Okay, so people sometimes ask how I actually work on my golf game. It wasn’t like I read a book and suddenly got good. It’s been a lot of trial and error, mostly error at the start.
First thing I did, like most people I guess, was head straight to the driving range. Bought a big bucket of balls. Just wanted to hit the driver as hard as I could. Felt powerful when one went straight, but honestly, most didn’t. Total waste of time mostly. I wasn’t learning anything, just smashing balls.
So, I had to change that. Started focusing. Pick a target for every single shot. Even with the driver. Then I moved to irons. Hit maybe 10 shots with my 7-iron, trying to hit that same target. Then maybe 10 with a pitching wedge. Much slower, more deliberate. Still hit bad ones, plenty of them, but at least I had a purpose.
Then there’s putting. Oh man, putting. I used to hate practicing putting. So boring, right? Just standing there, rolling the ball a few feet. I’d spend an hour smashing drivers and maybe 5 minutes on the putting green. My scores showed it too.
Eventually, I forced myself. Had to. Started simple:
- Just making short ones. Like 3-footers. Over and over. Get the feel.
- Then moved to longer putts. Not trying to make them, just get them close. Lag putting, they call it? Just trying to get the speed right.
It’s still not my favorite part, but I spend real time on it now. Maybe 30-40% of my practice time. It actually makes a difference on the scorecard, which is the point, right?
The Real Score Saver (and frustration maker)
Chipping and pitching. Around the greens. This stuff is key. Hitting a green from 150 yards out is great, but most of us aren’t doing that consistently. Getting up and down from 30 yards off the green? That saves you shots every single round.
So I spend time here too. Different lies in the grass if possible. Short chips, longer pitches. Trying to land the ball on specific spots. It’s tough. You hit them fat, you hit them thin. Skulls across the green. It’s maddening sometimes. But gotta do it.
So yeah, that’s basically it. It’s not rocket science. It’s mainly about having a plan, not just mindlessly hitting balls. Focus on different parts of the game. Driving range, putting green, short game area. And be honest with yourself about where you suck the most. Spend more time there, even if it’s boring or frustrating.
I don’t follow a super strict schedule every single time, but I try to touch on all these areas most times I go out to practice. Took me a while to figure this out. Lots of wasted buckets of balls early on. It’s just slow, steady work. No magic involved, just hitting balls with a purpose.
