P r a c t i c e

So, how long do golfers practice every week. I know of folks who touch their clubs only during their Sunday rounds and I believe pros spend hours everyday. Also I understand quality over quantity. But to get a rough idea...how long to low single digit golfers practice. Are they on course more or on the range and practice greens more. Ofcourse depends on what they are working on too. But in general...what is the break-up ?Again what are their(low single digiters!) stats like. How many greens in reg, how many puts in a round. How do they compare to high single digits and the 10 to 15 handicap group?

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Ranga

NKRanga,

This is always a good topic....................

Personally I think it is up to the individual, once you are a competent golfer, at 13 you are.........it is down to your own personal preference and confidence levels, that said a minimum should be one session practice and at least one game per week.

I think the main difference between say 13 and 5 is the short game, simply not spending enough time working on chipping and putting......both of which can be done in the garden or any small area, how many golfers can chip 5 balls out of 10 into the missess washing basket at 10 yards..........not many.
Putting can also be done at home, indoors on the carpet, how many golfer perfect their putts from 3-4 feet...........not many.

Yet both of the above are done more than say driving or long irons, everytime I play with a very low h/capper (every week off +1) he chips closer than me and doesn't miss many putts. Oh he drives 20 yds further too.

To achieve a single figure h/cap I think you must perfect your swing so you have a good consistant swing plane, this will eliminate the really bad off line shots and then concentrate the main practice from 100 yds in.


Ian.

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Once you learn the swing, your next step is mastering golf psychology................

I try to hit my clubs at least 3 times a week, whether at the range or at the course.

Thanks Ian. So how many Greens do you hit in reg and how many putts per round ?

I practice much like Ian described. I have a few target areas set up in the yard and I work on chipping balls to each area. I work on my putting inside 10 feet inside the house. I also have my garage set up so I can hit balls all year long, rain, snow or shine.

As for stats, my stats can really vary, but my score is usually quite consistant. If I have quite a few GIR (14-16), the more puts (30-34). If fewer GIR (8-12), the less putts I have (26-30). Basically, if I am not on in reg, my chip is close enough for a one putt.

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Gord

Quote of the month:
"It's easy to see golf not as a game at all but as some whey-faced, nineteenth-century Presbyterian minister's fever dream of exorcism achieved through ritual and self-mortification." ~Bruce McCall

Ricky, you are right. It is easier to hit the green with a wedge than a 6 iron. But, if you should still be able to hit the green with a 6i most of the times. You have identified the area of your game you need to work on. Get your longer irons on target and you will be fine. Don't blame your distance off the tee. Just make sure you are in the fairway every time. It sounds like you are able to have a shot at the green every time. Worry about getting the second shot on the green. Distance will come. As you get older and hit further you will end up playing longer courses where you will again have to hit mid to long irons into greens. Get good at it now and you won't have to worry about it down the road.

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Gord

Quote of the month:
"It's easy to see golf not as a game at all but as some whey-faced, nineteenth-century Presbyterian minister's fever dream of exorcism achieved through ritual and self-mortification." ~Bruce McCall

Everyone is different. I know single handicappers that only play every 3-4 weeks that still score consistently without any practice. Sure they became good golfers at one stage and combined with the natural ability, they are able to continue. Like riding a bicycle you might say!

However, Gord is spot on in relation to hitting the ball on the fairway (straight). Since my driving has improved, I have dropped to a handicap of 14. Despite the rest of my game being as normal. This sounds OK to higher handicappers but considering I am averaging 36 putts a round, this accounts to about 47% of my shots on the green. Therefore, I should really spend several hours a week practising my putting. But, like most of us, life is busy, and we can't play as much golf as we like. I play once or twice a week for which I'm truly grateful as I thoroughly enjoy the sport. However, I only practice about once every 3 months. As the saying goes 'drive for show and putt for doh!'

It is improving your short game that lowers your scores. No one can dispute this. But if your drives are consistently landing on the fairway, you give yourself a better chance of hitting the GIR. Also, it does your confidence the world of good. I play most of my golf with seniors due to working shifts and playing in the week. A lot of them do not hit the ball very far, but it is consistently in the fairway, and they score very well.

Cheers.
Lee.

If you practice regularily, you should practice all parts of your game. As what you need to practice the most, you need to practice the weakest part of your game the most, until it is no longer the weakest part of your game. Once you have done that, re-assess your game and again, point out the weakest part of your game and practice that until it is no longer the weakest part of your game. It is very important that you don't forget to work on the other areas while trying to strengthen a weak area.

The largest purpose of practice is to create a repeatable swing that you can trust. Proper practice engrains positive thinking and something for your brain to relate to when faced with a difficult shot. most shots you should be able to stand over and say to yourself "I know I can make this shot because I practiced it yesterday'. Otherwise, if you work on chipping for two weeks and don't practice full swings, 1/2 swings or putting, you will have a great chipping game, but you will not be confident in your other swings because you haven't used them recently.

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Gord

Quote of the month:
"It's easy to see golf not as a game at all but as some whey-faced, nineteenth-century Presbyterian minister's fever dream of exorcism achieved through ritual and self-mortification." ~Bruce McCall