What to do at the range.

Last Summer at my golf center, I observed a guy next to me who was obviously a beginner. He was a big strong guy and he was squeezing the glue out of his grips, slamming balls everywhere. The worse the shots the harder he swung.

At some point he took a rest and watched me hit balls. I was in a nice groove hitting middle irons nicely with what he took to be an effortless swing. He struck up a conversation and one thing led to another. I looked at his clubs and found they were a ladies set with slick, hard old rubber grips. He was given them by a "friend" who suggested he play with them for a while until he got good enough to get good clubs. He was headed for total disaster. I could see it, he was not gonna be very happy.

The whole idea of practice is to approach one's potential for golf success. Many people are internally motivated and can design and follow a pretty fair, balanced practice schedule. Others are flabby-willed and need prodding. Both have the desire to succeed and absent that, why bother?

Here are some tips for keeping a sustained, guided, clear motivation over a long period of golf practice. This assumes you have clubs that fit! Set realistic short and long-term goals.

• 1. Be specific. For example, after analyzing your game you decide that putting is hurting you, and here I shudder to suggest this, practice putting. Slamming balls for two hours with your driver will not, I repeat not, help putting.

• 2. Set goals you can measure. Fortunately, in golf this is easy. Everything is subject to numerical expression. Count putts, fairways hit, greens hit, sand saves. Let the numbers drive your practice.

• 3. Practice mentally. Imagery of your game is an essential element.

• 4. "See" yourself performing whatever shot you imagine. If possible, videotape your swing and look at it with an expert. What you feel may not be at all what you are doing. In fact, the longer you have played, the more this will probably be true. Self-delusion is the rule.

• 5. Good professionals go through a process like the following before each shot: Relax. Imagine the shot. See the ball fly and land. Make the shot. Review the shot.

  Out of these five items only one is physical. Long term goals include an upcoming tournament, or watching the development of your handicap. In other words, have a reason to practice beyond the general need to "do better."

  Lastly, the sworn enemy of motivation is despair. That is usually bred of setting unrealistic goals. Keep your goals reachable, practice toward those goals and watch your motivation improve.

  

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