Anyone have a good practice routine suitable for a 20 handicap?

[Pobrien13662]

Hi all,

I have been doing hour practice sessions once a week. I found a routine on YouTube (I know I know) that I have modified a little and seems to be working. Just curious if anyone more experienced has any suggestions. Here is what I am doing:

Warming up with my wedges over about 30 balls starting with the 60 degree and working on contact and distance control.

Then I go through and hit 2-3 balls with every club in the bag, with my 3W I hit some off the deck and some off a tee, and then I do about 10 with the driver.

Lastly, I run through the rest of the bucket playing like a course. Starting with the driver, then moving to my 3W or 3 H, then my 5H or 6i, then either 7i/8/9i/PW, then either my 50/56/60 wedge.

 

 

[Off Map Oscar]

Other than focusing on one specific  goal for every training session you've got a solid practice session sorted out. 

I have a simulator and how I practiced when I was trying to get under 20 what I did was start out playing 9 or 18. In the 9 I would pay attention to where I struggled. After that I would focus on those areas for the rest of my time. You could do similar and reverse your practice. 

Play 9 with the first shots in your bucket. Then figure out your struggles and then focus the rest of that session on the one piece giving you trouble

 

[Pobrien13662]

5 minutes ago, Off Map Oscar said:

Other than focusing on one specific  goal for every training session you've got a solid practice session sorted out. 

I have a simulator and how I practiced when I was trying to get under 20 what I did was start out playing 9 or 18. In the 9 I would pay attention to where I struggled. After that I would focus on those areas for the rest of my time. You could do similar and reverse your practice. 

Play 9 with the first shots in your bucket. Then figure out your struggles and then focus the rest of that session on the one piece giving you trouble

 

Thank you sir! Also, I see the veteran tag on your signature. I was a Navy Seabee. Just started playing in some of the Veteran's Golf Association tournaments last season. Love it! 

[Donn lost in San Diego]

Rotate and finish.

[Off Map Oscar]

14 minutes ago, Pobrien13662 said:

Thank you sir! Also, I see the veteran tag on your signature. I was a Navy Seabee. Just started playing in some of the Veteran's Golf Association tournaments last season. Love it! 

I've looked at those recently and might give it a shot next season. I've been playing in the leagues on the local base. 

[cnosil]

You said it seems to be working.  I'll interpret that to mean that your skills are improving and scores are coming down.  If that is the case then keep doing what you are doing.  

That said,  we don't know your strengths or weaknesses in the game and it seems like you are going through your bucket pretty quickly if you are hitting that many balls in an hour.  Seems like your warm up and wedge work are the same thing.   have an intent for the shots with the clubs in your bag and not just hitting them.  Are you working on technique at all?  No mention at all on putting practice.  

General advice would be to spend  1/3 on ball striking, 1/3 on short game, and 1/3 on putting.   

 

[Off Map Oscar]

You use the putter on every hole..... I don't see that in your practice routine. 

[PrayingForPar]

I agree with @cnosil , it does seem like you are going through a lot of balls in an hour. Often, hitting a small bucket in an hour seem to be more productive than just swinging away at a full bucket in 45 minutes.

Your routine seems like a full bag practice, might be beneficial heading to the practice facility with a more specific aspect you are focusing on like Shots within 150, long irons and driver, short game, putting, ect. after your warm up.

Not sure how often you are playing actual rounds, but I'd also encourage you to find a cheap 9 hole near you. the range is great but what brought my handicap down was playing more and identifying issues I needed to solve. We have some cheap 9 hole courses that I went to with the sole purpose of practice not a scorecard; playing on the course puts you in real life situations that will then give you areas to focus on during your range time.

[Goober]

think you need to treat each session as (goal) oriented.One session I will focus on managing low point.Spending time in a bunker without a ball trying to hit forward of a mark I put in the sand.

next session I will add contact.Which for me is starting off with Lob wedge ending in drivers.Goal is solid contact, not speed.Amazing how after this session i will play solid golf for a week or more just keeping a solid tempo versus trying to nuke the ball.But my ball first contact in a practice bunker adds to helping this as well 

Third session of the week is feeling like I’m playing a round on the course using my first two sessions feels.Aim at targets and such by pretending there are fairways and greens.

At the end of the session finish by putting, chipping and pitching. For me, if I’m struggling with my game, it is usually low point and face contact. Which boils down to tempo and when I apply speed or too much speed.Im more into making the club do what it was intended for.Versus forcing it.I rarely work on positions. Ive always judged my game by score versus looking good doing it 

I figure 30-1 hr range sessions a week (3 times) . Will allow me to play enjoyable golf. This formula has allowed me to shoot under 80 consistently since the late 1980
 

pasted this from the other thread I posted in 

[bbreezy716]

I do a similar routine, start with wedges, but because I'm very comforatable with my wedges and irons I hit atleast 5 balls each and until I get 2 or 3 in a row that look good. That just gets my swing warmed up. Then I go up. Use hybrids and 3 wood both off deck and tee if possible (don't use hybrids off a rubber tee if I can't adjust the height). Then I hit 10-20 with my driver as that is usually what I need to work on. Make sure you are taking some breaks in between hits. Focus on the fundamentals as well, I have been focusing on my grip and slowing down my backswing lately so I put more emphasis on those before I take a swing. Always try and get a little putting in if I can. My main focus is always on what I want to work on, which is usually my driver, 3 wood, hybrids, and putts. Usually with 20+ handicappers like us, it's fundamentals that are holding us back. My biggest one was my grip, once I got a grip that gave me more control and didn't allow my wrists to snap as much I shaved about 4 or 5 points off my handicap. Now I'm focusing on my backswing, at my iron fitting the guy fitting me pointed out my backswing was too fast and I didn't stop almost at all at the top. He had me do that and I saw my iron shots improve a lot. 

Edited September 9 by bbreezy716

[Pobrien13662]

13 hours ago, Off Map Oscar said:

I've looked at those recently and might give it a shot next season. I've been playing in the leagues on the local base. 

They are a lot of fun. Joining is like $76.00 a year and you can play in any tournament in any state. I work in emergency management so I travel a lot and it works out well. 

[Pobrien13662]

1 hour ago, bbreezy716 said:

I do a similar routine, start with wedges, but because I'm very comforatable with my wedges and irons I hit atleast 5 balls each and until I get 2 or 3 in a row that look good. That just gets my swing warmed up. Then I go up. Use hybrids and 3 wood both off deck and tee if possible (don't use hybrids off a rubber tee if I can't adjust the height). Then I hit 10-20 with my driver as that is usually what I need to work on. Make sure you are taking some breaks in between hits. Focus on the fundamentals as well, I have been focusing on my grip and slowing down my backswing lately so I put more emphasis on those before I take a swing. Always try and get a little putting in if I can. My main focus is always on what I want to work on, which is usually my driver, 3 wood, hybrids, and putts. Usually with 20+ handicappers like us, it's fundamentals that are holding us back. My biggest one was my grip, once I got a grip that gave me more control and didn't allow my wrists to snap as much I shaved about 4 or 5 points off my handicap. Now I'm focusing on my backswing, at my iron fitting the guy fitting me pointed out my backswing was too fast and I didn't stop almost at all at the top. He had me do that and I saw my iron shots improve a lot. 

I have a hard time tracking the ball when I hit so one simple thing screwing me up was coming up out of relfex to search for the ball, stopping that helped a lot. Then there is the typical trying to obliterate the ball that doesn't help. I have the same problem with the backswing, although it seems like I am getting away from rushing it now. 

[bbreezy716]

12 minutes ago, Pobrien13662 said:

I have a hard time tracking the ball when I hit so one simple thing screwing me up was coming up out of relfex to search for the ball, stopping that helped a lot. Then there is the typical trying to obliterate the ball that doesn't help. I have the same problem with the backswing, although it seems like I am getting away from rushing it now. 

I was bad about this too, constantly pulling my head up early to watch for the ball. I started using simulators and making myself watch where the ball was for an extra second. I also usually have 1 person at least with me to watch where my hits go. Helped me a lot.

[Donn lost in San Diego]

Nicklaus on range :  avoid range tempo, and have a specific idea what you are trying to do on EVERY shot.  So.  .   wait at least 30 to 45 seconds between shots , relax, walk away, release the club, take the club out of your hand.  You need to start your grip and address new for each shot. 

[cksurfdude]

For me it's always working on some skill development .. not ever just hitting balls. 

Also, for me, going through the whole bag is not meaningful; I have a small set of practice clubs for the range - SW, PW, 7i, driver and of course putter. I may add in a fairway or long hybrid. To me these represent the core components of the full bag.

As others mentioned be sure to practice what has given you problems on the course, for example were you hitting irons or wedges fat or thin?

.. then work on low point control (prob best to get a good teaching pro to look at you and recommend specific drills)

I'll also repeat another thing others mentioned, is work on one thing at a time! The golf swing is a complicated series of movements so break it down into manageable pieces. 

As to looking up too soon .. something I also struggle with .. the range is particularly useful for training yourself NOT TO as you don't (shouldn't) care where the ball goes. Keep your eyes glued to the spot where the ball was after it's gone - start with small chips with the wedge and work up from there.

[cksurfdude]

12 minutes ago, Donn lost in San Diego said:

Nicklaus on range :  avoid range tempo, and have a specific idea what you are trying to do on EVERY shot.  So.  .   wait at least 30 to 45 seconds between shots , relax, walk away, release the club, take the club out of your hand.  You need to start your grip and address new for each shot. 

Yes what he said! Don't raid fire balls; do set up to each shot as if you're on the course, always pick a target and do check your aim and alignment to it - sometimes golf shots perceived as wrong can be the wrong alignment. 

[cnosil]

7 minutes ago, cksurfdude said:

As to looking up too soon .. something I also struggle with .. the range is particularly useful for training yourself NOT TO as you don't (shouldn't) care where the ball goes. Keep your eyes glued to the spot where the ball was after it's gone - start with small chips with the wedge and work up from there.

I’ll counter with Sorenstam, Duvall, and Stenson.  Keeping the head down like you describe can also be a negative.  

[cksurfdude]

1 minute ago, cnosil said:

I’ll counter with Sorenstam, Duvall, and Stenson.  Keeping the head down like you describe can also be a negative.  

Got it, but over-exaggerating the drill to .. hopefully .. do less of the wrong thing out on the course!

I know when I look up too soon, especially with wedges, I get very poor contact (and so usually give myself a second chance to try it again ).

[Donn lost in San Diego]

2 minutes ago, cnosil said:

I’ll counter with Sorenstam, Duvall, and Stenson.  Keeping the head down like you describe can also be a negative.  

Yes but who among us are Sorenstam Duval or Stenson?

I will chip in with, you need to fully rotate the various parts of the body but rotate the head last.

[Erin B]

19 hours ago, Pobrien13662 said:

Hi all,

I have been doing hour practice sessions once a week. I found a routine on YouTube (I know I know) that I have modified a little and seems to be working. Just curious if anyone more experienced has any suggestions. Here is what I am doing:

Warming up with my wedges over about 30 balls starting with the 60 degree and working on contact and distance control.

Then I go through and hit 2-3 balls with every club in the bag, with my 3W I hit some off the deck and some off a tee, and then I do about 10 with the driver.

Lastly, I run through the rest of the bucket playing like a course. Starting with the driver, then moving to my 3W or 3 H, then my 5H or 6i, then either 7i/8/9i/PW, then either my 50/56/60 wedge.

 

 

Here's what I did... I would start with my PW, hit five balls each if the final 2 balls were good shots, if they weren't I would continue until I hit two consistent good shots with that club, I would do the same with all clubs through driver. I try to never end on a bad shot. If I had balls left after that, I'd act like I was on the course. Then I would spend time pitching and chipping with my wedges, including sand work if the practice area had sand. After that, I would putt. Putting took the most time to practice. Now I don't hit every club in my bag during practice rounds like I used to. Now I work on what club I struggle with the most after warming up with the club I have been hitting the best. Although, sometimes I do hit every club in my bag when I don't have a lot of issues. Before a round I would only hit a few clubs, then I would chip/pitch, then putt. Again putting took the longest and was the last thing before teeing off. I still use this routine before I play a round.

When it comes to working on things like swing fundamentals I try to focus on one issue at a time. I've done that since I started playing golf and, like most have said, work on one swing issue at a time. It's easier to commit it to muscle and mental memory when I do that.

Edited September 9 by Erin B

[cnosil]

7 minutes ago, Donn lost in San Diego said:

Yes but who among us are Sorenstam Duval or Stenson?

I will chip in with, you need to fully rotate the various parts of the body but rotate the head last.

My point was simply that people tend to over exaggerate the idea of keeping the head still.  This can be a negative.  People also say they lift their head when they don’t.   

[Erin B]

3 hours ago, cnosil said:

My point was simply that people tend to over exaggerate the idea of keeping the head still.  This can be a negative.  People also say they lift their head when they don’t.   

I concur