The Number 1 Reason Why Your Score Is Not Improving

What does practice mean to you when it comes to improving your golf game?

Most of you probably never practice outside of the actual course. Others spend the entire time on the driving range hitting long drives. Either way, the truth is that you are doing very little to actually lower your score and improve the shots that really count at the end of a game.

So what is it about hitting those powerful long drives that make us happy? Some of these shots will slice, while others will actually fly straight and hit the target. While this makes us happy at some level, deep inside we know that spending all day hitting long balls at the range is not the best use of our practice time.

Most of you reading this are interested in living up to your fullest potential at the game. Becoming the best we can, within our abilities, is what separates those that improve from those that just drudge along, hitting the same low score year in and year out. We want to have our best score, we want to hit those impressive shots that make our friends look on with envy.

Perhaps your goal is to shoot 90, or how about 80? Maybe you are trying to reach a score of 75 or 70. Whatever your new goals are, there is no way to get there without making the short game a priority when it comes to practice. Some people of course get a rush from hitting all of those repetitive, ego-driving long drives, but then their scorecard never dips below 100, they are not so happy anymore.

The Value Is Around the Green

More value comes from the shots that are made around the green. The accuracy and technique needed to make these shots into a winning strategy is far more important than what is needed for a drive. A hole may be as far as 390 or more yards away, and a long drive may get the ball to the 200 yard mark, which is great, but what will get the ball into the hole are your tougher shots – the pitches, the flops, and the chips.

I've seen scores drop from the high 90s down to the mid-to-low 80s just from players who shaved off a few points by spending extra moments each week on chipping, or a few 15 minute sessions during the week with putting. Such improvements may seem minor but your handicap can be dramatically reduced.

Planning Your Practice Sessions

Not everyone has the luxury of planning out long practice sessions to improve their golf game. Most of us have very busy schedules, long work hours, and family commitments - so even a 30 minute window is a welcomed opportunity. You must use your time wisely.

Regardless if you only have 30 minutes, or a half day to practice golf, the key is to properly plan your sessions. It would not be wise to spend all of your 30 minutes hitting drives.

Always include small increments of your time to hitting specific shots - five minutes on chipping, another five on pitching, maybe ten minutes on bunker shots, another five minutes on your fifty yard shots – are all examples of a plan of action towards practice with the time you have.

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Filed under: Golf Tips

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