winter practice has become both easier
and more productive. Whether you take
lessons from an instructor that includes
technology or you purchase a net and a
consumer-grade launch monitor, engaging
with the technology may allow you to not
only maintain your swing through the win-
ter, but to actually improve as well.
In addition to practicing with a golf club
in your hands, the winter is a great time
to start a golf fitness program. If you still
range, practice green, or even on the course.
If you have a launch monitor, you can mea-
sure how far each club is carrying and the
gaps between each club. If you don’t have
a machine, you can estimate distances if
you have a driving range with good signage.
If you have actual green complexes on
your driving range, you can measure how
many shots you hit on the green out of 10
from various distances, and estimate your
average proximity to the hole.
“The game has such a hold on
golfers because they compete not only
against an opponent, but also against
the course, against par, and most
surely—against themselves.”
—ARNOLD PALMER
don’t buy in to the importance of fitness in
the game, just take a look at the top players
in the world today, like Dustin Johnson or
Brooks Koepka. These guys look like they
would be successful at any sport, but just
happened to choose golf.
To start a winter fitness program, you
simply need to purchase resistance bands
and medicine balls. There are count-
less exercises with bands and balls that
improve power, rotation, stability, mobili-
ty, balance, flexibility and range of motion
that you can find through a basic online
search. You might not turn into Koepka
in just a couple months, but the skills will
transfer to your golf game.
SPRING:
MEASUREMENT
Once the weather
begins to improve,
most of us are eager
to play and imme-
diately rush out to
the course. We all
love playing actual rounds, but the spring
is a great time for “measurement” practice.
In golf, anything and everything can be
measured. You can measure on the driving
vsga.org
On the short game practice green, you
can measure how many shots you get with-
in six feet out of 10 tries from various
distances, or how many you successfully
get up-and-down out of 10. On the putting
green, you can measure how many putts
you make out of 10 from any distance
3-10 feet.
If you keep track of your stats on the
course, you can compare your results
in practice to your results during your
rounds. Some of us perform better in prac-
tice because there is less pressure, and
some of us may actually perform worse in
practice because there is less focus.
Through measurement practice, you
will have a barometer of where your golf
game stands coming out of the winter.
SUMMER:
TESTING
When the sum-
mer hits and you
are playing more
golf, it is time
to transition
from measure-
ment mode to “testing ” practice. After
gathering all of the important data
about your golf game from full swing to
short game to putting, you should have
a good idea of your averages and have
realistic expectations.
The next phase would be to test those
averages by adding pressure to your prac-
tice. While measuring, there is no pres-
sure because you are simply seeing where
your game stands. In testing, you will add
stress by setting goals that you will need
to accomplish.
For example, if you determined you
average 6/10 on the green from 150 yards,
you would set a goal of 7/10 and compete
against that goal. Add extra pressure by
penalizing yourself if you don’t reach the
goal, such as giving your significant other
a few bucks (like the swear jar). You could
compete against a goal in any phase of your
game while in practice.
This type of practice is great during the
summer because it is more transferable to
the course, simulating the realistic nerves
of the game. Plus, it’s fun and doesn’t last
long during the scorching hot days.
FALL:
DEVELOPMENT
The fall is the best
time for “devel-
opment” of new
skills, which can be
practiced through
high repetitions.
This works well
with the cycle of the year because you
learn a new skill in the fall, maintain it
through the winter, measure it in the
spring, and test it in the summer. Also,
it’s easier to hit a higher volume of golf
balls when the weather cools down from
the summer.
You could develop a new full swing
mechanic, such as changing your swing
path or increasing your rotation, or it
could be in short game, such as learning
a high lofted shot or a low running shot.
Learning a new skill requires time, making
the fall an ideal season as your on-course
rounds slow down. It is difficult to learn a
new swing pattern in the summer when
you are in playing mode.
If you have a coach in your area, this
would be the time to make bigger changes,
just be sure to maintain those changes
through the winter.
J A N UA RY / F E B R UA RY 2 0 19 | V I R G I N I A G O L F E R
35