Your practice routine?

[BCinMB]

Tryouts for my school's jv golf team is this september. I need to be able to get a 44 or under on a regulation 9 to get in. This may sound ambitious but i plan on practicing everyday for two hours at the driving range and playing 2 courses a week.

My uncle said to warm up with the higher irons by focusing on your swing and gradually work your way down to the lower irons. Since i need to work on my chipping/putting as well, maybe i should spend one hour on the driving range and an hour on chipping and putting since that's where most of my strokes come from. Any ideas or suggestions to make my practice more efficient?

[peter3]

Re: Your practice routine?

If you have two hours, spend 30 mins on the range, 45 short game and 45 putting. You should start with putting, then short game, then range. If you get tired or loose concentration, move to the next station or go do something else for a while. You don't have to spend the entire time at once on each station.

Good luck!

[GregJWillis]

Re: Your practice routine?

Also, don't start with the long irons, start with the wedges and go up to the driver.

[LowPost42]

Re: Your practice routine?

I agree with Peter.

You'll soon learn (or at least hear over and over) that most strokes are thrown away inside 100 yards - chipping, pitching, and putting.

The thing I disagree with is moving on from station to station.

Spend 45 minutes on putting (both for stroke and to a target). Then spend 45 minutes pitching and chipping (again, both for stroke and to a target). Then get to your full swing. If you spend two days not getting to your full swing, spend day 3 and work your system backwards (the full swing does need attention). However this assumes that your full swing is already repeatable. If it needs equal work, then maybe the first thing you need to do is find out how long you can go before fatigue effects your swing.

If you consistently work to the point of fatigue effecting your swing, then you'd be best to alternate your routine - putt, chip, full on day one, and reversed on day two - that way your full swing isn't taking the brunt of your fatigue.

[peter3]

Re: Your practice routine?

The thing I disagree with is moving on from station to station.

That's how I practice, but there are many ways to do it of course. Find your own way.

The important thing is that while you practice, maintain concentration, know why you are practicing and put more energy into the important bits (putting and short game first, long game second).

[LowPost42]

Re: Your practice routine?

Find your own way.

The important thing is that while you practice, maintain concentration, know why you are practicing and put more energy into the important bits.

I'll completely agree with that.

Beating balls is useless. Practice with a purpose.

[msklar92]

Re: Your practice routine?

In addition, check to see if there are any local tournaments sanctioned through you local golf section. Tryouts can be very nerve racking and you need to get used to playing under the pressure. I can assure you that most of the players on the JV or Varsity team do these, if not higher level tours like AJGA.

[BCinMB]

Re: Your practice routine?

Nice. Well i went after school today and i spent my first 35 balls on 7-9 irons and practicing Creg's right hand drill and the hip at impact thing and i kept hitting the balls straighter and straighter. I then spent probably 30 minutes putting and chipping and spent the last 70 balls on my lower irons and driver. Any tips on hitting the driver? It's so embarrasing to hear that loud "pinnggg" then see my ball rolling 50 yards.. Thanks for all your ideas.

[vp27519]

Re: Your practice routine?

BC,

When practicing you should incorporate it with your pre-shot routine. 60 percent of practice should be on short game. Never practice when tired as you will only develop/encourage bad habits.

Good luck in qualifying.

[LowPost42]

Re: Your practice routine?

Any tips on hitting the driver?

Sure. Hit a shorter one.

You're proabably playing a 45" driver.

The guys on the Tour play them (on average) at 43.75".

Tiger plays a 44" driver, and can barely control it.

[BCinMB]

Re: Your practice routine?

Well i don't know the length of my driver so can anyone check for me? It's a callaway ti454.

[GolfJunkieSr]

Re: Your practice routine?

Practice routines will vary. What I do is probably like 80% on my short game, and the rest on longer full shots. I always start out with some putting. This gets me into the "feel" mode, and this is where I get my tempo/timming started. After some putting, I go with my wedges, and move up to my mid, long irons, and then my woods. I always save my driver for last, and usually hit it no more than 10 times. After that, if I want to continue to practice, it is back to short irons, and my putter.

I always aim at something on every practice stroke, so that shot I am hitting has purpose.

It is my own opinion that if I start off with the longer clubs, I wreck my tempo, and timming for the rest of my clubs. Even my putter. If I start off with my putter, while working my way up, it seems to help with all the other clubs, since I "sensed" the feel of my (shorter version) golf swing.

If I show up at the practice range, and my swing just isn't there for what ever reason, I end the session, and head for the 19th.

On game day I use the same sequence, starting with my putter, and ending with my driver. I never go from the putting green to the first tee where I will be using a longer club. GJS

[ColtonCopley]

Re: Your practice routine?

When you are practicing make sure every shot you take your time and treat the shot like a real shot on the course. By this I mean walk behind your ball pick a target, go through the entire pre-shot routine and treat the practice shot as a real one. Going to the range and firing balls like a machine gun on the range will only hurt your game plus cost you money.

[mattinIL]

Re: Your practice routine?

If you're not already, and if you can, I recommend finding a range that allows you hit off grass. In my experience, spending a ton of time at the range hitting off mats can form some bad habits.

Another good warm up / accuracy drill is to chip a ball, then chip the next one so that it lands on/next to that one (and rolls out), then chip/pitch the next one so that it lands on/next to the second shot (and rolls out), and repeat... This will help you get feel from your wedges up, distance control, and learn the roll distances. I've heard that some pros start off with this to warm-up (which is really similar to just working from the short irons up).

[GolfJunkieSr]

Re: Your practice routine?

I would agree to what has been posted above, especially about concentrating during one of your practice segments. On any shot, or stroke always aim at a target. Someone once said "if you aim at nothing, you will hit nothing." You might want to add a segment to your putting practice routine where you are reading greens, and practicing breaking putts. Another idea I would offer, is during your range work, pick a series of holes you are familiar with. Play these holes while on the range. Example; you have a par five, and after utilizing your pre-shot routine for each shot, you might hit driver, fairway wood, and wedge while on the course. Add a par 4, and par 3 to the series. Six practice holes are a good start.This will simulate on course conditions. Keep a little record book to monitor progress. You are looking to increase you GIR percentage with this practice regimine. If possible practice hitting from some poor lies. One last thing I would like to add, is to always end your practice/warm up sessions with a few tee shots. I see so many people hit their longer clubs, then go to the putting green, then to the number one tee box to start their round. If you end your practice/warm up session with the longer club needed on on that first tee, you start your rounds, more efficently. GJS