5
Jul '11
The Practice Range: Quality over quantity
By Swingpal.com staff
Despite the way that Rory McIlroy and Yani Tseng have made things look in professional majors recently, golf is a difficult game … extremely difficult in fact.
What makes it even tougher for average players is that they simply don’t have a lot of time to work on their games, and that is a hindrance when it comes to playing a sport in which practice is so critical.The majority of golfers out there would love more time to work on their games. But many of those same golfers don’t properly take advantage of the limited time they do get to practice, and according to Swingpal.com instructor Kate Tempesta, when it comes to practicing, quality is far more important than quantity.
“Pure and simple, the poorest decision I see many amateurs make on the driving range is hitting endless amounts of balls with no intention,” said Tempesta, founder of Kate Tempesta’s Urban Golf Academy and one of Golf Magazine’s top 40 most influential people under 40.
“They take no time to pick any targets, they often hit one or two clubs and very little time if any is spent on shots that count the most; the short game.”
Tempesta added that golfers who finally do get some time on the practice range need to take those chances to replicate the type of shots they’ll typically encounter on the golf course.
That mindset will help the average player execute more often and ultimately shoot lower scores.
“When given little time to practice, try putting yourself in on-course situations by simulating a few holes,” Tempesta said. “Imagine some of your favorites and practice "playing" the shots required to complete the hole. It will give you a little added pressure during your practice and will require you to pull several clubs out of the bag as opposed to hitting a nine iron over and over.”
Tempesta also believes that any time a golfer has the chance to hit balls that they should stick to the routines that they use on the golf course.
“Practice being consistent with a pre-shot routine even on the range,” she said. “This can be an enormous help out on the course and can lessen the anxiety around some of the more difficult shots.”
And finally, Tempesta said, it’s a great idea for players even when they’re practicing to practice with intent.
After all, a good result should be what any golfer is looking for every time they make a swing, and as Tempesta so aptly put it, “See it, feel it, then trust it.”
Take a lesson with Kate Tempesta.