WHAT TO PRACTICE
What are you doing this week to lower your scores?
One of the best game-like drills is competing on the Island Greens Challenge! It is a series of 18 shots, first hole is 35 yards and it finishes at 202 yards.
Watch this short video of little Jonny and I competing 👈
What makes this drill unique is each shot is to an island green, you have to have to dial in your carry distance and total distance. This is one of the easiest ways to lower your scores, learning your real distances! Most players (including myself before using launch monitors), think they know how far they carry their irons, but in reality, 99% don’t, even single digit golfers. How can you stand over a shot with 100% confidence, if you don’t know your distances?
The Perfect Practice
How do you warm up to practice or play?
Most golfers grab a short iron (or even a driver) and start swinging full! This is why most golfers have a terrible impact position (the point in the swing where your club meets the ball). The only way to develop a good impact position for solid, consistent shots is by starting small, hitting pitch shots. Kill two birds with one stone and add in a ladder drill (20, 30, 40, 50 yards…) to dial in your feel for those short wedges around the greens. If you really want to make sure you are getting the most out of your practice, add the impact ball drill – check that drill out here!
Step 1: Start with some dynamic stretching.
- Dynamic stretching means moving your muscles and joints through a full range of motion… like leg swings, torso rotations, or walking lunges to warm up the body and prepare it for activity. (I’m not a fitness expert, but trust me) It’s important to do dynamic stretching before hitting balls because it:
- Increases blood flow and body temperature
- Activates golf-specific muscles and improves mobility
- Prepares your body for the movement patterns you’ll use in your swing
- In contrast, static stretching (holding a stretch for long periods) can temporarily reduce strength and power, making it better suited for after your practice or round, not before.
Step 2: Start small, and focus on hitting the ball solid
- Incorporate the ladder drill
- If you’re feeling really frisky, add in the impact ball!
Step 3: Work on swing positions, (only if you know that what you’re working on is correct for your swing). Make sure to only work on one aspect at a time! If you’re going to watch YouTube, quit looking for that secret move, try to understand the fundamentals and focus on the basics. I promise, it will help you a lot more than experimenting!
Step 4: Game-Like Practice (nobody does this)
- Simulate golf course conditions, and compete with a friend if you can
- Focus on pre shot routine, and being disciplined to only 1 swing thought!