We've all heard the phrase "practice makes perfect" and many golfer who do actually practice regularly have no doubt taken that mantra literally. But for those of us who have been around the game for umpteen years, see it a bit differently. Especially those of us who reside in the world of player development.
A golfer can practice 3 times a week for 2 hours at a time over a 5 year period, certainly such a devoted range rover should be well on his/her way to great golf and a perfect swing. Unfortunately such a golfer logging such hours could actually be doing more harm than good. Why you ask?
Because it's not just about how often you practice, it about what you practice. Too many golfers put in time that is not well spent which leads to maddening frustration.
To get the most out of your practice sessions and to make your hard work pay off, golfers need to make sure that they are practicing the right things. But how does one know for sure? Great question! First and foremost the golfer has to have a clear idea of what he/she is trying to accomplish. Second, the understanding of ball flight laws and cause and effect as it relates to the golf swing. This allows a golfer to make proper assessments and adjustments during practice rather that just hitting balls blindly hoping things work themselves out. And finally, and I'm a bit bias towards this last point for obvious reasons, the assurance of a trained and experienced eye to make sure things aren't getting off track. Too many times golfers tend to get away from the things they've learned and fall back into bad habits without even knowing it's happening, and before you know it you're on your way back to square one. I certainly don't think a golfer needs to take a lesson one a week for life to make sure he/she never picks up additional bad habits. However, I do believe taking a lesson once a month so that things don't stray to far off the path is a reasonable idea.
So, if you're putting in the time but feel you are going nowhere, it might be time to see your local professional, get a clear game plan on what is needed to improve and then devise a plan as to how to maintain your hard work. With all the pieces in place, permanent improvement is achievable.
Blog written by Vince Fratercangelo-Director of
Instruction at VJF Golf Academy
