How Often Do You Practice ?

[Gary Page]

I play off 0, and have done for several years.  Sometimes I go back up to 1, and one one occasion went back up to 2.  However Scratch is where I have been mostly since around 2008, with a spell of 2009,2010 at +1.  Anyway, back when I was off +1 I practice at least 3 times a week, with medals on the weekend.

Now I would say I practice 9-12 holes once per week, with a competition day on either Wednesday or Saturday, and sometimes both.

I have had a very solid season, winning two out of three of our major club competitions

I also include my rounds on a Saturday as practice.  Even though I'm playing for my handicap, it is a still a round of golf where I can keep my swing going.  So three times a week, two times minimum for me.

I would be mainly interested on hearing what everyone thinks, and to add to the discussion to include if you feel practice helps, and your strengths and weaknesses in the game.

I'll start - My main strength is driving.  My mid-irons are very solid, and my long irons are consistent.  I have a good short game, with solid bunker play.  However my main weakness is putting.  I don't three putt, and don't miss many inside 3 feet, but I never hole enough from inside 20 feet.  If I had a putt from 8  feet  + I'd regard it as a 50/50 chance of holing it.  I average around 31 putts per round.  It's something I work on out on the course and it has improved,but I've always found putting the hardest part even from when I first started the game.  It's still better than most of Cat 1 golfers, but it probably falls short of what a scratch golfer should putt like

If I had 210 yards, with a 4 iron, I'd hit the green more times than I would holing a 15 foot putt.

[Bird E3]

I have 3 kids, never practice, play once a week, and don't have time to hit balls before I play, but I still play to a 4. I've always wondered how good I could be. Golf is just so time consuming.

[Golfingdad]

Practice 1-4 times a week for about 40 min at lunch and play once every two or three weeks if I'm lucky. (I also have 3 kids) :P

[David in FL]

Never. I play. Probably why I struggle to stay in the 5's....

[mayhem]

Every round is practice. I read so much stuff here and try some new things every time I go out.

[Patch]

Three times a week, either playing, or practicing. If I am taking the dogs to the dry lake for their exercise, I will add a 4th day of practice, hitting balls off the thin lie the lake bottom offers. Most of my practice is just keeping my body able to golf.

My putting, and chipping are my strong points. Mid to short irons are pretty good. My driver, not so good, only because I am distance challenged with it. Lost about 40 yards due the car accident, and of course I suffered some distance loss with my other clubs too.

I don't get many birds, and rely on too many one putt pars during a round. With 3-4 of those, I can scare 80 most of the time. This when I play right handed. My left handed game still has a ways to go.

[JonMA1]

Too often for my beat-up body, not often enough to maintain consistent improvement.

I practice every day for minimum of one half hour, either off the mat and into a net, or by hitting irons into the field behind my house. Less than once a week I'll go to the range where I'll hit a large bucket working mostly on my long clubs. After that, about 20 mins on the short game. I play about once a week, maybe a bit more.

I work on my full swing far more than anything, and my irons far more than my driver and woods. This shows up in my game. My short game is ok relative to my scoring average. My putting sucks. Poor left and right dispersion of shots 200 yards or more cost the most strokes, but I can't easily practice those at home.

I would define my long clubs and my putting as glaring weaknesses.

[RH31]

Throughout this summer, I've practiced about two days every week, and played 2-3 rounds per week. My practice is hitting

50-80 balls and then chipping and pitching for 20-30 minutes.

I'm a streaky, inconsistent player. Handicap fluctuates between 6-9. Typically, I play 12 good holes at even or a few under and 6 lousy

holes at +6 to +10 each round.

Putting is the strongest part of my game. I make a lot of putts between 4 -20 feet and usually lag very well from long distance.

Chipping/pitching seems to be either very good or bad.

Ball striking is always a mystery. The most greens I've hit in any round this year is 12(73) twice. The rest of the time its usually

6-9 greens.

I seem to get the most out of my short game practice,be it putting or chipping. Maybe that's because that's the easiest to fix.

At age 55 I haven't really lost much distance, due to technology I'm sure. If I could strike it anywhere near as consistent as I used to, I could play to a 5. Ball striking woes are very frustrating!

[Dave2512]

Rarely this year mostly due to injury and time. Just now starting to do more than play and it's obvious I am better when I do. Practice will be part of my winter free time activities.

[Mr. Desmond]

Range - 3X a week when not traveling, and attempt to take off at 3 pm one day and play.

Plan on playing more when not traveling and range ... less.

Still in a full swing overhaul - so smart range time is needed.

Everyday, will pick up a kid's club and swing.

[vangator]

I practice maybe once per month. I used to practice more since I drove by he range on the way home from work. I work from home now. I play once per week. I practice putting almost every day in my office and a couple of times at a exec course nearby. Once I find the line, I make a high percentage of putts, probably like most everybody. Driving is decent. Ball striking pretty good. Chipping is excellent. I chip far better than I putt which sucks. Most of my birdies are typically gimmies. Every once in a while I make a 5 or 6 foot putt for birdie.

[Sante TwoGloves]

I only play every two weeks. In between I will go to a range about three mornings a week. I only hit about 25 balls each time. Twice a month i spend a few hours chipping and putting at a practice green.

[Duffydog]

Never...Well maybe a few balls before a round, but even then never more than 20. I could make the excuse of no time, but it;s more of a choice not to. If I want to get a whole bunch better I would need to go to a pro and start over again and I am not prepared to do that.

[Pretzel]

Last summer: I would play probably somewhere around 2-3 times a week, with practice on the range and the short game area before and after those rounds.

Since college: I haven't touched a club other than to mail them in for replacement to PING since it started

2 summers ago: I played 18 holes at least once a day, up to 3x a day along with practice on the range and short game area each day. I improved the most when I did this.

[rkim291968]

I practice during weekdays (4 - 5 times, about an hour per practice), and play on weekends.  The only time I don't practice or play is when I am traveling.