Why do we practice?

[razaar]

This is not a trick question - why do we spend spend so much time practicing (hitting balls). Is it to groove a particular swing or correct some fault? If so, why..when we rarely play two identical shots (even drives) in a round of golf. Same on the practice putting green, which is rarely the same as the rest of the greens on the golf course. The putts we encounter for real on the course are nothing like those we stroke in practice. Same with chipping and pitching where everything is different out on the course. Is practice a way to fill in time or a type of exercise thing? Like to hear people's views.

[3oneday]

Cause I like to hit balls, it's the only place I stripe it

[WBennett]

I never get time to practise, but after a couple of months off, I like to hit a bucket of balls before playing.

Golf isn't fun if you stand on the first tee not knowing if you are going to hit a duck hook or slice one two fairways over.

A bucket of balls gives some idea of where it is going, and thus confidence.

Chipping and putting is about feel and confidence. Ever had the chipping yips? Practise and hitting enough shots prior to the round to be confident you are not going to flub it, skull it or double hit it on course can make a world of difference.

[Chris32]

I always play far better by just getting to the first tee and hitting it. I'll have a few chips and putts but thats it.

It took me 2 years to work out that hitting balls before a round wasn't helping, then I went and had a social round with some mates, no warm up or nothing and shot 73.

Since then practice is a weekday thing, and kept very seperate to playing (not that I have done much of either lately!)

[Daves]

It depends on how you practice I guess. If you just wack balls, the benefit is probably limited, potentially doubtful/harmful. See "Every Shot must have Purpose" for a real world practice regime.

[sms316]

To make the stuff that my coach tells me to do feel natural.

To be honest I don't enjoy practice at all. Bores the shit out of me. I only do it because it is a necessary evil.

[Johnny Canuck]

i don't hit balls or go to the range.

i like to chip and putt. that's all i'll reall y practice.

[Lucasto23]

Like sms said, to try and make things feel natural after lessons.
I also like to do it until i feel comfortable that any issue with the swing (on the day/week) can be put to bed or at least adjusted for so i can enjoy a comp round.

[Courty]

Any time spent at the course/ range is time I don't have to spend listening to nagging.

[razaar]

Any time spent at the course/ range is time I don't have to spend listening to nagging.

[WBennett]

Any time spent at the course/ range is time I don't have to spend listening to nagging.

Does Ozgolf have a post of the year??? We have a winner

[simmsy]

i don't hit balls or go to the range.

i like to chip and putt. that's all i'll reall y practice.

pricks like you sh!t me to tears.

I usually try and hit a small bucket before a game to try and get some confidence on the tee, though last game on the range the driver was going every where and that stayed true for the entire day.

I find a few chips can help slow tempo down.

[Minor_Threat]

I hit balls very very rarely.. My practise is either:

1. Playing holes - I might hit some pitches and chips from various spots depending if there is anyone behind me.

2. Chipping and Putting - I think you are incorrect when you say everything is different, you practise ALL of the potential lies and chips you will encounter on the course. Yes the slope is different and the firmness is slighly different, but all you are really trying to do is land the ball in the right spot with the right trajectory in practise.

[markTHEblake]

pricks like you sh!t me to tears.

why, when he shoots 90's

i hit 12 balls before a round (birdie balls actually) thats all i need to get me going. anything else just wears me out.

[simmsy]

how do you find the birdie balls MTB? do you get pretty good feedback on how your striking them? can you use them with driver?

[Toolish]

In my mind there are a few different types of practice:

1. Pure Technique work – This is about working on something specific in your swing/stroke. E.g. keeping head steady on putts. This is where beating balls, hitting lots of putts from same spot, impact bags, mirror work etc work because you are learning the skill.
2. Technique to habit – This is about converting your learnt technique to a natural habit. How you do this is individual. For me it is 32 ball drill time.
3. Game practice – Hitting shots at random. Pick a target, do your routine, hit the shot. Very hard to do this well at a commercial range, much easier at a golf course practice facility.
4. Social – Not really practice at all to be honest. This is my Friday night ritual of going to the range, hitting a few balls and having a couple of beers. Don’t aim to achieve anything but try to monitor what I am doing still, much like a social hit of golf.
5. Skills tests – Trying to hit 5 chips to within a metre etc. Can help to deal with pressure, but need to be done right and the person has to have to right attitude for it to work for them.

[KristianJ]

The ranges that I go to have enough distance targets and flags, both close to the tee area and gradually further back to the back fence, for me to be able to aim at them as targets. They'll either be full shots or punch and runs with a club or 2 lower than I'd need for a full shot. Plus I'll use some of them and connect the dots, so to speak, to help me try and visualise a fairway line to practice my accuracy "off the tee". And short game practice areas are a nice bonus to be able to hit various strength wedge shots into the green.

It's never a case of aimlessly whacking balls and seeing how close I can get to the back fence by any means.

[solarman]

everyone, courty is full of it
you should hear him on the course about how he loves the misses....makes you want to puke
"sorry boys can't have a beer, have to rush home and help the wife make the beds" wah wah

[Courty]

everyone, courty is full of it
you should hear him on the course about how he loves the misses....makes you want to puke
"sorry boys can't have a beer, have to rush home and help the wife make the beds" wah wah

At least I'm not shit-scared of my wife like you.

[haysey]

everyone, courty is full of it
you should hear him on the course about how he loves the misses....makes you want to puke
"sorry boys can't have a beer, have to rush home and help the wife make the beds" wah wah

Righto, mr I can't play tomorrow because I have to take the wife to Tinaroo

I think anyone who uses a niblick should be banned anyway

[Courty]

Righto, mr I can't play tomorrow because I have to take the wife to Tinaroo

What about this afternoon? We got room for a 4th?

[solarman]

you just want to use my new shot saver the "Niblick"

[Courty]

you just want to use my new shot saver the "Niblick"

Nothing can save you shots.

[Bruce]

Toolish's answer matches my mindset.

I practice to reinforce the changes made during my lessons so they become 'normal'.

I practice the execution of skills to build consistency.

I practice because often that's the only time I will be able to hit a ball that week.

[solarman]

is this rain going to be around tomorrow morning, i was going to play but i don't know about the weather now