There's no way around it. To get better, or even to maintain skills, a golfer has to practice. What to practice depends on how much time you have available. We'll start with the essentials, and show you how to find time that you didn't think you had to get even more practice.
At home:
Putting. This is the easiest stroke to practice. All you need is a putter, a ball, and a smooth carpet. The lid from a 28-oz. can of whole tomatoes makes the perfect target, since it's just ¼" smaller than the regulation hole.
Practice your setup and your stroke. Put two tees on the ground, cup side down, so they stand up on the carpet. Place them just far enough apart so you can swing your putter through the gap without knocking the down. Now put a ball in the middle of the gap and make your stroke. This drill smooths you out in a hurry.
Chipping. Here again is a stroke you can practice at home in a few spare moments. Hit some balls off the carpet into a backstop like a couch cushion or a pillow. Like putting, the point of your practice is to perfect the stroke. The goal is to hit every ball cleanly, no hitting fat, and keeping your hands relaxed as they bring the club through the ball.
Pitching. You can actually practice this at home, inside. I hook a mattress pad over a window curtain rod and hit plastic balls into the pad. It helps to hit the balls off a carpet remnant so you don't scuff a hole in your good floor carpet. Like with chipping, you're practicing the stroke, making clean contact and not concerning yourself with the result of the shot. How could you, anyway? The ball won't go more than ten feet!
At the range:
If you can get out once a week, here are two practice plans:
One-hour plan
Two-hour plan
If you don't even have time for that, practice after your round is over. I know that's socializing time, so pay your respects to your friends at the 19th hole, then buy your bucket and go out to the range. Start by hitting a few of the shots you played well today, so you can solidify that feeling of how to hit them.
Spend most of your time on the shots that gave you problems during the day's round. Take lots of practice swings before you hit a ball. Hit one only when you feel that your swing for this particular shot is where you want it.
Spend some time hitting pitches. Now you can practice hitting the shot to a target. Go the practice green and chip to a target, and hit some approach putts. All you had a chance to do at home is practice your stroke. Now you can practice the shot.
If you can practice at home daily, just a bit, and get live practice of some kind during the week, that will be all you need to maintain your skills and play golf that you can be proud of.
To step it up a bit, here is a professional practice plan.
Visit www.therecreationalgolfer.com
No comments:
Post a Comment