How are Playing and Practicing Different?
Have you ever wondered why your golf swing on the range produces better golf shots than when you play? Some players will joke around and say things like "I hit like a pro on the range, but I can't repeat it on the golf course." Outside of the obvious reasons such as, having perfectly flat lies on the range, or hitting a 7-Iron 10 times in a row to the same target; what are some other reasons our practice does not translate immediately to the golf course? Let's dig into that brain!
The first question that I want you to ask yourself, when trying to reason through this problem is, how do you approach playing on the golf course VS practicing on the driving range?
I'll walk through my approach as a reference. There are 3 important aspects of playing on the golf course that are important and engaging for me.
Take risks and be aggressive. My best rounds of golf were fearless rounds of golf. I didn't score low in defensive mode.
Be creative and imaginative. I can't tell you how many times I've played shots through windows and over trees that could only be accomplished with visualization being a prerequisite.
Have fun. If golf isn't fun for me, I lose interest in playing. I enjoy the game by playing with others, whether it's competitive or not, and by doing what I have listed prior.
How I practice is very similar to how I play.
Visualization: I take time to remember situations on the golf course. My goal during practice is to recreate scenarios on the golf course and play around with different types of golf shots to practice. This simple step keeps my practice engaging and motivates me to get back on the golf course to test myself.
I change targets after every few shots. Obviously, when we play, we don't see the same shot 2 times in a row, unless we wiff... For that reason, changing targets forces me to reset and go through my process again. This helps train my mind to have a short-term memory which is useful when playing golf.
Play Games: Part of the fun of playing golf is scoring my best. Whether I am practicing short game or full swing, I like to play games because my mind goes into playing mode, which is where I am on the golf course. A simple example of a game I will play is on the putting green. I'll play 9 holes and give myself a scoring goal such as 18=Even, <18=Under Par, >18=Over Par. This keeps me engaged in my practice.
Do you notice that I don't start with technique? Technique is obviously important, but in my opinion a confident golf swing is a manifestation of our intentions, based on our understanding and imagination, and also our potential. Now I know that can sound... not so concrete, but I prefer fluidity over closed pathways. Once we believe we know something, life tends to challenge and break through. How we respond to that adversity also affects our potential.
So, do you think how you play golf, matches how you practice? The cause-and-effect relationship I most often see with players is the thought that if they learn how to swing better, they will play better. Now, an efficient swing will help you strike the golf ball better; however, scoring lower, or "playing better," is not in direct correlation with a more efficient golf swing. We still have to match our swing to the situation in front of us. Hitting the ball 300 yards off the tee, out of bounds, is still a penalty, although it looks cool. You can maximize your potential by creating an imaginary fairway and practicing 300-yard drives into that fairway.
One helpful way I can assist my players in their approach to practicing and playing is by doing a Playing Lesson. A playing lesson is a great opportunity to show me what you are trying to do on the golf course. It's easy to find things for players to practice once I see them play. It's also easy for me to see what they should practice based on their swing mechanics, but that alone doesn't satisfy the full scope of improving your golf game.
Overall, your mental approach to the game is just as important as the efficiency of your golf swing, and they should work together to create to most out of your experience.
Thank you for reading,
Coach Zach
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