Do you ever have trouble taking the swing and the good shots you’ve been hitting on the range out to the golf course? It’s pretty common problem. The reason why you have a hard time taking those good shots that you’re hitting over and over again from the range to the golf course is because you’re treating them very differently. On the range you are hitting the same 7-iron or same club over and over again to the same target with no consequence. You can see how that’s really not like the golf course. You’re presented with a unique situation every time, even if you’re playing the same hole on the same course that you’ve played hundreds of times before. It’s a unique situation and you haven’t been training that on the range. There certainly is a time and place to be on the range working on your swing, doing things over and over again. That’s known as blocked practice but there’s also a time on the range where you should simulate play so that you can take the work you’re doing on the range to the golf course more easily. So let me tell you about the two types of practice. The first one, I’ve already mentioned, blocked practice. That’s the type of practice you might do after you’ve gotten a lesson or after you’ve decided there’s some aspect of your swing you want to work on. So you’ll go to the range and you’ll practice this position over and over again, saying “Okay I want to get my swing to this certain position.”. And now when you hit the shot, hitting a good shot is good but it really is immaterial. Your focus is on this position. Now, once you’ve got that down, the goal is be able to go play golf and use the swing you’ve built and not have to think about positions. You want those positions that happen naturally. Sort of the same way as when you sign your name at the bottom of a check. You don’t think abouit. You just write your name and your signature appears. That’s the way you want your swing to be. So when it’s time to play and simulate play you look at the range and you pretend that it’s a hole. Maybe create a game that says I need to hit it X number of times per 10. And so now you’re going to try to hit a shot to a place and the last thing you’re thinking about is that position. You’re treating it just like you’re about to play the golf course and you hit the shot. That’s play simulation and if you mix those two you’ll be in trouble. When you separate them Block practice from simulation of play, you’ll be able to go to the golf course. So block comes first. You get good at that then comes play. Now you’re ready to go to the golf course. If you follow that order, you’ll see your hard work on the driving range go to the golf course. I’m Errol with Profectus here in Nashville, Tn. I hope that tip helps your
game.
