If you are a beginner, the best thing you can do is practice regularly. After all, even experienced golfers must practice regularly to stay on top of their game. If you can dedicate at least a few hours each week to practicing your swing and putts, you will get better at golfing.
So, let’s assume you have all the time and the motivation necessary to improve and develop your golf skills. Next, you might wonder: what are the best ways to practice golf?
Here are seven things you should do.
1. Equip yourself properly
If you haven’t done so already, equip yourself properly. Your golf practice sessions will be more effective if you use quality clubs.
Of course, nothing stops you from getting a set of used golf clubs from GolfAvenue. As long as they are in great condition, they will help you become a better golfer while also helping you save some money. You can also invest in some training aids if you wish.
2. Perfect your grip and your swing
It’s always a good idea to start with the basics. If you recognize that your swing is imperfect, work on it.
Whether you feel more at ease with an overlapping grip or an interlocking grip, try to perfect that grip. Work on improving your posture as well. Be aware of how you align your feet, hips, and shoulders, and practice your stance in front of a mirror if you need to.
Improving your swing will be easier when you get more confident about how you hold your club and position your body.
3. Learn a few drills and practice them regularly
Drills are one of the best ways to practice golf. Whether you want to improve your swing, putting skills, or alignment, you can be sure there are drills for that.
Do you want to work on improving your precision? Simply place three coins on each other and try to hit only the one on top. Do you have problems with your putting tempo? Try practicing the tick-tock of a metronome.
To learn new drills, search for the type of drills you need and watch a few videos where a pro shows you how it’s done. However, if you find it difficult to learn drills independently, you could consider hiring a golf coach to help you.
Repeat each drill you learn a few times, and add them to your regular practice sessions. You can focus on one or two drills each time you practice to keep things interesting and stimulating.
4. Make the most of alignment sticks
If you don’t have golf alignment sticks, you should get some. They can serve different purposes and are guaranteed to help you practice.
Alignment sticks will help you perfect your alignment, achieve a consistent ball position, and perfect your swing, whether you’re practicing in your backyard or at the driving range.
5. Challenge yourself at the driving range
Spending some time at the driving range can help you practice. But if you want to improve your golf skills, you should challenge yourself instead of simply hitting ball after ball without giving it much thought.
Try hitting balls with different trajectories: straight shot, high draw, low fade… If flagsticks are at your range, choose one as a target and try to hit it as many times as possible.
It’s also a good idea to simulate a golf round. Think about your favorite golf course, and try to visualize each hole as you look at the driving range.
Practicing this way should be more helpful than simply hitting balls as far as you can, and it could help you get better the next time you play a real round at the golf course.
6. Have fun practicing and playing with friends
If you have friends who also are interested in playing golf and improving their technique, why not practice together? This could be a lot more fun than doing it on your own.
Whether you meet at the driving range or a golf course, you could invent different games where you set goals and benchmarks and try your best to achieve them.
Engaging in friendly competition could motivate you to keep practicing until you improve.
7. Always keep a positive attitude
Remember that practicing golf should be fun. Unless your goal is to become a professional golfer and to win tournaments, there is no need for you to practice 10 hours each day and to take it extremely seriously.
Keep a positive attitude, and remind yourself that you will always have something new to learn and to try.
When you get enthusiastic and excited about practicing golf regularly, you will be more likely to improve than if you practice only because you feel like you have no other choice.
8. Keep an eye on your improvement
Practicing consistently means you need to watch and record your development. Keeping track of your performance gives helpful information about your strong and weak areas. Think about having a practice diary or using a golf app to note your practice session details like date, time, location, and areas you worked on.
On the other hand, for aiming you can always use a few tricks that are used by professional players. For example, finger aiming, a bit different from usual. Making your aimpoint a bit better. You can learn more about it on The Left Rough.
9. Mental training and imagery
Golf isn’t just physical. It has a strong mental aspect too. Mental training and imagery methods can greatly influence how well you play on the golf course. Add mental exercises to your practice schedule to improve focus, concentration, and mental strength.
Methods like deep breaths, positive self-talk, and imagining successful shots and putts help build confidence and handle stress effectively. By practicing mental training and physical exercises, you’ll be ready to face the mental hurdles in golf, leading to better overall performance.