How to Pace Your Practice
Haven’t we all wondered why we hit the ball differently on the
course than we do on the practice range? It seems as though we can
hit good shot after good shot when we practice, but it just doesn’t
feel the same when we play. (If you aren’t hitting the shots the
way you want, please take a lesson). The reason may be the
”
pace
”
of your practice. How much time do you take between each shot on
the range versus how much when you play? Obviously there is a
significant difference, so it sounds as though we are working on
two different games – driving range and golf course.
How to Pace Your Practice
Haven’t we all wondered why we hit the ball differently on the course than we do on the practice range? It seems as though we can hit good shot after good shot when we practice, but it just doesn’t feel the same when we play. (If you aren’t hitting the shots the way you want, please take a lesson). The reason may be the “pace” of your practice. How much time do you take between each shot on the range versus how much when you play? Obviously there is a significant difference, so it sounds as though we are working on two different games – driving range and golf course.
If you hit one ball every 10 to 15 seconds, you are about average. If you hit one ball every 20 to 30 seconds, you are probably a lower handicapper. If there is 45 seconds to 1 minute between each ball, welcome to the PGA Tour, that is the average time they will take between balls. The tour player cannot practice two “different” games. So let me make some suggestions that can change the pace that you practice, or “practicing your pace.”
To help change your pace you need to set things up a little differently in your practice station. When you put your clubs down, put them in the bag stand behind you about 10 feet away, 12 if you have the room. When you get your balls don’t dump them out, leave them in the basket and set the basket about 10 feet away from you and as far from your bag as you can. This setup will force you to walk over to the basket to get a new ball after each shot, and since you have moved you might as well align yourself to your target each time.
Now we have added a little more time between each shot. It just takes a little more time to walk over, get the ball and aim it. There is nothing wrong with aiming when we practice, is there? I mean when don’t you have a specific target on a golf course? When you want to make a change set things up so you are forced to change.
You are walking over, retrieving a new ball and aiming it at a target forcing you to slow down and go through a pre-shot routine. The key to really changing your pace is to change your target every 10 shots and that means changing clubs each time. So, between the time it takes to get a different club and then get a ball, you have been forced to slow down and prepare for each shot. Hopefully if we practice this way we are getting closer to practicing the same game we play on the course.
The question this week to win a videotaped golf lesson with me is this: If I ask a player in my group who is not my partner what club he just hit to a green, have a broken a rule? The first person to e-mail me the correct answer wins. Good luck.
If you have any golf related questions, from rules to club fitting, e-mail me at
sk*****@ea**********.com
. Or, if you would like to read some of my past tips, you can do so at www.pinnaclenews.com. And don’t forget, if you’re not having fun call your local PGA or LPGA instructor. We will help, that’s what we love to do. We are the shortest distance between you and better golf.
