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  1. #1
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    Default How do you practice?

    I am on a bit of a journey to learn how to coach golf, be something like a retirement hobby, and have a few ideas on how to do things better.
    Interested to know what methods some of you guys use to practice, and whether you think it helps.

    Me, I know I do it wrong, warm up with pitches and just work through the bag from Wedge down, then smash drivers at the end and just wear myself out. If i do this on Friday, I play like shite on Saturday.
    I also always make sure i hit from the best lie - on grass i will find a high point or make one. On mats the same. And as i tend to hit balls like a machine gun i set the bucket down a bit further away and take out only 5 balls at a time. I generally just blaze away at a target, if i get bored i might try high low fade draw etc.
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  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by markTHEblake View Post
    I am on a bit of a journey to learn how to coach golf, be something like a retirement hobby, and have a few ideas on how to do things better.
    Interested to know what methods some of you guys use to practice, and whether you think it helps.

    Me, I know I do it wrong, warm up with pitches and just work through the bag from Wedge down, then smash drivers at the end and just wear myself out. If i do this on Friday, I play like shite on Saturday.
    I also always make sure i hit from the best lie - on grass i will find a high point or make one. On mats the same. And as i tend to hit balls like a machine gun i set the bucket down a bit further away and take out only 5 balls at a time. I generally just blaze away at a target, if i get bored i might try high low fade draw etc.
    I have always done the same as you.

    Working on the swing with a guy I used to see at Indro through the Skillest app and he has me do a 3 to 1 ratio of rehearsal swings of the move and then I get to hit one. On a good day I can do this for 20min max and then just start belting them.

    I can see that I have progressed through the lessons but I’m still chopping it up so who knows what works best


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  3. #3

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    I probably do it wrong as well. When I do go to the range I'm usually working on something specific from a lesson.

    When I warm up before a round I spend most of it working on chipping and putting, with chipping usually specific types of chips. Then 5-10 minutes of gradual building up swings in the nets to loosen up a bit before tee off.

    Due to work hours I don't usually get much time to practise through the week, so I decided to start going to the course earlier when I'm playing to use that time to work on my short game. It may not the best way to go about it but it's the best I can do and it has certainly helped me improve it.

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    I have 3 warm-up swings on the first tee and diagnose my swing faults from there.
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  5. #5
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    Are you asking specifically about range practice?
    Warmup first, but after that I would typically go back and forth between different clubs, and different targets, always going through my full pre-shot routine. It is easy to fool yourself into swinging it nicely when you keep hitting the same club to the same target on every shot.

  6. #6
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    I do 2 hours of on course practice every week then I play the back 9.

  7. #7
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    I have a professional visit me every 6 weeks for a session with the Orange Whip. Have gained better distance with my driver but can only sleep now at night if I spoon a pillow.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrins View Post
    I have a professional visit me every 6 weeks for a session with the Orange Whip. Have gained better distance with my driver but can only sleep now at night if I spoon a pillow.
    GOLD


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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by 3Puttpete View Post
    I do 2 hours of on course practice every week then I play the back 9.
    excellent work.

    i only practice with 54 degree up to 8 iron. The other clubs are the same swing so.. i just cant be arsed walking further to collect the balls. i also really sort of only do drills as i find them less taxing and tiring. My back is 8 levels of f*&ked so the less belting the better. I am also in better shape for the next day. A swim afterwards also seems to help.

  10. #10
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    For example, if a tennis coach is teaching a student to improve their serve, whether that be a technique improvement or to just go faster, would any of these processes improve the student faster?
    - use a smaller racquet to force them to improve
    - just use their normal racquet
    - or use an oversize larger racquet to build confidence and then work their way down to their normal size racquet
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    Didn't Bradman practice with a cricket stump, not an 8" floor board?
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  12. #12
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    In golf your fastest shot is the least accurate where in tennis it is the most accurate.

  13. #13

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    Usually use about 25 balls or so chipping to start then 10 or so mid irons then I’ll play a round on top tracer… if I’ve any balls left I’ll do nearest the pin or approach challenge. Too tracer is a game changer where practice becomes more like the real thing
    Last edited by Chunk norris; 11th February 2023 at 01:29 AM.

  14. #14
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    Top tracer... thats the phone app ?
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  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by markTHEblake View Post
    Top tracer... thats the phone app ?
    Yeah the app on your phone which connects to the screen in every bay at the range. Pretty much turns every bay into a simulator. Great for practice

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    Default How do you practice?

    Blakey do you have a method for collecting stats so you can make decisions on WHAT you should be practicing? Or are you working across the board?

    As you’d know I use Arccos and have a coach I see semi regularly and we work on the areas that Arccos highlights as weak points over the previous period. I don’t use them as lessons, more like supervised practice sessions.

    He has me getting to a ‘home base’ for things like chipping, pitching and irons. The spot that I can always go back to if things are out of whack. So whenever I get out to practice I will always try to get to there first and then the session flows from there. Arccos has pretty clearly identified that my average approach is 120m therefore I really only practice with 8i down.

    Same with my putting, I’m really focusing on hitting it out of the middle at the moment which sounds stupid but I have this habit of toeing putts outside 10-12feet. I’ve got a Wellputt mat at home and use it to practice my stroke.

  17. #17
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    Yesterday, I worked on the strike location on the face of my irons and driver. I was intentionally trying to hit toe or try to hit heel at times to get better control and potentially allow me to make corrections during a round.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by BUSHY View Post
    Blakey do you have a method for collecting stats so you can make decisions on WHAT you should be practicing? Or are you working across the board?
    Yeah i use Garmin watch/app but i dont pay attention to it Lawrie Montague (very smart bloke - google him) told me should focus 70% practice on weakest part of our game. But i ( very dumb bloke, dont have to google him) dont follow his advice... yet.

    Personally i find i get better outcomes doing mock swings in front of mirrow windows in my loungeroom, than actually hitting balls.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chunk norris View Post
    Yeah the app on your phone which connects to the screen in every bay at the range. Pretty much turns every bay into a simulator. Great for practice
    Rick Shiels posted this video on range practice including some tips on how to use the Top Tracer options.

    https://www.golfmonthly.com/tips/ric...-range-session

  20. #20

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    I'm a big believer in having a purpose for every practice session. Just banging balls at the driving range without focus rarely ingrains positive swing changes. So I structure my practices based on specific goals.


    If it's a range day, I'll pick 2-3 problem areas to work on. For example, if I've been slicing drives, I'll focus on swing path drills and setup adjustments to promote drawing the ball. I find recording video from down-the-line and face on angles helps analyze what needs improving.


    I also dedicate practice time to my short game at least twice a week. Chipping, pitching and bunker play are vital for saving strokes. I create challenging games and contests around the practice green to ingrain creativity and scoring skills. Sink 5 chips in a row or play the bucket game landing balls into a bucket ring from 40 yards out.


    Putting also gets special block practice because it's pivotal for shooting low scores. I place alignment sticks around the hole to groove center-face contact and perfect pace. Or use exercise cones to simulate winding lag putts. Measuring putts made from specific distances quantifies improvement.


    Lastly, playing practice rounds at my home course etches strategy and course management into my brain. I work on committing to aggressive line and distances, not getting passive. And I track detailed stats like fairways, greens and number of putts to benchmark areas needing attention.


    Golf practice to me is all about targeted, quantifiable and competitive skill sharpening. That formula has lowered my handicap from a 12 to a 7 index over the past year! I'm eager to see how low I can go implementing dedicated practice.

  21. #21
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    Good to have you on board anna, nice to have some golf content.

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by golferannasmith View Post
    I'm a big believer in having a purpose for every practice session. Just banging balls at the driving range without focus rarely ingrains positive swing changes. So I structure my practices based on specific goals.


    If it's a range day, I'll pick 2-3 problem areas to work on. For example, if I've been slicing drives, I'll focus on swing path drills and setup adjustments to promote drawing the ball. I find recording video from down-the-line and face on angles helps analyze what needs improving.


    I also dedicate practice time to my short game at least twice a week. Chipping, pitching and bunker play are vital for saving strokes. I create challenging games and contests around the practice green to ingrain creativity and scoring skills. Sink 5 chips in a row or play the bucket game landing balls into a bucket ring from 40 yards out.


    Putting also gets special block practice because it's pivotal for shooting low scores. I place alignment sticks around the hole to groove center-face contact and perfect pace. Or use exercise cones to simulate winding lag putts. Measuring putts made from specific distances quantifies improvement.


    Lastly, playing practice rounds at my home course etches strategy and course management into my brain. I work on committing to aggressive line and distances, not getting passive. And I track detailed stats like fairways, greens and number of putts to benchmark areas needing attention.


    Golf practice to me is all about targeted, quantifiable and competitive skill sharpening. That formula has lowered my handicap from a 12 to a 7 index over the past year! I'm eager to see how low I can go implementing dedicated practice.
    Great post Anna, got any videos of your practice routine?


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  23. #23
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    Default How do you practice?

    Quote Originally Posted by golferannasmith View Post
    I'm a big believer in having a purpose for every practice session. Just banging balls at the driving range without focus rarely ingrains positive swing changes. So I structure my practices based on specific goals.


    If it's a range day, I'll pick 2-3 problem areas to work on. For example, if I've been slicing drives, I'll focus on swing path drills and setup adjustments to promote drawing the ball. I find recording video from down-the-line and face on angles helps analyze what needs improving.


    I also dedicate practice time to my short game at least twice a week. Chipping, pitching and bunker play are vital for saving strokes. I create challenging games and contests around the practice green to ingrain creativity and scoring skills. Sink 5 chips in a row or play the bucket game landing balls into a bucket ring from 40 yards out.


    Putting also gets special block practice because it's pivotal for shooting low scores. I place alignment sticks around the hole to groove center-face contact and perfect pace. Or use exercise cones to simulate winding lag putts. Measuring putts made from specific distances quantifies improvement.


    Lastly, playing practice rounds at my home course etches strategy and course management into my brain. I work on committing to aggressive line and distances, not getting passive. And I track detailed stats like fairways, greens and number of putts to benchmark areas needing attention.


    Golf practice to me is all about targeted, quantifiable and competitive skill sharpening. That formula has lowered my handicap from a 12 to a 7 index over the past year! I'm eager to see how low I can go implementing dedicated practice.

    I bet was real satisfying seeing all that practice translate into results.

    Agreed in that practice without having clear goals/objectives is just wasting time.
    Practice needs to be fun to a degree to get any real benefit out of it.

    I don’t get time to play much these days and have no time at all to practice so can only comment on what I used to do.
    My practice bag would hold around 100-120 balls.
    I used to hit that 3 times a session 2-3 times a week while listening to Talk Back Sports Show Radio at one stage.
    The first 2 times a session it was a chipping-pitching drill using 48, 54 and 8 iron.
    First chip was to spot on the grass around 5m out with the 48. The object after that one was to chip the next one just past that one gradually working out from chipping to pitching. Once I’d gone out to 3/4 swing I would stat working back the opposite way trying to leave the next one just short of the last.
    Once back to that 5m first chip I would switch to the 54 and do the same.
    After that was done up and back I’d repeat the drill only this time mixing it up randomly with the 48, 54 and 8 iron.
    Pick the ball up when run out and repeat the drill mixing it up for the whole bag.
    After doing that twice it was toe up to toe up or sky to sky drills as some call it with a 7iron.
    Occasionally I would hit a few random full swings picking a patch to land the ball on.
    I would usually be picking the last bag up while the sun was setting .


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    Last edited by Hatchman; 16th December 2023 at 05:24 AM.
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  24. #24
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    Been thinking about this and i am that guy on the range that flushes everything but get out on the course and cant break 75, and it is starting to really get in my head.

    Did some research and came up with following and this is my plan for the next 3 months.

    1. It aint the birdies you make, it the bogeys you dont make. So lots of lag putting drills. 120m and in drills to a 10m wide target.
    2. Working on process instead of feel. Do your preshot and change the preshot if not working. Dont keep adjusting the swing. (this one is hard and requires a load of effort and trust)
    3. The boring short game drills, with no creativity. bump and run, 5 wood putting. i usually spend 20 mins chipping and then I'm hitting flops and draw chips and all the other stuff. Have to be less creative.
    4. More actual Golf and less practice, this is hard as you have to dedicate 5 hours, not just 90 mins in the afternoon. I play off 1 currently and play once every 3 weeks.

    This is my routine for practice, but for guys off a higher handicap - the best advice i can offer is that you have to do the theory as well. You cant build the walk in wardrobe by watching some muppet on YouTube, you have to do the TAFE course and get the certificate. Another analogy is welding, you cant learn to weld watching someone do it - there is an art and a science to it and you need both. The same is with golf, especially if you didnt play as a kid.

    The last bit is that YouTube ruins your golf unless you pick a single person and a single methodology. Danny Maud, Mr Short Game, Rick Shields, Peter Finch, and those guys are NOT golf teachers... they are content creators, they have to pump some nonsense out each week to keep the $$$'s flowing. Danny Maud is the best example of conflicting advice every second video, my socks know more about golf than he does. If you want YouTube, PORZAK and Dan Grieve is a good starting point, same message, same process, and they teach proper college golf. This is way better than the endless list of English twats fixing the Over-The-Top move and demonstrating how to hit a lob shot.

    If you really want to get better, go find someone who you trust with a track record, give him $500-600 of your hard earned and work out a plan for 3 months. He/She will see that you are serious and should put the time in properly help. Then you have to properly commit, which could include some gym work, weight loss, muscle gain, whatever. Work out if you swing or hit, learn what really creates speed, learn the theory and enjoy the process.

    The best part is that you can spend 3-6 months of your life doing this getting a base in both theory and practical and you will be able to play the game to a much better standard a lot longer with less effort.


 

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