Bob, You need to be doing lots of practice swings as you hit balls. It is not just about hitting ball after ball. Do some practice swings … hit some balls and so on. I would put a mirror close by so you can be checking your positioning. The whole idea is to make the movement perfect.
Hi Paul,
I am sure you’re aware that the driving ranges here in the New York area do not have grass to hit off. We are hitting of mats. What I try to do at my driving range practice is hit shots with different clubs i would normally hit when I’m out on the course, rather than just hacking and hitting ball after ball. Anything else you can recommend for practice would be helpful?
If you are working on swing positions then you would be hitting the same club to the same target. The best way to do this would be to do 2-3 practice swings per ball you hit. So 2-3 practice swings working on one or two things. They you attempt to do what you did in the practice swing with the ball in front of you. Although I do get what you are doing by hitting all sorts of different shots you need to be working on swing position and building a great swing. Once you get the great swing you can certainly do this if you want.
I try to get people to tee up their ball when working on the swing. Pros tee it up when making changes. This allows room for error. If you didn’t and you topped a bunch of shots you wouldn’t be too excited about changing anything. So mats don’t really matter if you tee it up.
Playing different shots tells me you are not doing the practice swings so like I said, right now you need to practice as I suggested above. You also need to be doing these practice swings nightly at home. Do a minimum of 25 practice swings working on 1 or two things. This was there is no ball to hit. No ball means you can focus on perfecting the movement because there is nothing to hit.
Give this a try and stay focused on the positions.
Paul,
I’ve been a member since the beginning of this year I’ll be 62 next week and have been a hacker for years. I’ve never broken 100 and have given the game up many times!! Your instruction have been the most inspiring and helpful thing I’ve ever experienced. I have a lot of work to do but I’m know have things to work on and I look forward to the season ahead.
My on major item that I’ve also had issues with is slowing down, I’ve always snapped at the ball, a lot of times people tell me I had a beautiful practice swing then tried to crush the ball on the actual shot.
I’ve watched most of your videos multiple times and your daily tips , is the one particular tip I could concentrate on for slowing down on the follow thru? I believe I also am thinking slow down but then actual swing thru WAY to hard!! This has always been my biggest mental block!
Thanks again love your program, would like to come to Vegas in the future once I have some more confidence
Thanks,
Tim
New Hampshire
Glad you like the tips and glad you are still playing. I did quit for 2 years. This was after hitting 1,000 balls per day 7 days a week for over 2 years.
In order to stop hitting you need to slow right down. This means you need to do this drill until you can do it:
Next, you need to stop hitting a ton of practice balls. You need to be doing way more practice swings working on the swing positions (especially the follow through) that I teach.
Once you hit the top of the backswing right now, you are thinking “hit the ball” and you want to see a great shot. In no way am I thinking like this. I see my body as a spring. I coil back the shoulders until I get tight. Once tight, I uncoil the lower body to hit the shot. This brings me to the touch the legs position and touch the head position.
So I am thinking of moving to my ending. The ending for me is not the ball.
If you have a good looking practice swing and fast looking real swing this is the tell-tale sign you are hitting. To replace that thought you need another thought. The thought needs to be the follow through or point B to your swing. If you go from A to B the ball will be hit perfectly.
These tips should get you thinking about it. Then ever night you need to do at least 25 practice swings doing the positions. Swing towards a mirror and hold the positions and look for the feedback to tell you that you are doing them exactly right. As you keep doing them you get addicted to doing practice swings and building a great swing. A great swing hits great shots.
So forget the ball. Hitting is not working so why keep doing it. Understand the positions. Focus on grip, setup follow through first. Do practice swings at home, range and even when you play. The ball means nothing. The positions means everything.
I have a tendency to stand up with my back leg when I swing.Any drills to stop this movement. How important is to have the legs touching on the follow thru as I’ve had back surgery and can’t turn that far. I bought the ten lesson package and it’s help as I can play a round without much back pain. Thanks
Not sure if you are talking backswing or downswing.
If you are talking downswing you are jumping not turning. So you need to re-train yourself on the correct move. Maybe you are doing this to protect your body after surgery. Not sure.
I would throw some balls overhand to learn the move. If you jumped throwing a ball you would be terrible at throwing ball. This throwing motion is the same lower body move in golf.
The touching the legs is important because you get feedback to tell you that you did it right. If you cannot physically touch then you need to check that your belt buckle points left of target every time you finish. The whole point is to get you to do the same swing each day. Do a different swing and you will get a different result. This is a consistency game. So you need to find your exact follow through position. Then do it with all clubs, every day, forever.
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9 Responses to “How To Practice The Right Way”
October 8, 2012
bobacreywhats the best way to hut balls into a net indoors over the winter? thank you bob
October 8, 2012
Paul WilsonBob, You need to be doing lots of practice swings as you hit balls. It is not just about hitting ball after ball. Do some practice swings … hit some balls and so on. I would put a mirror close by so you can be checking your positioning. The whole idea is to make the movement perfect.
May 5, 2017
GeorgeCaffertyHi Paul,
I am sure you’re aware that the driving ranges here in the New York area do not have grass to hit off. We are hitting of mats. What I try to do at my driving range practice is hit shots with different clubs i would normally hit when I’m out on the course, rather than just hacking and hitting ball after ball. Anything else you can recommend for practice would be helpful?
May 5, 2017
Paul WilsonGeorge,
If you are working on swing positions then you would be hitting the same club to the same target. The best way to do this would be to do 2-3 practice swings per ball you hit. So 2-3 practice swings working on one or two things. They you attempt to do what you did in the practice swing with the ball in front of you. Although I do get what you are doing by hitting all sorts of different shots you need to be working on swing position and building a great swing. Once you get the great swing you can certainly do this if you want.
I try to get people to tee up their ball when working on the swing. Pros tee it up when making changes. This allows room for error. If you didn’t and you topped a bunch of shots you wouldn’t be too excited about changing anything. So mats don’t really matter if you tee it up.
Playing different shots tells me you are not doing the practice swings so like I said, right now you need to practice as I suggested above. You also need to be doing these practice swings nightly at home. Do a minimum of 25 practice swings working on 1 or two things. This was there is no ball to hit. No ball means you can focus on perfecting the movement because there is nothing to hit.
Give this a try and stay focused on the positions.
May 5, 2017
GeorgeCaffertyGreat advice! Thank you.
April 6, 2018
Tim MoorePaul,
I’ve been a member since the beginning of this year I’ll be 62 next week and have been a hacker for years. I’ve never broken 100 and have given the game up many times!! Your instruction have been the most inspiring and helpful thing I’ve ever experienced. I have a lot of work to do but I’m know have things to work on and I look forward to the season ahead.
My on major item that I’ve also had issues with is slowing down, I’ve always snapped at the ball, a lot of times people tell me I had a beautiful practice swing then tried to crush the ball on the actual shot.
I’ve watched most of your videos multiple times and your daily tips , is the one particular tip I could concentrate on for slowing down on the follow thru? I believe I also am thinking slow down but then actual swing thru WAY to hard!! This has always been my biggest mental block!
Thanks again love your program, would like to come to Vegas in the future once I have some more confidence
Thanks,
Tim
New Hampshire
April 6, 2018
Paul WilsonTim,
Glad you like the tips and glad you are still playing. I did quit for 2 years. This was after hitting 1,000 balls per day 7 days a week for over 2 years.
In order to stop hitting you need to slow right down. This means you need to do this drill until you can do it:
DRILL: This Is The Best Drill You Should Be Doing Right Now: https://ignitiongolf.com/drill-three-quarter-distance/
Next, you need to stop hitting a ton of practice balls. You need to be doing way more practice swings working on the swing positions (especially the follow through) that I teach.
Once you hit the top of the backswing right now, you are thinking “hit the ball” and you want to see a great shot. In no way am I thinking like this. I see my body as a spring. I coil back the shoulders until I get tight. Once tight, I uncoil the lower body to hit the shot. This brings me to the touch the legs position and touch the head position.
So I am thinking of moving to my ending. The ending for me is not the ball.
If you have a good looking practice swing and fast looking real swing this is the tell-tale sign you are hitting. To replace that thought you need another thought. The thought needs to be the follow through or point B to your swing. If you go from A to B the ball will be hit perfectly.
Swing From Point A to Point B: https://ignitiongolf.com/point-a-to-point-b/
When Is Your Swing Over?: https://ignitiongolf.com/swing-club-touching-head/
DRILL: Touch Legs Touch Head: https://ignitiongolf.com/follow-through-sequence-drill/
Hit, Hold and Check: https://ignitiongolf.com/hold-check-follow-through/
These tips should get you thinking about it. Then ever night you need to do at least 25 practice swings doing the positions. Swing towards a mirror and hold the positions and look for the feedback to tell you that you are doing them exactly right. As you keep doing them you get addicted to doing practice swings and building a great swing. A great swing hits great shots.
Indoor Practice – Body – Target View: https://ignitiongolf.com/indoor-practice-body-target-view/
Indoor Practice – Arms – Target View: https://ignitiongolf.com/indoor-practice-arms-target-view/
So forget the ball. Hitting is not working so why keep doing it. Understand the positions. Focus on grip, setup follow through first. Do practice swings at home, range and even when you play. The ball means nothing. The positions means everything.
You can do it.
August 28, 2018
RobertBlackmanI have a tendency to stand up with my back leg when I swing.Any drills to stop this movement. How important is to have the legs touching on the follow thru as I’ve had back surgery and can’t turn that far. I bought the ten lesson package and it’s help as I can play a round without much back pain. Thanks
August 29, 2018
Paul WilsonRobert,
Not sure if you are talking backswing or downswing.
If you are talking downswing you are jumping not turning. So you need to re-train yourself on the correct move. Maybe you are doing this to protect your body after surgery. Not sure.
I would throw some balls overhand to learn the move. If you jumped throwing a ball you would be terrible at throwing ball. This throwing motion is the same lower body move in golf.
It’s Like A Throwing Motion: https://ignitiongolf.com/like-throwing-motion/
It’s a Turn Not A Jump: https://ignitiongolf.com/turn-not-jump/
The touching the legs is important because you get feedback to tell you that you did it right. If you cannot physically touch then you need to check that your belt buckle points left of target every time you finish. The whole point is to get you to do the same swing each day. Do a different swing and you will get a different result. This is a consistency game. So you need to find your exact follow through position. Then do it with all clubs, every day, forever.