PRACTICE MAKES PERMANENT
Range practice should reflect on-course scenarios.
How many times have you worked on a particular swing thought with success on the range only to find a different result on the course? This scenario is commonplace for every golfer to various degrees. Unfortunately, there is no single formula for universal transfer of success. Just as golf swings are based on individual characteristics, so is the transfer of swing thoughts from the practice tee to the course. The key is finding your individual way of achieving the desired results.
Essentially, three basic hurdles hinder the transfer of effective swing thoughts developed on the driving range to the course. First, golfers have too many swing thoughts. Second, golfers tend to practice under ideal rather than “real life” conditions. Third, most practice sessions do not necessarily reflect golfers’ overall goals. The presence of one or more of these hurdles makes the transfer of positive results found on the range difficult to achieve on the course.
LIMIT SWING THOUGHTS
For whatever reason, most golfers incorporate too many swing thoughts
into a motion that lasts less than two seconds. As an instructor, I find
myself on a daily basis trying to remove these excess swing thoughts from my
students. Unfortunately, many golfers have suffered from the latest swing
tip from a playing partner or even a well-intentioned stranger. A practical
approach to the game indicates that no one can consistently incorporate more
than two swing thoughts into the swing motion when practicing on the range.
The key is to choose a particular swing thought and allow it to be
incorporated into your game. This process begins with time spent on the
range and then on the course.
An example of such focus is the following scenario for the improvement of your aim and alignment. First, on the practice tee, position a shaft on the ground aiming toward the desired target. After you have established this line, position your clubface square to the target line and your body parallel left. Once you have established this clubface and body position, step back from the ball and repeat the process two more times. On your third attempt, complete the routine by hitting the ball. This type of routine (with any swing thought) should be practiced for about 30 minutes on the range and then attempted on the course for nine holes. This process highlights the slow incorporation of a swing thought into your game. If you are having difficulty determining your ideal swing thoughts, establish a student/teacher relationship with a trusted PGA golf professional.
‘REAL LIFE’ PRACTICE
Unfortunately, golfers have grown accustomed to perfectly conditioned
practice tees and short-game areas. Our expectations are that the tees will
always be closely mowed and the area tidy, the ground level, and the balls
always clean. And yet, we play a game where the majority of the playing
field is uneven, consisting of various lengths and consistencies of grass
and sand, and in comparison to the driving range and short-game practice
area, quite hostile.
A player should consider a number of questions, such as: How many times do you get level ground and a perfect lie to hit your 5-wood in the fairway? How often is the ball sitting up in the rough when you are faced with a challenging short-game shot next to the green?
I often observe golfers practicing on the range in a way that does not necessarily prepare them to reach their goals for the course. Certainly, when you are working on a swing change, you initially allow yourself the greatest opportunity to incorporate the swing change into your swing motion. In the above scenario, practice with the ball on a tee. After you have incorporated the swing change, slowly lower the height of the teed ball to the ground. To take the process one step further, hit balls from less than ideal lies that could realistically be encountered on the course. After a few attempts from lies that are not ideal, rotate to the easier lie for a few swings, then go back to the more realistic lie. In short, don’t practice under ideal conditions unless you plan to play a golf course that offers those same conditions.
PRACTICE GOALS
One of the most difficult aspects of the game is determining your
individual goals for on-course play and how practice can help you achieve
those goals. Ask yourself several questions: How would I define a good day
on the course? What is my purpose on the course? What do I have to
accomplish to guarantee an enjoyable experience?
So often, golfers do not have a particular purpose when on the practice tee. We have all heard the phrase “practice makes perfect.” Unfortunately, as most experienced golfers know, “practice does not make perfect, it makes permanent.” As a result, there may be no connection between time spent working on an area of your game during practice and your performance on the course. By asking yourself these questions, you may find that incorporating a new swing thought for your full swing is not as important as working on pitching the ball over a bunker or eliminating three putts from your game. In short, establish what you want out of the game, and try to achieve it.
HAPPY ENDINGS
Once you have narrowed your focus and determined your on-course goals,
you are ready to start the process. If, for example, you determine that
eliminating your 10-year slice will get you one step closer to an enjoyable
experience on the course, you are ready to begin. First, determine (with the
help of a PGA professional) which swing changes need to be made to eliminate
your slice. Spend the required time on the practice tee making the changes.
Next, incorporate an imaginary fairway into your practice session. Attempt
to hit as many tee shots in a row into the imaginary fairway without the
usual slice. Break up this process by alternating clubs, just as you do on
the course. Finally, use this structured practice time as a catalyst for
your play on the course. If you have difficulty transferring the new motion
to the course, repeat the previously described steps. Above all else, give
the changes time, not only on the range but also on the course.
Eric Alpenfels is director of The Pinehurst Company Golf Institute. For information about Golf Advantage School programs, call 800.795.4653.