is to get my golf pre-shot routine just as ingrained.  Do my thinking (which club, where to play the ball in my stance, etc) BEFORE I start the pre-shot routine.  Then when I start the routine there won't be anything else to think about other than "hit the ball".

This is what I believe will work for me, because it's going to give me confidence.  The confidence will come from similar experience in my bowling game.  While you may argue that golf can't compare to bowling because bowling is always on the same lane (well, same two lanes) and instead of 14 clubs you have at most maybe 3 or 4 balls to choose from, I'll argue that it's more similar than it's different.  Success comes down to one major task:  repeatable muscle movement.  Same power, same direction, shot after shot.

[NM Golf]

I think one of the mistakes many people make when practicing is they don't go into it with any kind of plan. I was this way until one of the pros at my course asked me a few years ago what I was working on as I walked out of the pro shop with a bucket of balls. I couldn't answer his question. I wasn't working on anything I was just hitting golf balls with an empty head.

Now when I practice I always have a goal in mind and something specific I want to work on. I have drills in mind if I am having trouble with one area or another. I also try to break down my time into 65/25/10 so I can work on my whole game. I practice much more than I play due to time constraints and the like so I want to get the most out of it. You get very little out of busting golf balls one after another for two hours, but you can get a lot out of 45 minutes of good practice.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by dave67az

To me, that's the cool thing about practicing the pre-shot routine.  You can have swing flaws and still work on ingraining a repeatable routine.

I've related golf to bowling before, and I do that because I'm a far better bowler than a golfer (190+ average in most leagues).  I took bowling lessons from a pro years ago and I'm confident that's what really helped me.  I plan to start golf lessons this year, so I still consider myself a novice when it comes to golf (after 30 years).

The point is, my bowling pre-shot routine (from the time I step on the approach to the time I release the ball) is identical, within a second or so, every time I take a shot.  It has allowed me to take the mental game completely out of my bowling.  The only thing I have to do is think about is which board I'm going to hit...the rest of the shot is habit.  It's so habitual, in fact, that if it gets interrupted at any point I have to start over (luckily it doesn't take long).

My goal is to get my golf pre-shot routine just as ingrained.  Do my thinking (which club, where to play the ball in my stance, etc) BEFORE I start the pre-shot routine.  Then when I start the routine there won't be anything else to think about other than "hit the ball".

This is what I believe will work for me, because it's going to give me confidence.  The confidence will come from similar experience in my bowling game.  While you may argue that golf can't compare to bowling because bowling is always on the same lane (well, same two lanes) and instead of 14 clubs you have at most maybe 3 or 4 balls to choose from, I'll argue that it's more similar than it's different.  Success comes down to one major task:  repeatable muscle movement.  Same power, same direction, shot after shot.

Some may ... but this would be a very silly argument to make.  As far as the pre-shot routine aspect goes ... it is EXACTLY the same.  All of the decisions regarding which club to use and which type of shot to hit, or for bowling, which ball to use, board to hit, and how hard to throw it, have been made PRIOR to the beginning of the pre-shot routine.  Free throws fall into the exact same category.  As would any number of activities in any sport that requires some type of precision - archery, tennis (serves), curling, high jump, pole vault, discus, darts, etc, etc.

Side note:  Not sure about you, but it's awfully annoying how easy it seems to throw a good shot right after you just did it.  Like, what's so hard about doing that 12 times each game? ;)  But, obviously something is, because I ain't averaging 240 or 250. :)  Same is true for golf.  When I hit a good shot, I always feel like "Man, that was simple" ... but obviously not so much. ;)

[dave67az]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Some may ... but this would be a very silly argument to make.  As far as the pre-shot routine aspect goes ... it is EXACTLY the same.  All of the decisions regarding which club to use and which type of shot to hit, or for bowling, which ball to use, board to hit, and how hard to throw it, have been made PRIOR to the beginning of the pre-shot routine.  Free throws fall into the exact same category.  As would any number of activities in any sport that requires some type of precision - archery, tennis (serves), curling, high jump, pole vault, discus, darts, etc, etc.

Side note:  Not sure about you, but it's awfully annoying how easy it seems to throw a good shot right after you just did it.  Like, what's so hard about doing that 12 times each game? ;)  But, obviously something is, because I ain't averaging 240 or 250. :)  Same is true for golf.  When I hit a good shot, I always feel like "Man, that was simple" ... but obviously not so much. ;)

If anything, this just emphasizes the point that executing a perfect shot has nothing to do with thinking, because when we (or at least I) execute one it's usually at a time when we really weren't thinking about it.  Further evidence that thinking harder isn't going to allow you to pull off a shot with any more success than if you didn't think.

Not to say you shouldn't have a plan for each shot.  But once you've done the thinking and picked up the club, the rest should be a routine that you've executed thousands of times before.

[JeffG]

I'm about a quarter of the way through a major swing overhaul, so I've practiced more in the last 4 months than probably the previous 4 years combined.  I never was much of a practice-guy.  I always thought, "Why go hit balls endlessly at a flag when I can go and actually play?".  That was because when I did go to the range, I didn't have a plan or really much of anything to work on.  I might want to straighten out my driver, but I would just hit balls endlessly.  And I didn't enjoy it, at all, much less hitting into a net.  I would've much rather mowed the lawn vs hitting balls off of a mat into a net.

Now, I can't wait to put my daughter down to sleep so I can run into the garage and work on my swing.  I am working on several different things, so in order to get that great feeling I have to look at my swing (via V1 app on cell phone) to see my progress.  I still have bad sessions (last night..), but overall I am very surprised at myself for actually practicing.

Anyway, to the point of the thread, since I am doing a major swing overhaul I must practice every rep with complete focus.  Since I'm adding/changing things in my swing that are so foreign, if I don't focus completely, it is a wasted rep.  I'm in the stage of trying to ingrain new swing patterns and "reprogram" my brain.  The only time I'll hit balls in a somewhat uptempo succession, is when I have a "a ha!  That was IT!" moment.  I'll try to repeat that same swing in quick succession to help me ingrain that feeling.  Otherwise, my reps are slower and I might take a slow practice swing to hit certain positions that I want to feel.

Man this game is hard...

[Chas]

Regrettably I voted almost never. But as others have said I'm usually working on one or two things and focus my practice swings (getting the right feel) and the final swing on those. Still, it would be good to genuinely step up there as if you were on the 18th at Pebble or whatever, I just find it hard. I need to check out Erik's threads on the matter.

[jamo]

I voted "never." That's something to change this year.

[BuckeyeNut]

I never practice because I only like to "PLAY" golf.  Not practice golf........bleh

[meenman]

I do not get to the range much during the week, so my practice is the orange whip in the backyard and putting inside.

For me, the range is pretty much used to loosen up before a round.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by jamo

I voted "never." That's something to change this year.

Almost everyone should be voting "never."

Here was me yesterday... still working on it. I've taken less full-speed swings than you can count on the hands and feet of a person missing one entire leg and arm.

[RichWW2]

Early in the season, i.e. this time of year in Ohio...for the first few weeks I just try to kick the rust off and try to get a decent rhythm.  So for at least the first few weeks I just try to be able to hit the ball decently again.  Then after that I get a lot more routine oriented.  Start with the scoring clubs and try to hit specific shots at specific targets.  ~5 months (Nov-Mar) of not hitting balls kills me for a few weeks when I'm able to get back to the range.  Those first few time are ROUGH to say the least.

[RetroJFrancisco]

I voted "rarely or never", I usually use the range purely for getting my head into the sort of mindframe to play golf, I might have my music in, I might not even take a look where my shot has finished, I just use the range time to get warmed up and get a few nice strikes in ready to hit the course, I try not to concentrate at all, I have a very bad attention span and if I concentrate too much on the range a bad shot could mean a bad round.

[clearwaterms]

So last week I went to the driving range (Top Golf in Itasca, IL) and it is one of those driving ranges with the RFID tagged golf balls that allows you to hit different targets (from as close as 10-15 yards away to as far as the back net which is 240?) away

I will be honest that caused me to practice like I play a lot more than just banging on a bunch of golf balls.  I worked for an entire set of balls on just hitting them to the target at 150 yards with my 8 iron.  Every shot I dropped the ball onto the mat, stood behind it, picked an alignment spot 5' in front of the ball,  took to practice swings, lined up, setup my stance, waggled the club, corrected my posture, and focused on my swing thoughts that I have been working on and hit the ball.

The range (via a game) tracks how close you got to the target.  I put 18 of 20 balls within a 10' circle of the 150 yard target.  I would say that is well above my average, and I attribute that to applying the same mental preparation I put into my swing on the course into my swing on the range.

[dave67az]

Originally Posted by clearwaterms

So last week I went to the driving range (Top Golf in Itasca, IL) and it is one of those driving ranges with the RFID tagged golf balls that allows you to hit different targets (from as close as 10-15 yards away to as far as the back net which is 240?) away

I will be honest that caused me to practice like I play a lot more than just banging on a bunch of golf balls.  I worked for an entire set of balls on just hitting them to the target at 150 yards with my 8 iron.  Every shot I dropped the ball onto the mat, stood behind it, picked an alignment spot 5' in front of the ball,  took to practice swings, lined up, setup my stance, waggled the club, corrected my posture, and focused on my swing thoughts that I have been working on and hit the ball.

The range (via a game) tracks how close you got to the target.  I put 18 of 20 balls within a 10' circle of the 150 yard target.  I would say that is well above my average, and I attribute that to applying the same mental preparation I put into my swing on the course into my swing on the range.

And I'm betting you came away with the feeling that your practice was productive, and not just burning time and energy.

That's what I want to achieve this year.  More effective practice.  Simulated rounds of golf on the range.  Picture a hole on my home course, hit my driver, see what I'd have left for my second shot, pick my next club and a target green close to the remaining distance to my imaginary green, hit my shot, figure if I'm on the green or not, and see how many GIRs I can hit.

Yeah, it doesn't work if you're working on something specific in your swing, but if you can't afford to play 4 times a week, but you CAN afford 4 trips to the range, my theory is I can improve quite a bit.  True, I don't have to worry about my lie because it's always perfect on the range, but I still think it's a valuable way for me to practice and it gives me a quantifiable takeaway (GIRs) that I can use to judge my improvement.

[Ernest Jones]

I just watched film of todays practice session and Erik (with a K ) is right, I don't practice anywhere near as "correctly" as I thought I did. I think I'm better than most, I actually practice quite a bit with no ball which reduces the desire/urge to just swing away but I still need more discipline.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by dave67az

Quote:

Originally Posted by clearwaterms

So last week I went to the driving range (Top Golf in Itasca, IL) and it is one of those driving ranges with the RFID tagged golf balls that allows you to hit different targets (from as close as 10-15 yards away to as far as the back net which is 240?) away

I will be honest that caused me to practice like I play a lot more than just banging on a bunch of golf balls.  I worked for an entire set of balls on just hitting them to the target at 150 yards with my 8 iron.  Every shot I dropped the ball onto the mat, stood behind it, picked an alignment spot 5' in front of the ball,  took to practice swings, lined up, setup my stance, waggled the club, corrected my posture, and focused on my swing thoughts that I have been working on and hit the ball.

The range (via a game) tracks how close you got to the target.  I put 18 of 20 balls within a 10' circle of the 150 yard target.  I would say that is well above my average, and I attribute that to applying the same mental preparation I put into my swing on the course into my swing on the range.

And I'm betting you came away with the feeling that your practice was productive, and not just burning time and energy.

That's what I want to achieve this year.  More effective practice.  Simulated rounds of golf on the range.  Picture a hole on my home course, hit my driver, see what I'd have left for my second shot, pick my next club and a target green close to the remaining distance to my imaginary green, hit my shot, figure if I'm on the green or not, and see how many GIRs I can hit.

Yeah, it doesn't work if you're working on something specific in your swing, but if you can't afford to play 4 times a week, but you CAN afford 4 trips to the range, my theory is I can improve quite a bit.  True, I don't have to worry about my lie because it's always perfect on the range, but I still think it's a valuable way for me to practice and it gives me a quantifiable takeaway (GIRs) that I can use to judge my improvement.

I've done that on the range, but I still got bored - I guess I just don't have a vivid enough imagination.  I found out that it was more effective to practice that way on the actual course, so that's what I do.  I play golf on the course, and I practice the same way, by playing golf.  For me, that what works.  My only actual off course practice anymore is short game.