In addition to sharing takes on the latest golf news in each episode of Peter Kostis and Gary McCord’s Off Their Rockers podcast, a GOLF production, Kostis, a GOLF Top 100 Teachers Lifetime Achievement honoree, is also passionate about helping recreational players improve their games.
And one way simple way to see better results is via the one-ball drill, which Kostis endorses because it help players practice hitting the shots they need when they need them — an essential skill for on-course success.
“Once you develop the technique of your golf swing, you have to learn how to do it with each club on demand,” Kostis said. “It’s not a matter of trying to roll another [ball] over and repeating that shot.
“Block practice like that is important in developing your skills, but one ball after another with the same club never happens on the golf course.”
Kostis recommends training yourself to play a round of golf on the driving range. Utilizing a launch monitor like his Foresight QuadMAX can be useful in tracking your distances with each club, but the basic gist of the drill is to hit shots on the range in the order you would on the course, making the yardage and club selection as accurate as you can.
Bushnell Golf Launch Pro
#1 Rated Launch Monitor by
Tour-level accuracy both indoor and out. Capture club and ball data for industry-leading performance insights. Experience everything Launch Pro has to offer your game by adding our Gold subscription, Awesome Golf, GS Pro and more!
Note: Subscription and 3rd party connectors sold separately
Accuracy Above All
Launch Pro delivers unmatched precision and reliability both indoors and outdoors. You can now practice any aspect of your game anywhere, anytime you want.
We measure what matters, and we do it with the most accuracy and consistency of any personal launch monitor. Carry distance, clubhead speed*, launch, spin, when you know your number, you can take your practice sessions and performance on the course to the next level.
Launch Pro gives you true-to-life simulation and lets you enjoy the best of both worlds by allowing you to play on the world’s best courses and dialing in your game on the range. Whether you want a basic setup in your garage or a custom indoor simulator room, Launch Pro is the answer.
Additional Information
Includes 14-day free trial of Club Data* and Gold Software
Software subscription sold separately.
FSX Play available in Gold software subscription
NOTE: Gaming-optimized PC and TV Monitor required for simulation. Sold separately.
NOTE: Device will not work outside U.S.
View Product
The important thing to remember, Kostis said, is to treat each shot with the same respect and routine that you would during a round.
“I’m not just gonna hit the 8-iron. I’m gonna go through my whole routine,” Kostis said. “I’m gonna take my practice wings, whatever I do normally on the golf course. Get a sense of my rhythm, get a sense of my timing. Pick my target, go through my set-up routine.”
Making the one-ball drill a regular part of your practice routine will pay dividends on the course, Kostis said.
“Practice playing your golf course on the driving range. Create one-ball success patterns,” he said. “Trust me, it’ll help you shoot lower scores and it will really help you feel more relaxed when you go to the first tee.”
For more from Kostis, check out his full lesson in the video above.
