Do you struggle to find the time to practice all parts of your game? Always feel like you get one part of your game right only to find another bit is letting you down? Well it’s time to check out your practice proportions.
Dave Pelz suggests you split your practice time up into 4 sections.
30% Putting practice
30% Chipping/Pitching/Bunker practice
30% Long game practic
10% Mental practice
So here are some ideas for each area to get you started:
Putting
Compass drill – place four balls in place of the four points of the compass: North, South, East, West with the centre being the hole. First try and sink all four from 2 feet, then 3 feet then 4 and so on. You could try 8 balls if you want more of a challenge.
Green reading – Try this routine to get a good read. Look at the putt from behind the ball. Decide a rough idea of the line. Go to the low side of the putt and have another look. Try to get a better picture of how the putt needs to be hit. Then go back behind the ball and make a final decision on the line and strength of the putt.
Chipping
Ladder drill – Lay some clubs down on the green at right angles to your target line, getting 1 foot further away each time. Try to chip in between each set of clubs, starting at the nearest going to the farthest.
Long Game
Play the course – Instead of just hitting ball after ball to a target green, why not make a game of range time? Make up shots you might face on the course. Maybe you have to shape a shot onto a green, or hit a low drive into a headwind, maybe you have to punch low under a tree. Your imagination is the limit. Challenge yourself.
Mental Game
This is a huge part of anyone’s game, so maybe I’ll write more about this in the future. For now a simple exercise to try is to realize and make a note of what you are feeling during the round. That’s it! Just write a quick note on the scorecard if you felt excited, angry, nervous, tense or relaxed, etc. You don’t have to act on it. Just realize what your mental state is throughout the round.
Photo Credit: Photo by Carlos Torres at Flickr Creative Commons.