But I hit it GREAT on the range...

I hear these anguished cries on a daily basis at the golf course.

 “I was hitting my driver great on the range”,

 “I was sinking everything on the practice green.”

 “I wish I could take my range game to the golf course, what am I doing wrong?”

I have said it many times before, ”hitting a large basket of balls is not practice, it’s exercise”. Mindlessly hitting golf balls on the driving range will not make you a better golfer in the same way enjoying a Sunday afternoon public skate with your sweetie will not make you a better hockey player. 

Professional golfers take their range game to the golf course on a daily basis because they practice like they play, every shot, swing, motion is done with a specific purpose in mind and a specific outcome expected.

Like every professional hockey or football team practices exactly what they want to accomplish in every possible situation they will face in the upcoming game, professional golfers do the same by creating, and re-creating situations they will face next time out, attaching a value to each swing, and creating pressure situations by forcing narrow parameters for tee, and approach shots and up and down situations from various difficult positions around the green. This puts game like pressure on each and every shot with consequences for miss hit or poorly executed attempts. This type of practice prepares the player for game pressure situations where every swing counts and the consequences reflect on the paycheck. 

When you practice this way, with specific purpose, creating game like situations and attaching a value to every shot you take, you will find it easier to transfer your range game to the golf course (and it’s more fun). This type of practice enhances the biggest intangible bullet in your arsenal…confidence.  I have witnessed countless talented players who hit it like pros on the range, but can’t put it together on the course and the reason is always the same, perceived pressure.

I say “perceived” pressure because if there’s not a check waiting for you at the 18^th hole based on your performance then the only real pressure you should face is personal or peer pressure to perform that day, (and this is important) with no “real” consequences facing you at the 18^th except maybe who’s buying the beverages.

If you want to see real improvement, practice like you play, make a game of your practice time, play your favorite course on the range and practice short game and scoring situations with one ball, this will put game like pressure on your practice sessions that will transfer to the course, always remember, this is a game…have fun.