How Should I Practice?
Variable Practice is an effective way to improve your golf game!
Our annual Florida golf trip starts in about 3 weeks. Usually by this time of year I have played at least 8 to 10 rounds rounds of golf – but not in Tennessee THIS year. I have played 5 times in 2014. And Practice? – well, I simply have not made the time to do so this year.
During the winter I have read a number of books that have suggested that Variable Practice is a more effective way to improve your game. In particular, Dr. Joan Vickers (in Perception, Cognition, and Decision Training …") talks about using "smart variations" in your practice to simulate the conditions that you will experience on the golf course.
So, with the motiviation that I have to get my game sharp before our golf trip, here are a few things that I will be doing differently when I practice during the next few weeks:
- Short Game Practice. In terms of making this a priority, actually no change for me – the first place I will practice is in the short game area. But instead of hitting one shot a dozen times, moving to another area for a different shot, etc. I will take a different approach. I will set up a few different shots – basic chip, 10 to 20 yard pitch, pitch over a bunker, pitch from high grass, and sand shot. I'll put a dozen or so balls in each location – but now will hit a shot from one location, review the results and give myself feedback (and maybe hit another shot if the first result was poor), move to another location and hit a shot with feedback, and so move through the rotation. I might even make it a game to not go to the "driving range" until I have made one rotation where I have hit each shot successfully.
- Long Game Practice (full wedges through driver). Here, in the past what I would do would be to start and hit a few wedges, and hit a few shots with each club in my bag until at the end I hit a few drivers and that would be the end. Maybe a "variable practice" way to do this would be to pretend to play a full round of golf on the range. After a little warmup, act as if I am playing hole #1 – hit driver, evaluate the results, pick what I think would be the right club, hit that, etc. Here my goal would be to see how many good shots I hit through the "round" and record this – and see if I can improve on this the next time I practice.
- Putting. In the past, I have not practiced putting very much, except for hitting a few putts before a round. Shame in me. Over the next few weeks, I will take at least 10 minutes of time from every practice session to work on speed control – mostly by practicing 20, 30, and 40 foot putts and giving myself feedback on the results. I will also practice long putts with big breaks, to help improve my overall putting feel.
At a minimum, this way to practice should be a lot of fun. And who knows – maybe it might help me improve my play too.
I would LOVE to hear from you about your thoughts on my new practice approach – does it make sense, how would you make it even better? Please Comment – I need all of the help I can get!
Rooting for YOUR Golfing Success!
Tony
