Since the start of this year I've been reading and participating in the Golf Monthly Forums. One of the posts over there was about practice - how long people could spend at the range in a single session and what they did. This made me think about the practice I have been doing this year so far. All I have been doing is 'scrape and hit' practice - drag a ball over and hit it, drag a ball over and hit it. I've been good at taking a practice swing most times but I know this isn't how I should be practising for the long term. Up to now I've just been getting used to hitting balls again.
I read the book Every Shot Must Have a Purpose a while ago - to be honest I read it, followed a few of the suggestions for a couple of rounds and then forgot about it. I do remember really liking what I read and it making sense to me so I'm not sure why it didn't stick. Perhaps I had a break from golf due to a business trip just after finishing it or something. I did however buy their follow up book recently and remembered it was to do with practice - so thought I'd give it a read.
Buy on Amazon.com
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
If you go to the driving range at all, I suggest you buy The Game Before The Game as soon as possible and read it before you go to practice again. I was so into the book I managed to read it in 24 hours, took a ton of notes - and went straight to the range and started putting some of it into practice. I think just from two hours on the range and putting green it has made a difference to the way I think and will go about practice from now on. Here are some of the bullet points from the book:
Make Learning Fun - if learning is fun then you'll want to do it. Going to the driving range and bashing 100 balls isn't fun. Trying out new things and new shots is. If these things can actually help you technically without you realising it then it's win-win.
Practice is part of golf, seperating the two is a big mistake that many people make - people are always complaining about how they cannot play on the golf course the same way they do on the driving range. You need to make sure you practice on the driving range the same as how you play on the golf course.
At the end of each chapter you are given a number of drills to do at the range that will help you improve what the chapter covers. These include
- shots standing on one foot (alternating feet)
- shots playing left handed
- shots with your lightest, medium and hardest grip
- shots at 50% and then 100% tempo
plus many more. Before each shot you go through your full pre shot routine - making your practice much more like play out on the golf course. The aim of these practice drills is to make you 'technically better, by making you less technical'. Doing these drills rather than just scraping and hitting balls is a revelation - you only need 40 balls per session and you walk off the driving range feeling full of energy having had fun. Hitting balls on one foot is a great drill as if you go off plane in your swing you go off balance and fall over. A great way of making you better technically by just using your balance to let you know when you are swinging properly.
I've only done these drills 3 times now and have realised a number of important things and started playing much better! I'm really looking forward to giving you a longer report next week when I've spent more time practicing in a better manner.
If you have any interest at improving your golf game, make sure you buy this book. This is now my number one golf book recommendation! At a price of less than £10 you'd be foolish not to buy it!