Do you know exactly how many yards you hit a full Lob Wedge choked down to the steel?
Larry Nelson's answer: "49 yards."
Does your Practice Routine facilitate such self-discovery?
There is the necessary Mechanical Stroke Practice...
And there is the necessary 'Practice as you Play' Practice.
Neglect neither.
If I knew exactly how many yards I hit my lob wedge, I probably would be a plus 2!!!!
Interesting comment you made, and I would like to hear your response to this. I have worked the range several times at a PGA event. Haven't done it in about 3 years. I have watched up close countless players hitting balls on the range for hours. I don't think they have that level of accuracy where they know exactly how far the ball goes. Don't get me wrong, the groupings of their shots are AMAZING, SIMPLY AMAZING, but they are not that exact. I would bet the farm that Nelson couldn't hit a dinner plate at 49 yards more than 4 out of 10 times. He would be very darn close, no doubt about it, and I would probably be pooping myself with each swing he took if I had a big wager on it. But I would guess that he would miss several of them by 2-4 yards.
His average distance from target would be even higher if he was forced to hit a different club in between his 49 yard shots. After all, when we are on the course, we rarely have the same exact shot twice in a row. If we do, it usually means a penalty stroke of some sort and that would be a bad thing.
So....
* How many times out of 10 would Nelson hit a dinner plate at 49 yards?
* How many times out of 10 would Nelson hit a dinner plate at 49 yards if he had to hit drivers and 3 irons in between his 49 yard shots?
And you have given us the organized template to follow in how to do just that . . . GET THE DAMN BALL IN THE HOLE!
At the end of the day you have to write down a number . . .
In my 9-hole league last night, I was 1 under through 7 and was playing very well. I had to write down a double bogey on 8 and a bogey on 9. Not fun numbers to write down!
You can try things....see what you're doing immediately...
Try other things....make sure you're doing it right (see how it looks).....then ultimately you can better judge how different things work.
...
You put lots of emphasis on putting eh? Prolly a good thing....most ppl have strokes to shave.
I put a HUGE emphasis on putting, chipping, pitching, wedge work, and bunker play. Nearly 80% of my practice time is devoted to those parts of the game.
I do this routine 4 times per week (2 full day sessions and 2 half day session). I practice about 10-11 hours per week. I went from an ~8 index down to ~2 index in about 4 months after I started this routine. The biggest difference was WITHOUT question my improved shortgame. That easily knocked 4-5 shots off my index.
If I knew exactly how many yards I hit my lob wedge, I probably would be a plus 2!!!!
... I would bet the farm that Nelson couldn't hit a dinner plate at 49 yards more than 4 out of 10 times. He would be very darn close, no doubt about it, and I would probably be pooping myself with each swing he took if I had a big wager on it. But I would guess that he would miss several of them by 2-4 yards.
Agreed, Stickner. Which is why he was practicing that particular shot when I asked him the question!
BTW, my post was addressed to all readers regarding their Practice Routines and not yours specifically. Sorry for any confusion.
The thing I find most frustrating about golf is everytime you think you have fixed something it rears its ugly head again.
I mean look at this !
This is dreadful! I do get it back close to the turned shoulder plane on the downstroke but this is what ive been doing since a kid! - Last year I had thought it was gone forever.... Took a video yesterday for first time this year and guess whats back ! - it was a pretty nice shot though.... 5 yard draw...lol
Mathew,
Thanks for posting that.... this is off topic, but I can't tell you how frustrated I get about my progress at times. There are days when I know TGM has given me all I need (informationally) to control a golf ball and yet I'm unable to execute. I recently found I was mixing rft and stt.... I'm a hitter and there is no way that will work. I can work on something at the range and I'm fine but go to the course and it's gone on half the swings..... at least I know I'm not alone.
Agreed, Stickner. Which is why he was practicing that particular shot when I asked him the question!
BTW, my post was addressed to all readers regarding their Practice Routines and not yours specifically. Sorry for any confusion.
It is so amazing to watch those guys hit balls at that level. I wish I was able to ask them questions about what they are trying to do when they are hitting balls.
A while back on the Internet a company offered free at first then charged a short game practice routine. It had a lot of similarities to the one provided here. The short fall I discovered for a few who had tried it, they didn't have the mechanics to perform it consistently or adapt.
Granted on the score card it only indicates how many strokes taken, not how you did it. But that then leaves the question 'can you repeat your performance?'.
I think and believe that there are severaly types of practice required.
1. Practice to learn the stroke (focus on mechanics)
2. Practice to learn how to score (focus on results of a shot)
3. Practice to learn how to play (focus on abilities/strengths to get the best score for that hole)
After more than a year of practicing and tracking results I have discovered that I am still a mental midget when I get a golf club in my hand.
It is not that I don't know how to make a good golf stroke, it is not that I can't make a good golf stroke, it is that I can not Score consistently....I discovered just recently that playing short courses vs normal course indicates that I lack distance to score. Par 4s of 420 yds have me hitting 5 or 3 wds to the green. Hitting the green can be a problem, but if I do hit them I am still three zipcodes away from the hole.
So either I discover and correct massive power leaks if they exist or I get off the couch and away from the computer and get FIT....and then there is the thought that that new ball and driver will be the answer .
To the end I think each individual needs to isolate and identify a routine to build on thier strengths and correct thier weaknesses, as they say one size doesn't fit all be it the golf stroke or golf practice...
A while back on the Internet a company offered free at first then charged a short game practice routine. It had a lot of similarities to the one provided here. The short fall I discovered for a few who had tried it, they didn't have the mechanics to perform it consistently or adapt.
Granted on the score card it only indicates how many strokes taken, not how you did it. But that then leaves the question 'can you repeat your performance?'.
I think and believe that there are severaly types of practice required.
1. Practice to learn the stroke (focus on mechanics)
2. Practice to learn how to score (focus on results of a shot)
3. Practice to learn how to play (focus on abilities/strengths to get the best score for that hole)
After more than a year of practicing and tracking results I have discovered that I am still a mental midget when I get a golf club in my hand.
It is not that I don't know how to make a good golf stroke, it is not that I can't make a good golf stroke, it is that I can not Score consistently....I discovered just recently that playing short courses vs normal course indicates that I lack distance to score. Par 4s of 420 yds have me hitting 5 or 3 wds to the green. Hitting the green can be a problem, but if I do hit them I am still three zipcodes away from the hole.
So either I discover and correct massive power leaks if they exist or I get off the couch and away from the computer and get FIT....and then there is the thought that that new ball and driver will be the answer .
To the end I think each individual needs to isolate and identify a routine to build on thier strengths and correct thier weaknesses, as they say one size doesn't fit all be it the golf stroke or golf practice...
It is the archer - not the arrow. Good luck in your quest!
I put a HUGE emphasis on putting, chipping, pitching, wedge work, and bunker play. Nearly 80% of my practice time is devoted to those parts of the game.
I do this routine 4 times per week (2 full day sessions and 2 half day session). I practice about 10-11 hours per week. I went from an ~8 index down to ~2 index in about 4 months after I started this routine. The biggest difference was WITHOUT question my improved shortgame. That easily knocked 4-5 shots off my index.
Stickner . . . Sorry to keep peppering you with so many questions . . .
How many times do you PLAY in a week? Also let's say that you only had 3 to 5 hours to devote to practice a week would you re-organize your routine or would you continue with the same drills etc? How would less practice time available change your focus if at all?
Stickner, maybe you've already answered this and I missed it, but where are you in the development of your stroke pattern? Are you working on specific components, motions, etc.. while you practice or more on scoring/making shots?
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