How to Train Like a golf Pro
Did you know that the average tour pro spends around three to four hours practising the full swing and the same amount of time on the short-game? Winter is the ideal time to practice your game, which should be a mixture of skills and technique, ready for when the season starts again. If you’re not sure how you should be practising in order to improve your game, read on. If you have the opportunity, observe a pro when they’re training to pick up a few tips.
Stretch and warm up first
To avoid injury, it’s always a good idea to stretch your arms, legs and shoulders before swinging your club. Then perform a few practice swings with a high-lofted club to continue warming up your muscles.
Many pros will spend considerable time building muscle and strength at the gym to have an even greater competitive advantage.
Have a goal in mind
Think about what you want to achieve and what you need to improve during the training session. Dedicate your time to working on a particular area and nothing else. If you’re not sure what you need to improve, why not have a lesson with one of our PGA Pros?
Don’t rush
Take your time as you play each shot. Pros tend to practice at a certain pace which matches their rhythm on the course.
Break your swing down
Focus on your stance and the placement of your hands by breaking down each part of the swing. Start without a club and ball, then add the club and lastly, try with the ball. This way, you’ll know which element needs to be improved.
Aim for specific targets and yard markers
If you’re practising at a driving range, aiming for targets is a great way to mimic a round on the course and will help you to maintain focus.
Move through irons from high to low
By starting your practice session with a 9-iron and moving down, you can progress naturally from light swings to fast, strong swings with low irons and woods and drivers.
Practise wedge shots
Prepare for sticky situations, such as hitting the ball into a bunker or deep rough, and develop your technical skills by hitting wedges, rather than just irons and drivers.
Play skill games
By setting yourself fun challenges such as curving the ball around alignment rods, you can work on improving tricky shots.
Head for the putting green
Practice short chips and putting at the green. During a round most shots are close to the green so it’s important to include this in your training sessions.
Evaluate every shot
Every shot is a learning opportunity. If you don’t like the result, think about what might have gone wrong, take a few slow-motion swings or putts and make corrections. If you do like it, take a mental note of the feeling of the swing and any other positive observations.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or you’d like to develop your skills and technique, our PGA Pros will get you feeling more confident about your golfing ability in no time. Contact us to book a lesson.