Stuck in the same old routine at the driving range? Looking to improve your game? Tom Morton, PGA Director of Player Development for Morton Golf has some excellent ideas to get the most out of your Driving Range Practice Session.
The driving range is often the first stop for those learning the game & also where most players run to after a round. When heading to the practice facility to work on your game, a player should have small, specific goals in mind, working on improving just one thing during their session.
According to Tom Morton, “One can easily state that time spent practicing should be set up with most attention spent on putting and the short game. Putting and short game (100 yards to the hole) is where the majority of shots on a course are made, so why not spend more practice time on this part of the game?”
This advice is often hard to follow as most of us like to tee up our driver and see how far we can hit our ball off the mat. We might spend 5 – 10 minutes on the practice green & add a couple of chip shots in at the end of the session. If you follow Tom’s advice, you can shift gears and practice putting, the short game, bunker play, and other facets of the game in a descending order.
“Think about how many shots you may have saved in your last round if you were a better putter, short game, or sand player?” asks Tom Morton, “The number probably is between 3 and 7+ depending on the golfer. Just 2 or 3 shots a round can be the difference between breaking 90 or 80, all magic numbers and goals for golfers.”
Sounds great, right? We can all use a little help with speed and distance control once we are on the green. Tom has put together a short putting tip video that addresses just that.
A lot of students ask Tom what, when and how long they should practice. “I’ve put together an ideal weekly practice schedule scenario to maximize your practice session, with the understanding that time is precious and that it can be difficult to get away to work on the game.” says Tom Morton.
WEEKLY PRACTICE SESSION:
Monday-Thursday (1 hour)
– 10 minutes putting: 2 ft., 3ft., 4ft., and 5ft. putts
– 10 minutes chipping: change clubs every fourth shot
– 10 minutes pitching: 10, 15, and 20 yard shots
(25 minutes hitting golf balls):
– 5 minutes: ½ swings
– 5 minutes: short iron full swings
– 5 minutes: mid/long iron full swings
– 5 minutes: fairway woods & driver
– 5 minutes: ½ swings
– 5 minutes putting: 10 ft., 15 ft., 20 ft., and 25 ft putts
Friday (Day off)
Saturday and/or Sunday (2 hours)
– 30 minutes putting: 2 ft., 3ft., 4ft., and 5ft. putts
– 15 minutes chipping: change clubs every forth shot
– 15 minutes pitching: 10, 15, and 20 yard shots
(45 minutes hitting golf balls):
– 10 minutes: ½ swings
– 10 minutes: short iron full swings
– 10 minutes: mid/long iron full swings
– 10 minutes: fairway woods & driver
– 5 minutes: ½ swings
– 15 minutes putting: 10 ft., 15 ft., 20ft., and 25ft. putts
At your next golf lesson talk to the golf coach about how to track statistics and how to set up a practice routine that matches your needs to get the most out of your golf game.
Interested in speaking to a golf coach and setting up your own practice routine? Call 916-808-2531 to schedule your next lesson with either Tom Morton, or one of our many qualified instructors.
