Why Most Practice Doesn’t Work
You hit a bucket of balls on the range with no specific goal. You stripe a few drivers, feel good about it, and leave. Next round? Same score. Same misses. Same tendencies. Nothing transferred.
The worst part is you know it. You leave the range feeling like you “worked on your game” but your scorecard hasn’t changed in months. That’s because effective practice requires structure — knowing what to work on, how to work on it, and how to measure whether it’s actually helping.
Golf-Specific Fitness
This isn’t about bench pressing your body weight or running marathons. It’s about the physical qualities that directly affect your swing and your ability to hold it together for 18 holes — not just the first 9.
Mobility
Your backswing is restricted because your hips won’t turn. That’s not age — it’s fixable. Hip rotation, thoracic spine mobility, and shoulder flexibility are the foundations of a repeatable swing. Limited mobility forces compensations, and compensations destroy consistency.
Stability & Balance
You top it off a downhill lie. You chunk it from an uneven stance. Core stability, single-leg balance, and rotational strength keep your posture through the swing and keep you solid when the ground isn’t flat.
Endurance
Your swing falls apart on the back nine because your body quits before your round does. Walking 18 holes takes stamina. If you play your best golf on holes 1–9 and survive holes 10–18, fitness is the answer.
Rotational Power
You want more distance but you’re swinging harder instead of faster. Clubhead speed comes from the ground up through rotation. These exercises build the fast-twitch power that creates effortless metres — without swinging out of your shoes.
Practice With Purpose
A good practice session starts with a goal and ends with feedback. Here’s how it works:
- Review your stats — Where are you losing the most shots? Driving accuracy? Approach play? Short game? Putting?
- Pick one area — Don't try to fix everything at once. Focus on the highest-impact area for this session.
- Use structured drills — Not just repetition, but drills that simulate on-course situations with targets and consequences.
- Track results — Log your practice and your next rounds. Did the work translate? The data will tell you.
Practice Plans That Fit Your Life
Not everyone has three hours for the range. The Grand Plan approach works whether you have 20 minutes or a full afternoon:
- 20 minutes: Focused putting drill or short game routine at home or on the practice green.
- 45 minutes: Targeted range session on one specific area with measurable goals.
- 90 minutes: Full practice session covering warm-up, focused work, simulation games, and cool-down putting.
Practice at Home
You don't need a range to improve. Some of the most effective practice happens at home:
- Putting on carpet with alignment aids
- Chipping into a net or bucket in the backyard
- Mobility and stability exercises in the living room
- Visualisation and course management planning
The key is consistency. Fifteen minutes a day beats two hours once a fortnight. Every time.
“Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. And perfect practice starts with knowing what to work on.”
