So many times, when I am talking to new students, they tell me their golf practice goes well, but they can’t seem to transfer their golf skills into scoring.
I immediately ask them how they are practicing. Most people just do the mechanical aspect of golf. For example, while working on their swing, they focus their practice on their take-away. Mechanics are important to the game, but you need to add feel and scoring practice to lower your scores.
Divide your practice into three parts: mechanics, feel, and scoring. You should do this with ball striking and short game.
If I applied these three things to my putting practice, my practice routine could look something like this (refer to the corresponding photos):
- Mechanical practice: Do a drill with a chalk line, Putting Arc, or alignment sticks. This works on path and alignment.
- Feel practice: Move back from the hole every two feet, working on lag putting and tempo of stroke
- Scoring practice: Do a ladder drill, working on achieving a goal before you can move on. This is creating an on-course feeling.
Vicki Goetze-Ackerman is Director of Instruction at Buckhorn Springs Golf & Country Club, Valrico, Florida. Reach her at getzack@gmail.com
