Breaking 100-90-80: your monthly guide to the scoring basics

Golf Digest, Oct, 2002 by Butch Harmon

How to Practice

The walk from the practice tee to the first tee is the longest walk in golf. Great players know how to make that transition without losing a step. On the following pages, I'll tell you how to get the most out of your practice sessions and take that good swing to the course.

Park your ego

Here is one key to good practice on the range and good play on the course: Leave your ego in the car. Whether you're going to practice or to play, remember that you're an individual, that you have just 14 clubs, and that you can hit each of those clubs only so far. Learn to live with that. Getting your ego all caught up in how far you hit your driver or your other clubs just kills your swing. Use your practice sessions to work on your weaknesses, but when you play, realize your limitations and play to your strengths.

BREAKING 100

If you're a high-handicap player, you probably won't improve much unless you work on your basics: aim, alignment, setup and swing path. Take lessons with a PGA professional so you know exactly what you should--and shouldn't--practice.

Make Practice Simple

Use an iron off a tee

When you're working on a swing change, make things as simple as possible on the practice range. I recommend that you use a 7-iron or 8-iron and tee the ball to make it easier to get it in the air. Remember: You shouldn't focus on how far the ball goes, only on the swing positions you're trying to find. Don't clutter your mind with too many swing thoughts, only the one thing you're working on.

Swing three clubs

Before you practice or play, stretch, then swing three clubs to loosen your muscles. Swing nice and easy, not hard.

Ignore free advice

Golfers are gullible. If we're not hitting the ball well, we'll listen to anybody's advice. But don't listen to your friends, unless they have a great knowledge of the golf swing. They're probably going to tell you something that has nothing to do with your real problem.

Swing in slow motion

When you practice a swing change, swing in slow motion, so you can feel the correct swing positions. You may also be amazed at how far you hit the ball when you swing slowly.

Check your aim

With every shot you hit on the practice range, you should have a target--but keep changing your targets. Hit a ball to a target on the right side of the range, then a ball to a spot on the left side of the range. This forces you to concentrate on your aim, your alignment and your setup routine before each shot, so you won't get sloppy. If you lay clubs on the ground to help your alignment (inset), place one club near the ball pointing at the target and the other parallel to it behind your heels.

BREAKING 90

Always practice with a purpose. Have a game plan: "Today I'm going to work on X." At this level, you want to turn your weaknesses into strengths. If driving is your problem, hit more tee shots. If approach shots are your problem, hit more irons.

Practice Smart

Work on your weaknesses

Many players go to the range and just practice the things they already do well. Instead, you should focus on your weaknesses. A lot of golfers trying to break 90 have a hard time hitting long irons, for example. If that's you, spend most of your time hitting just long irons until you're comfortable with them. Also try working on opposites. For example, if you slice the ball, try hitting hooks--even duck hooks. Don't worry about how to do it--just try to do it. Often your body will find a way to do it instinctively.

Don't practice tired

Rehearsal swings on the range--where you don't hit the ball--can help, but don't overdo it. If you get tired, stop, even if you haven't used up all the balls you paid for or haven't fixed that day's swing problem. Tired swings create bad habits.

Use your imagination

When you practice, make it fun. Play games: "I'm going to start the ball at the red flag and hook it all the way to the white flag." Challenge yourself: "How many balls can I land on that brown spot with different clubs?" Creativity on the range leads to creativity on the course.

Check your divots

Practice on grass if you can, and check your divots. If your divots go left and the ball slices, for example, practice slow-motion swings that will create the opposite kind of divot to improve your ball flight.

Swing freely

On the range, you probably have a lot of freedom in your swing, because there's nothing on the line. Then you walk to the first tee to play a $2 nassau, and everything changes. Here's my advice: Let yourself play well. Get your emotions out of the way, and let it happen. On the range, look for a tempo that lets you swing freely and that you're comfortable with, then take that freedom to the course.

BREAKING 80

Practicing to improve your game and practicing to get ready for a round are not the same. Before a round, in addition to simply warming up, focus on the shots you must have to score well that day. Again, you need a game plan and imagination.

Pre-round Practice

Remember bunker shots

Before a round, most players hit balls on the range and then hit a few medium-length and short putts. That's not enough. Among other things, you should also hit some chips and definitely some bunker shots. Most players never practice sand shots, but you need to find out the texture of the sand on the course that day: Is it firm? Is it soft? Bunker practice will give you confidence when you get in that first bunker--which often happens on the first hole.