How long should you practice when you go to the range?
How long should you practice when you go to the range?
A panel of GOLF Top 100 Teachers discuss the ideal amount of time you should spend working on your game at the range.
What's the ideal amount of time to practice?Getty Images
Welcome to GOLF's Top 100 Teacher roundtable, where some of the best instructors in the business answer the game's most pressing questions. The goal? To help your game and lower your scores ASAP.
So you want to get better at golf? That’s great - it’s time to hit the range.
There is no substitute for quality practice. When you are under pressure, your swing will revert to whatever it knows best, so it’s wise that you iron out your bad habits on the driving range.
The problem with most recreational golfers is that they have no idea how to practice effectively. They simply head out to the practice tee and mindlessly beat balls. If you want to get the most out of your practice, though, it’s important you have the correct structure. And that starts with knowing how long to practice.
I tell my students to break swing practice into three portions, or the 3 T’s: technique, trickery and a test. Focus on a refinement (technique), creative shots shapes (trickery) and a challenge (test). That can be 10/10/10 minutes (30 minutes) or whatever your time allows, but break the practice into those 3T’s. -Martin Chuck
2. Quality over quantity
The duration of your practice is less important than the quality of your attention. A 20-minute focused practice where you are paying attention to what you are doing will achieve more than 60 minutes of unfocused and distracted practice. Whatever duration, be present and mindful of what you are doing. -Alison Curdt
3. 30 minutes per skill
Depends on how much time you have! But typically I suggest 30-minute practice sessions for the different areas of the game. For example, 30 minutes for the full swing, 30 minutes for putting and 30 minutes for chipping and other short game shots. However, if one area needs a little more attention, steal some time from an area of strength. -Tim Cooke
4. Don’t fret the length
It's not how long you practice, but what you do while you practice - and there's an app for that: Practice Coach Golf. Work on your stock shot and get the driver going straight enough to keep the ball in play. Get good at making solid contact with your approach shots. Get accurate with the scoring zone clubs (9-iron through wedges). If you are able to work on putting line from 4-10 feet that will go a long way toward becoming a far better putter. Work your way around the green technique expressly to master solid contact. -John Dunigan
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