A little piece of heaven...practice methods - any good?

slumped

Hi All

Was at a loose end today and decided to spend the whole day practicing.

Went over to the national academy and spent 5 hours there working on my game.

Would like feedback on my routine, because I enjoyed it so much I think this may become a regular past time for me!

Started off by using the short game area for around an hour, set myself up three circles of tees around a hole and chipped/pitched to it with 10 balls, giving myself 1,2,3 points depending on what circle I landed in and -1 point for each missed shot. Circles were 3ft, 6 ft and 9ft from hole and I was approx 20 yards from outer circle. Best score in an hour was 22 but average was around 13.

Then spent around 45 mins in bunkers, doing exactly the same thing but had the circles of tees at 5, 10 and 15ft.

Off to the putting green then and spent an hour there also followed by around 2 hours on the range working through the bag from driver down to wedges.

The Academy is my closest range (if you can call it that!) and I was on my own in the short game area in glorious sunshine - it was so quiet and tranquil - I think that really helped.

Anywho, thoughts on my regime??

S

madds

No specific thoughts only I'm glad you enjoyed your session. I'm just in the door from my hour's practice....which was cut short due to the fact I got so mad with the way I was swinging the club I broke the shaft of my 8-iron over my knee.

Immediately regretted it but I've played so bad over the last 2 weeks I just lost it this evening. Balls going left, right, and every direction. Think I'll pack it in for a couple of weeks.

(Sorry for going OT). :mad:

uberwolf

madds wrote: »

No specific thoughts only I'm glad you enjoyed your session. I'm just in the door from my hour's practice....which was cut short due to the fact I got so mad with the way I was swinging the club I broke the shaft of my 8-iron over my knee.

and what was the response of the locals?

I had a terrible hour in the national academy on Saturday, couldn't hit the ball out of my way. Spent some time thinking about it that evening and ten minutes in the practise nets had me sorted for my round on Sunday. Took the driver out of the bag for the first time ever in a round. (I've used it in the range twice) and put two drives north of 260 yards and more importantly, the rest were all playable.

The key there was back to basics briefly before rebuilding.

In terms of the OP. I'm too new to this to have many practise methods. I was on the chipping green this afternoon, put a club 2 feet behind the hole, and if the ball was able to carry passed it then it was a bad shot.

Also tried the tee's at 3, 6, 9, 12 feet on the putting green. 3 balls, nail all three and move to the next slot back. Miss and start again. Should be easy. Isn't.

One Cold Hand

slumped wrote: »

Hi All

Was at a loose end today and decided to spend the whole day practicing.

Went over to the national academy and spent 5 hours there working on my game.

Would like feedback on my routine, because I enjoyed it so much I think this may become a regular past time for me!

Started off by using the short game area for around an hour, set myself up three circles of tees around a hole and chipped/pitched to it with 10 balls, giving myself 1,2,3 points depending on what circle I landed in and -1 point for each missed shot. Circles were 3ft, 6 ft and 9ft from hole and I was approx 20 yards from outer circle. Best score in an hour was 22 but average was around 13.

Then spent around 45 mins in bunkers, doing exactly the same thing but had the circles of tees at 5, 10 and 15ft.

Off to the putting green then and spent an hour there also followed by around 2 hours on the range working through the bag from driver down to wedges.

The Academy is my closest range (if you can call it that!) and I was on my own in the short game area in glorious sunshine - it was so quiet and tranquil - I think that really helped.

Anywho, thoughts on my regime??

S

Good Work! I only wish I had that amount of time to work on my game!

It's always good practice to set up specific targets, like you do on the chipping green. It gives you a very specific aim, and your points systems gives you a way of bettering your previous score. I might be yoinking this drill myself! The other good thing about this drill is that it will transfer to the course. The next time you have a 20yd chip you can visualise the 3ft ring around the hole and you know that at worst your going to be 9ft from the hole (hopefully!).

I do a similar thing when working on putting. Actually use the exact same distances to hole out from, 3ft, 6ft and 9ft. I put a tee down to mark those distances. I then hole out 3 times from the 3 ft marker. Then move onto the 6 ft marker, and so on. The trick is if you miss one, you go back to the start. It's a good drill as you are constantly holing out from 3 ft, and you get very good at what can be tricky distance. You also get a good bit of practice at the longer putts too.

In terms of the overall regime, I always start with the short game first, to get warmed up, before moving on. Nothing else to add! Keep it up!

/Edit, I think a tread, like this, where people post up practice drills or tips would be very useful, for golfers of all abilities.

WHIP IT!

I saw a great short-game drill on Setanta Golf a while back and mentioned it here at the time.

The pro called it "Par18": You pick nine spots around the ground and try get up and down from all of them, with the par, obviously, being 18. A chip-in would be a birdie and getting down in three a bogie. It recreates a bit of an on-course pressure situation I suppose.

It would be best to pick all kinds of shots in the nine: High lobs, 6-iron bump n runs etc and everything in between.

Adiaga 2

Sounds like a great practise session. The fact that you really enjoyed it is very important. The short game scoring idea is a very good one too.

ShriekingSheet

Good work Slumped!

The only thing I'd say is that you, if you haven't already, heed the 'Train it and Trust it' chapter in Golf is not a Game of Perfect. This becomes more relevent the more and harder you practice.

Essentially, you need to ensure that on all your drills/practice-games you are going through you're mental and physical routine as you would before a shot on the course in real-time. These are all 'trust it' shots where you're not thinking about technique or what your body is doing - you just do it.

Then for other parts of the practice time (I'd recommend 40%) you are in the 'train it' mentality where you are working on the technique advised in a recent lesson or focusing on a particular improvement in your swing whether it's with a driver or a wedge onto the practice green.

If you watch someone do this effectively you'll see the difference clearly. As they 'train it' you'll see them with 20 balls in one pile by the green chipping one after another and making exagurrated moves in between shots, trying to groove something new into their swing. Where the ball goes isn't as important as whether they're getting the hang of the new move.

As they move to 'trust it' you'll see them drop a handful of balls in different spots around the green, as you do. These balls are treated much differently. These are each a scenario - a given point in an imagined round (usually a future Masters ) where the guy needs to get up and down. He lines up the shot, judges the slope of the green, goes through his routine and hits it without worrying about technique. Instead, he's trusting the work he's done in 'train it' will show itself but for now he's just focused on the target and hitting the ball there. He might even tap it in to finish the up-and-down.

...then on to the next ball which is likely to be over the bunker on The Road Hole on Sunday afternoon

I'm sure most of you have read this book & chapter but as the days get longer and we have a bit more time & motivation to practice it's definitely worth a read or re-read to ensure we're getting the most out of what we can put in.

madds

uberwolf wrote: »

and what was the response of the locals?

Didn't happen in a public driving range. I was on a practice fairway at the far end of my club last night on my lonesome. Childish thing to do but I'm not in a good place with my game at the moment. Turned down a freebie in Craddockstown tomorrow, so appalled am I with how I am striking the ball.

ShriekingSheet

madds wrote: »

Didn't happen in a public driving range. I was on a practice fairway at the far end of my club last night on my lonesome. Childish thing to do but I'm not in a good place with my game at the moment. Turned down a freebie in Craddockstown tomorrow, so appalled am I with how I am striking the ball.

If you feel like a muppet after doing it it could be a blessing in disguise.

Worst I've done in pretty much the exactly the same situation - practicing on our club range - was hit my brand new tour bag with my wedge, cutting through the material over the pocket. Such a thick thing to do and I've never forgotten it and it's always helped me cop on when I've gotten frustrated ever since.

Mister Sifter

In a matchplay final i booted a tee marker and it hit the club captain. Was a good crowd out watching.

Worst bit was my folks were watching too... my old dear was mortified and gave me aright talking to a few holes later and made me apologise!

Try not to lose the head now. The odd wedge or driver gets thumped on the ground and the odd headcover kicked, but that's it really!

WHIP IT!

Last year, after duffing a chip, I threw my lobwedge toward my bag and it bounced and bounced... and bounced some more... right into a stream that was running alongside a ditch beside the hole... Sank in four foot of water, never to be seen again... Suitably mortified, I consider it a lesson learnt.

jampotjim

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

If you feel like a muppet after doing it it could be a blessing in disguise.

Worst I've done in pretty much the exactly the same situation - practicing on our club range - was hit my brand new tour bag with my wedge, cutting through the material over the pocket. Such a thick thing to do and I've never forgotten it and it's always helped me cop on when I've gotten frustrated ever since.

I played with a guy a few years ago who had got a lovely new R7 TP driver €500+.

On the 11th hole hit hit a sweet drive which carried the fairway and OB and he just reacted bad and threw the club which ended up in the middle of a hedge to the left of the tee unreachable.

Also seen a guy loose a bronze ping anser after throwing it into a tree..

Sickner...