Taking your game from the range to the golf course
by RYAN ZYLSTRA
RIGHT ON
TRACK
One of the most common phrases a golf instructor hears is , “ I ’ m a great range player but can ’ t seem to take it to the golf course .” I would bet most of the readers would admit they ’ ve said this a time or two , and there ’ s a good reason for it . It ’ s frustrating for a golfer to spend time practicing and not see the efforts translate to consistent golf scores . The lack of consistency in your play is likely due to how you practice , or train as I call it .
In my experiences as a former aspiring tour player and now a coach , I ’ ve realized that there are players of all abilities that don ’ t know how to practice . I ’ ve made it a mission to focus on teaching scoring over technique .
In the past when I provided technical fixes to a player ’ s golf swing it would lead to improved ball striking on the range , but wasn ’ t always transferring to the golf course . The information was sound as seen in their range sessions , but I realized I wasn ’ t providing the necessary training to help the student retain the skill and transfer it to their rounds . When I transitioned from an instructor to a modern golf coach , my focus shifted mainly to getting my students what they actually needed , not what they thought they needed .
The recreational golfer may not realize how difficult and time-consuming it is to make technical swing changes in which the new movements become instinctive . It ’ s my job as a coach to stop making golf lessons a transaction and start making them transformational for my students , providing them with a road map for success and guiding them to self-discovery .
Golf is the only sport I know in which we train in a different area ( practice tee ) than where we play ( golf course ). If we are to improve our play on the course we
JOSH APPLE
38 V IRGINIA G OLFER | J ANUARY / F EBRUARY 2022
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