The rules clearly state that practice is not permitted during a round of golf, except some chipping and putting as has already been stated by others. I think what is important is that, in your heart of hearts, you know that you were practicing golf shots to try and fix a problem with your swing before playing the next hole. This is against the rules and you should freely admit that and cop the penalty.

What makes golf special is that it relies on the honour of the player to do the right thing. Frequently, professional golfers call penalties on themselves for infringements that nobody had seen, that is what the spirit of the game is all about. If you don't know the rules it may not be obvious what the situation is but, as golfers, I think we all have some obligation to learn at least the basic rules of golf.