The old saying goes that practice makes perfect, but in golf, there’s no such thing as perfect. Even on the best days on the course, there’s always things that can be improved. Perfection is simply unattainable.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be practicing at all, though. Even though you’ll never perfect the golf swing, you can still make marked gains that translate into success on the course. But you’ve got to know how to get the most out of your practice if you want to see those gains.
For help with maximizing your practice time, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Cameron McCormick recently posted a thread of tips and tricks you can utilize. Check it out below.
1/ What you practice you get good at.
— Cameron McCormick (@CMcCormickGolf) February 4, 2023
Make sure you have a clear PLAN for what ur trying to accomplish AND a source of feedback to tell you if ur accomplishing the goal.
You should have a set of skills drills to do to help u measure practice performance.
Need some? Ask me👍
1. Have a plan and get feedback
One of the biggest mistakes recreational golfers make is not knowing how to practice. They go to the range and mindlessly beat balls with no rhyme or reason. Instead, you need to have a plan for your practice, and a way to measure your performance. Give yourself a goal every time you practice and monitor if you’re meeting that goal.
2/ Set realistic expectations:
— Cameron McCormick (@CMcCormickGolf) February 4, 2023
Practicing your putting is 👍 Practicing to make 100% from 10ft is unrealistic 👎
Set your expectations slightly above your current ability level.
Don’t know what that level is?
Record some stats from your rounds or practice drills to identify.
2. Set realistic expectations
While your goals should be ambitious, they should also be realistic. If you’re a 10-handicap and hope to average 300+ yards off the tee, that probably won’t happen. As McCormick notes, set your goals slightly above your current ability level. Once you achieve those goals, set the bar a little higher. That incremental progress will add up over time.
3/Are you getting by or betting better?
— Cameron McCormick (@CMcCormickGolf) February 4, 2023
Know ur weaknesses & target these areas first. How? See #2
Leave the stuff ur good at till last. You’ll feel great about ur training because u did the hard stuff & u likely performed great on the last thing u did before leaving.
3. Target your weaknesses
No one likes doing things they’re bad at, but if you want to improve, you must tackle those weaknesses. Figure out what your biggest weakness is and practice like hell to improve it. If you only practice what you’re good at, you’ll just be getting by. Make it your goal to get better.
4/ Challenge & Adversity
— Cameron McCormick (@CMcCormickGolf) February 4, 2023
Practicing without feeling what you feel on the golf course yields less ROI. If you expect to perform under pressure you need to create it in training. No pressure no diamonds 💎
4. Simulate pressure
Golf is a game that requires you to handle pressure. If you want to get better at that skill, you must practice it. Simulate pressure situations when you practice so you can get used to the feeling of performing when the stakes are highest. It’s not the easiest thing to manufacture pressure when you practice, but if you can get comfortable performing under the gun, you’ll be better when you get out on the course.
5/ Volume: do it so much you can’t not do it, time on task, dig it out of the dirt , sweat 😓 equity…whatever you want to call it.
— Cameron McCormick (@CMcCormickGolf) February 4, 2023
Work hard because the only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.
5. Find it in the dirt
There are no shortcuts on the path to improvement, so be ready to practice A LOT. Practice so much that you get sick of it, and then practice it some more. Make the things you do in practice so ingrained that you can’t do them wrong on the course. As McCormick notes, the only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.
