Effective Practice Techniques
“Practice makes Permanent”
What ever you are going to practice will be embroiled into your sensory system and maintained. Therefore you must ensure that your techniques are mechanically correct if progress is going to be made.
When good mechanics are in place prolonged practice will have huge benefits allowing your neuro-messaging to develop the fine tuned skills that separate really good players from the rest of the field.
There are three main areas of practice.
- Biomechanical alignment of the body to produce the most efficient movement for your build and strength.
- Muscular sequencing to produce and deliver the required power through the mechanical chain.
- Skill training - ball flight control, spin control, distance control
Irrespective of what element of the game you are focusing on these three factors should always be prioritised.
Plan your sessions
Planning your sessions to target specific areas of your swing or skills will allow every shot to become a progression. This is a list of practical sessions that you could specify and focus on: -
Address position – Use 3 different length clubs. Select one club, move into position ready to hit the ball, and then check your positions using the Learngolf system. This should take you no more than 5 seconds. Now quickly change clubs and repeat making the correct address adjustments. Repeat interchanging clubs for 10 minutes while maintaining your concentration and focus. This can be practiced at home and is amazingly effective at stabilising your start positions. If done correctly this is a nice challenging exercise.
Sequencing your Backswing – Your two key moves provide the backswing (available in the Fault Finder section of this site). From your address position make a short swing then a long swing then hit the ball with your short swing. These are all continuous movements. Repeat reversing the sequence – Long swing, short swing, hit the ball with a long swing. practice for 10 minutes, this is a demanding drill as ever shot you hit is equal to 3 swings. You may find 10 shots are enough and you will need to rest.
Sequencing the Downswing – Your focus is on your two power moves (available from the Fault Finder section of this site). From the address position make a short swing and hold the position for 3 seconds, return to the address position using your two power supplies, with out moving out of your address position make a long swing, hold for 3 seconds and return to the address position again using your power supplies. With out moving out of your address position make a short swing again (don’t pause this time) and swing through striking the ball. Repeat starting with a long swing, then short and strike with a long swing. This is a demanding exercise and you will find 10 shots (30 swings) will be enough. The photo sequence shows how this drill can develop an effective shot when playing under a canopy of a tree demonstrating the ability to control the length of your backswing and still produce power.
Stable Impact Position – This can be practiced anywhere, indoors or out or when you are playing. Take up your address position with a selected club (anyone will do). Place the club against something that won’t move i.e. a tree, side of a building, a bench etc, now using your power sources increase your grip and arm pressure, rotate your pelvis and bend the shaft. Your focus must be on the correct distribution of body weight for your specifications (this is found on the Fault Finder section of this site), hold for 10seconds. Done correctly you will feel a whole body engagement. Now adopt your impact position again and ‘pulse’ your muscles, bending the shaft then allowing it to straighten for 20seconds (about 30 pulses)
Completing a Balanced Finish – Make an address position with short club. Rotate your pelvis through the shot and push the club into the ground causing it to scrape along the turf for 4 to 5 inches. Complete the follow through to a balanced upright finish (allow your head to move with the rotation of your upper body). Repeat 3 times and then strike a ball with your normal swing focusing on the finish position. Repeat again with a mid iron then again with long iron. The emphasis is on moving the middle of your body correctly through the ball to the finish and removing any pressure from your back.
“Practice makes Permanent”