🏋️ Purposeful Practice: 5 Practical Drills to Close the Gap Between the Range and the Course
INTRODUCTION: PRACTICE IS MORE THAN JUST HITTING BALLS
We’ve all felt it: swinging like a professional on the practice range but playing like a beginner on the course. The difference lies in whether your practice is purposeful. Purposeful practice simulates the pressure and decision-making demands of a real round of golf.
- Drill #1: Target Randomization
- The Problem: At the driving range, we often hit 20 balls consecutively with a 7-iron at the same target, which never happens on the course.
- The Practice: After every shot, change everything: switch from Driver to Pitching Wedge, change your target, change the shot type. This forces your brain to execute the full Pre-Shot Routine for every swing, simulating the demands of a real round.
- Drill #2: The Gate Putt Drill
- The Goal: Achieve absolute control over the putter path and the center strike.
- The Practice: Place two Tees slightly wider than your putter head on either side of the ball, creating a “gate.” If your putter deviates from the path, it will hit a Tee. This drill helps establish a consistent, straight putter stroke.
- Drill #3: The Ladder Drill (Distance Gapping)
- The Goal: Improve iron distance control and gapping.
- The Practice: Take one iron (e.g., 7-iron). Hit 5 balls:
- Ball 1: 50% power (half swing).
- Ball 2: 75% power (three-quarter swing).
- Ball 3: 100% power (full swing).
- Repeat this for all your irons to understand the precise distance at each swing intensity level.
- Drill #4: The 6-Hole Challenge
- The Goal: Simulate scoring pressure.
- The Practice: Choose 6 random spots on the range. Imagine each spot is a Par 3 Hole. Try to score “Par” (e.g., land the ball within a designated target area). If you fail on a hole, you face a penalty (e.g., doing a short sprint). This drill forces you to commit to a specific goal for every shot.
