As a busy teacher, I don’t have nearly as much time to practice as I’d like — but I still want to be competitive and score well. This requires me to be efficient with my practice time.
Apart from some general fitness and swing speed training, the area I work on most is wedges. I’m fortunate to have TrackMan, and with it I have created several of my own “Wedge Combines” so I can focus on shots in the important 100-yard scoring zone.
But if you don’t have access to a launch monitor, here’s a way you can practice those critical distances and sharpen your scoring game.
How to sharpen your game from 100 yards and in
The next time you’re on the course and have time for a bit of practice while you play, in addition to the ball you’re playing with from the tee, every time you are within 100 yards of the green, drop an extra ball at one of the following three distances and play that ball in also.
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A par for this second ball is 3. Try hitting an extra ball from 30-50 yards, 50-70 yards, and 70-100 yards on each hole.
So, if you play 9 holes, in addition to the ball you’re playing with from the tee, you’ll have 3 shots from each of these distances as your second ball.
Keep a note on your scorecard about your score on the second ball (par will be 27); this will give you an idea of where you’ll need to focus in your next practice session. And once you know where your deficiencies lie, you can then optimize your future practice.
Monique Thoresz, PGA, is the director of instruction at the Apawamis Club in Rye, N.Y.