W L
GOLF
DO YOU KNOW HOW TO PRACTICE PROPERLY ?
BY TOM ATKINSON , PGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL
Golf is about enjoyment for some but for most of us with that competitive edge it ’ s about doing well . We spend money on equipment and lessons and invest our time but do we actually know how to practice efficiently ?
When I head to the range to give a lesson there are 3 things I will regularly see whilst I ’ m there : 1 . Golfers hitting a bucket of balls rapid fire with very little apparent structure and without a break . 2 . Hitting without a specific target . 3 . Not using alignment sticks or another club to line up with .
All of these will cause you to get into bad range habits and ultimately you will perform worse out on the golf course .
The range tends to be much wider than a fairway and certainly a green so you first need to make your target area smaller . This is where your sticks come in handy . Use one near the ball to create an intended target line ( the 200 yard marker in my case ) then a parallel one closer to your feet to set up square to . This will not only give you a specific target but will ensure that you ’ re actually aiming where you think you are . All too often the brain will make a compensation for poor aim by pulling or pushing the shot back online .
If you are there to warm up or try some shot making then take a smaller bucket of balls and hit each shot with more purpose , take a break between groups of shots , this will allow you time to reflect and then to reset your target . Try and randomise your practice too so that your brain doesn ’ t become bored of the same swing or shot .
Make your practice fun too , play out a hole or 2 from your own course starting with the tee shot down to the chip , this is especially useful if you ’ re going to tee off later that day .
Practice your weaknesses not your strengths , if you feel like you ’ re pretty solid throughout then get even better with your wedges , these are the bread and butter for the tour pro ’ s , they do the simple things very very well .
If you ’ re there to work on a specific move in the swing , then do so constructively . Make as many swings without the ball as with it so as to understand the feels and the motions involved , try and film it too as visual feedback is essential .
Don ’ t hit too many shots with your driver and linger hitting clubs as it can be counter productive . These clubs go a long way because of there loft but it also means they are far less forgiving . Hit a basket of drivers and I guarantee although you ’ ll hit some screamers , you ’ ll go home only remembering the bad ones !
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