What Constitutes Effective Practice Around the Green?

[Pretzel]

I know I have come across discussions about the effective way to practice in terms of time management and working on your full swing during my time on this forum, but I am still not quite certain what the effective way to practice around the green would be.

To provide background for this question, I am planning to go back to golfing every day this coming summer in an attempt to sharpen my skills enough to be competitive at college tryouts by, at worst, my junior year of college. This means I'm looking to put together some sort of loose practice schedule to base my work each day around (besides the actual rounds, of course). While I have the approximate times I want for each area during a practice session (~60 minutes on the full swing, ~20 minutes on the short game, and ~15 minutes putting, with flexibility to change) and I know that my full-swing work will change depending on what needs to be changed in my golf swing, I'm unsure how to approach setting some sort of guide for my short game practice.

Specifically I'm not quite certain what sorts of goals I should set for myself while working around the green. I tend to be a highly goal-oriented person, often losing focus without a specific goal and purpose in mind, and this I know often leads me to ineffectively swat the ball around the chipping and putting greens unless I am competing with my peers in games like 7-up. In the full swing I have a goal, and the goal is to change the picture to one that will provide better results in the long-term. I'm just not sure exactly what I should set as goals for chipping and putting, in a way that keeps them realistic yet still something I will have to strive for.

[Abu3baid]

Just a thought, but aside from the goals my first suggestion is to make sure that your short game mechanics are I'm tip top shape..  You can video your pitching and chipping and then get some advice on what you can do to improve them from a picture changing point of view..

aside from changing the picture I would assume that the goal is to be able to get as close to the hole as possible, using different ball flights from different distances.  You could start with the one you are most umcomfortable with, if it is from a short side, over a bunker to a close flag, a long green to work with ect..  Your pretty good obviously so take my advice with a grain of salt. :)

[boogielicious]

3 hours ago, Pretzel said:

I know I have come across discussions about the effective way to practice in terms of time management and working on your full swing during my time on this forum, but I am still not quite certain what the effective way to practice around the green would be.

To provide background for this question, I am planning to go back to golfing every day this coming summer in an attempt to sharpen my skills enough to be competitive at college tryouts by, at worst, my junior year of college. This means I'm looking to put together some sort of loose practice schedule to base my work each day around (besides the actual rounds, of course). While I have the approximate times I want for each area during a practice session (~60 minutes on the full swing, ~20 minutes on the short game, and ~15 minutes putting, with flexibility to change) and I know that my full-swing work will change depending on what needs to be changed in my golf swing, I'm unsure how to approach setting some sort of guide for my short game practice.

Specifically I'm not quite certain what sorts of goals I should set for myself while working around the green. I tend to be a highly goal-oriented person, often losing focus without a specific goal and purpose in mind, and this I know often leads me to ineffectively swat the ball around the chipping and putting greens unless I am competing with my peers in games like 7-up. In the full swing I have a goal, and the goal is to change the picture to one that will provide better results in the long-term. I'm just not sure exactly what I should set as goals for chipping and putting, in a way that keeps them realistic yet still something I will have to strive for.

Drills are ok, but I have found game challenges more fun and effective. When I do short game work, I play a game called "one ball". I pick a practice hole, then toss the ball off the green. Where ever it lies, I have to get up and down from that spot. It works on both short game shots and putting at the same time.

I then pick another hole and do it again. Often I will work my way around the practice green to get uphill, downhill, side hill etc. lies and roll outs. I can make it more difficult by burying my lie in the rough or putting it on hardpan, etc.

Sometimes I warm up with some pitches and chips first just to refine the technique. I agree with Eyad that filming your short game technique is important too.

[bigtosh90]

HIya, 

I personally try to do my short game practice so that it mimics proper play as much as possible, I often only use one ball and follow in the pitch or chip by trying to make the putt, not only does it attach an importance to the chip rather than aimlessly hitting them but it also makes your short range putting sharp which in turn takes more pressure off your chipping.

Doing it this way also means that I don't have to spend much time specifically practicing my putting.

My favorite short game practice requires me to have someone to play against and just play matchplay against someone on short shots with the winner of the previous hole deciding the next shot.

[k-troop]

For starters, use the ball you play with.  

Distance control is probably the most effective thing to practice.  To achieve distance control, you have to have consistent contact, carry distance, and spin.  If you can do that fairly well there aren't too many short game challenges you'll face.  Aside from that you'll want to work equally on a lob/flop shot and sand shots.  For the lob you simply want to practice consistent contact and carry distance.  For the sand you want to practice getting the ball over the lip from varying lies and holding the green, which is really just consistent contact.  

[Mr. Desmond]

I go to an instructor who teaches PGA Touring Pros and talented juniors ... I am one of his charity cases.

He suggests starting out by getting comfortable in an open space, whether it is warming up or working on technique to  no particular target. When working on technique, focus on the technique, not the outcome. Once you are comfortable, you can look at the ball outcome.

After you are comfortable,  pick the target, throw down a ball, select the correct club for that shot, go through your entire preshot routine as if on the course, move leaves, etc., and take the shot. Throw down another ball, not in the same place twice for 4-5 shots, pick a target, get the right club for that shot, go through the preshot routine ... rinse, repeat. The idea is to simulate a live round to a certain extent. Once you are comfortable, get off the green and do something else.

Edited December 10, 2015 by Mr. Desmond

[Patch]

Like most golfers I am decent enough around the green with the easy shots/putts. Then again, like most golfers, I don't leave myself those easy shots/putts around the green all the time. With that problem in my game, I always set a side some practice time for those tougher shots/putts. 

Chips, pitches, and sand shots from tough lies, always gets some of my practice time. It's the same with tougher putts. What I am trying to do, is cut down on any surprises when on the course.

Its the same when I practice my second shot, approach game. 

[Dave2512]

I like to practice on the course late day when it's slow. I still do usual the reps around the chipping green but I like real life situations for short game refinement. More than technique I can replay shots I may not have executed well and try different versions of it. When it's totally dead I might hit 10/20 chips and pitches every other hole after holing out. I do things like stepping on the ball to create tough lies, drop the ball in sparse areas etc.

[Dave325]

11 hours ago, Dave2512 said:

I like to practice on the course late day when it's slow. I still do usual the reps around the chipping green but I like real life situations for short game refinement. More than technique I can replay shots I may not have executed well and try different versions of it. When it's totally dead I might hit 10/20 chips and pitches every other hole after holing out. I do things like stepping on the ball to create tough lies, drop the ball in sparse areas etc.

Great advice, Dave!

[dave s]

Like I should be saying anything to a 1-hdcp player, huh?

Since my wife took up golf 7 years ago, making practice fun is something I had to consider to get her to go with me to a local course for short game practice.  The game we began with is pretty simple:

We each start with 3 golf balls.  We take turns calling a shot from off the green to a particular hole.  If you don't get at least one of your three shots up and down in 2 strokes, you lose a ball.  Now that the wife is a much better player, it takes about 15 rounds of this for her to lose all three balls.

Having another person to practice and compete with applies some 'friendly pressure' to succeed and win. Also makes it fun for both of us.

dave

[Patch]

Dont know if this constitues effective practice, but yesterday I spent about an hour or so on my pitching, chipping, and putting.  Does not sound like anything out of the ordinary, except I was practicing in a 48 degree weather, with a 25mph wind, and light sprinkles. A bit on the chilly side it was.

This time a year we can expect this type of weather, and I know I will be playing some golf in it. Playing with more clothes on than normal tends to change my game a little. Just getting accustomed to it. 

[tcnbtx]

Awhile back, I was helping my club pro setup for a short game clinic for juniors. I wanted better ways to practice these shots. He made the following suggestions:

1. Short game practice hitting multiple shots from same spots is important to develop your technique and develop touch for distance.  Once you can hit 4-5 shots within a small circle, go to another location and shot.

2.  Sometimes when the course is not busy, play 9 or 18 holes by yourself in the following manner. Play the hole as normal, but every time you hit the GIR, then ALSO toss a ball off the green at a location that you would typically miss, maybe short-sided in a bunker. Hole out from both locations for each hole. For greens that you miss in regulation, ALSO play a ball from place on the green that would have been acceptable for your play level that day. Maybe a thirty foot putt would have been a good shot that day. Again, hole out from both locations. At the end of the round, use the higher scorer for each hole as your total. When you are shooting near or better than your handicap, or under par for his prep, then your game will be very sharp.