Your routine at the range...?

[RollTitleist]

I've only been playing golf regularly for a couple years and generally shoot in the low 90s.  Break 90 every now and then when playing well by my standards.

Anyway, like every golfer, I'd like to play better and with more consistency and I'm willing to practice.  I go to the range once or twice a week but I read something a couple weeks ago that got me to thinking....there is a very big difference in going to the range and pounding/chipping/putting balls and actually "practicing."

I'm curious as to what some of you guys who practice frequently do as far as a routine.  I'm not even sure I know how to "practice" and obviously going out and hitting balls helps to some degree with consistency but I don't guess it's utilizing my time at the range as well as I could be.

TIA.

[Golfingdad]

Read these threads to start:

simple-specific-slow-short-and-success-the-five-s-s-of-great-practice

65-25-10-practice-ratios-where-to-devote-your-practice-time

Obviously, you need to know what it is you're practicing too.  For that, you'd either have to video yourself and try and figure out what your biggest, most urgent, flaw is ... or seek out an instructor to do that for you.

[BuckeyeNut]

I drive right past it..................

[imsys0042]

I do one of two things. 1 - if I am trying to groove a swing change, I will block off a lot of time and just beat balls until I feel I am mostly there with it. It usually takes me 3-4 rounds to feel comfortable on th course with it, if I do it like that. I am talking 2-4 hours. 2 - if I am trying to practice in general I don't hit the same club more than twice and I vary th shots being hit. Fade, draw, straight, high low, etc... I feel like this is overall the best way to maintain and get more comfortable with shots. If there is an identified weakness, I usually do a straight/normal shot with the first shot of a club and then the second will be what I am working on.

[Hammer 4]

I set up a station  with 2 clubs running parallel ( like railroad tracks) and 1 club perpendicular to the outside club. The 2 parallel clubs act as an alignment aid, and the club that lays perpendicular is for my ball placement. I have a curved and twisted spine, so sometimes I get aimed way more left of my target then I realize, so the aids help me.

also, if I'm working on a swing mechanic, I do it really slow by itself, after a 1/2 dozen tries, I then incorporate it into my swing, still swinging Very slow. I will take at least 6 practice swings, then I will hit a ball, and repeat as necessary until I get the move correct, and am somewhat consistent in my swing.

I work on everything from short chips, to driver, I work on shot shaping, trajectory, and different distances with each club.

All this includes the        http://purestrike5sk.com/videos.php  I practice Keys 1, 2, 3, mostly, I find if I can get these correct, my golf shots usually come out pretty good. tonight I hit about 250 balls, I worked a bunch on my driver, as I believe I have a power leak somewhere, I just can't figure out where yet..lol Anyways, that's what I do.

[Dave2512]

Totally ot here but...Last Sun I was at the range doing drills, weight forward stuff, some slo-mo swings etc. You know good practice and I was enjoying it. A couple of kids walk up and start blasting away. Turns out I got paired with them. As I roll up to the tee one loudly says here comes that wanker. I swear it happens every time.

[ghalfaire]

Read these threads to start:

simple-specific-slow-short-and-success-the-five-s-s-of-great-practice

65-25-10-practice-ratios-where-to-devote-your-practice-time

Obviously, you need to know what it is you're practicing too.  For that, you'd either have to video yourself and try and figure out what your biggest, most urgent, flaw is ... or seek out an instructor to do that for you.

I agree with this.  Your practice sessions will depend upon what you're working on.  Although for me I believe there should be a constant and that is the pre-shot routine.   If you are just a newbie to golf I would seek out a Pro and take a series of lessons to see where your are and what is needing to be "fixed".  I didn't do this when I started and I regret it.  But recently I have rededicated a significant amount to time and $ (lessons not clubs) to improving my game.  I recommend going to a pro that uses video and software to analyze your swing.  I have been doing this for about 8 weeks now and this week I shot the best two rounds I've had in well over a year on a couple of difficult courses.  Good luck and have fun (the most important part).

[sopel10]

I started working with an instructor on a swing change/build about 2 years ago, and sometime around this past summer we were finishing up with the major parts and just working on putting everything together.  I'm finally there so here is what I do when I get to the golf dome:

I'll usually start by hitting little pitches 40-50yards for close to 10 minutes.  After that, I start full swings with 8, 6 and 4 iron.  If everything is working properly, I go back to pitching for few minutes, and start hitting hybrid/3 wood.  I go back to pitches for another 10 minutes and then hit maybe 10 drives, at most.  I finish up with another 5-10 minutes of pitches, different stances, different ball flight.  After all that, I putt for 30 minutes.

I think that everyone's routine would be different.  We are all in different places with our games.  My long game is not perfect but I can hit the ball somewhat long ways and my approaches are usually around 100 yards or so.  I can live with me missing the green with a 4 iron, but missing it with a wedge or less, or not getting it close from 50 yards really hurts my score.  This is why I put in so much time on my shorter shots.