[ticskebasse]

i use the short range for 7-wedges at the course that's on post where i work...or i hit the chipping/putting green at my club at lunch EVERY day...i switch up both places every other day...always working on either putting, short game or swing fixes with the 7i at the range...i play better when i practice, and since the practice is free, why not? here in NJ, greens fees aren't cheap. i'm not one to blow $85+/round to hack it up.

[nonDosearrany]

Took a dozen practice balls and my low bounce sand wedge and walked over to a local park/field yesterday. I put a small towel down and then threw the balls around in circle around the towel and just hit different pitches to the towel for about 40 minutes.

I'm really trying to work on my short game. My ball striking will never be consistent, but I have come to the conclusion that I need to devote 75% and up of my practice time to my wedge play and putting. In the past, when I've been "on" with my ball striking, I'd shoot 90 +/- 3 shots. And when my swing is crap, add a dozen strokes to that. I am convinced that a superior short game turns that 90 into 80.

[Qdkczrdi]

My opinion on the matter is that there is little doubt that my play is directly effected by the amount I practice. I almost never get to a driving range, it's just too far away. But I do play at my local course twice per week, about 4 hours each time. 2 hours of that is competition for league, the rest I just treat as practice. Last year, I was at a driving range 4 days per week. My golf was much more consistent last year as compared to this year.

When faced with limited time, my best suggestion would be to increase the quality of your practice. There are several threads on here about quality range sessions. For me, after warming up with 15 balls or so at a range, I then treat every shot as though it were on the course. I pick a different target to aim for than the previous shot. I go through the same pre-shot routine for every ball. It helps me 'believe' that the shot on the range matters. If I were to hit ball after ball at the same target, my mind would be telling me that if I miss one, it's ok, because I'll have another chance with the next ball.

So in short, increase the quality of your practice by treating every practice shot like you're on the course.

~Rock

[Nubtoubrem]

Hello Everyone,

my question is, do you think practicing 1-2 times a week for an hour or so consistently is enough to make a difference?

For the last 6 months I will go to the range a day before I get to play 18 holes. It hasn't made a difference at all. I've been told that I'll never get better only playing golf once a month and practicing once a month. So far this seems to be true. In your opinion, will adding 4-8 hours a month of practice time be enough to start lowering my score?

Short answer. Yes. If you're playing / practicing that infrequently, you're pretty much doubling your time and that can only help. I would add that you do NOT want to groove bad habits while you practice. Golf is one of the few things where you can spend hours and hours practicing and hurt your actual performance. I spent hours and hours on the range a few years back during a bad patch and only succeeded in grooving a beautiful high slice that occasionally became a duck hook. I had horrific mechanics by the time I wised up and went back to basics, got some help with the grip and setup, and started hitting fairways on occasion again.

[NumsAmenniams]

That's a really good post spazz. I think no matter how much one plays there needs to be some sort of practice, even if it's just once a week

A newbie perspective:

I'm always amazed at those (not necessarily THPers) that refuse to practice in order to improve. My favorite reasons:

I don't want to leave my good shots on the range.
I get all the practice I need when I play (this one cracks me up).
I don't want to waste my money, I'd rather play.
The pros don't practice, they play practice rounds (did not hear this here).

Now, I get that playing is generally more fun than practicing, but I look at it in terms of finance - it costs me $35 a month for a range membership. I can hit and use the practice green all I want. When I play (once a week) in runs the gamut $25-50, and when I drop that cash I'd like to do better than I did the week before. If I don't practice, I'm going to always suck. I really want to eventually play at least in the 90s consistently (i have a ways to go). I have to practice to accomplish this or just flush $$ down the toilet.

Most of you have pretty good game... But I've read each and every one crabbing about having trouble with certain shots. Yes, it's important to be able to pull it off "in play", however if you can't consistently hit "name that shot/distance" in practice, how can you expect to hit it consistently in play.

It seems to me that folks hurt themselves by refusing to practice, and that makes no sense to me.

[feannigvogten]

In terms of dealing with an injury, I can understand the avoidance, however "practice" can also be used as physical therapy if constructed properly with certain sport specific exercises/stretches etc. so it could end up being better for your body AND your game.

Just a thought

[VovTortki]

I hate practicing. Its a waste of daylight to me.

But when Im watching TV or something, Im always putting.

[Ganoshenko]

I'd say that if it wasn't for my range sessions and short game practice sessions, I wouldn't see much improvement. The work is what makes you trust your shots on the course...and I need to do more of it to improve further.

[nerohedfrs]

super dave....there was a great mini-article in this month's Golf magazine about practice.
although i don't recall it all....it basically described your situation, where life can get so busy where you only have time to squeeze in a round or maybe only 1 hour of practice. but within that 1 hour or so, there are things you can work on...even if it's only for that 1 hour per week, it's something.
focus on the weaker points of your game or the scoring areas and/or goto the range with purpose and a plan, not just to hit balls.

goto the putting green:
practice chips that you'd have during a normal round. concentrate on grouping them all within a 10 ft circle, then 5 ft circle around the hole.
practice putting 3 footers, 4 footers, then 5 footers and so on. it's not really going to do you any good to practice 30+ footers.
practice bunker shots. focus on getting the ball out and onto the green...getting it close is just a bonus.

put some effort into that and you will get better.

[mikaelluioy]

Keep a small notebook in your bag, and write down your “ah ha” moments, these moments when something feels right or clicks, and try to capture those thoughts or moments to review later, or read through before a round.

I love this idea. I'll probably end up using my phone as opposed to a physical notebook, but I'm definitely implementing this.