Five Ways to Enjoy Practising Golf at the Range

When autumn/winter comes, the nights draw in and the rounds of golf grow further apart than most would like. Rather than put the clubs away until March, here are some workouts you can have to keep your game in shape over the winter months and be on top form for the start of next season.

Number one. If you cannot get to the course, bring the course to you. At your range, play a round of golf in your head. Visualize the first hole of a course you play and tee off. Imagine where that ball would have landed and take an iron to make your approach shot. If you mis-hit a shot, where would that have ended up on your course? Play the shots as though you were out on the course and aim for different markers around the range to get a feel for your distances. And don't forget the pitch shots.

Number two. Don't just go down to the range and hit a basket of balls and come away again, go with a purpose in mind. How many times do you "ping-ping-ping" from other driving bays as people hit at a rate of knots with no real purpose. Yep, they can hit the ball a long way, but what about the delicate shots? Go along with a plan and just take one or two clubs to concentrate on practicing specific shots with those.

Number three follows on from that - take two consecutive clubs with you like a six iron and seven iron for example. Hit the higher numbered iron with a full swing. Then try to hit the lower iron the same distance with less of a swing.

Sometimes it is better to take a slightly easier swing with a club rather than a risky full swing when the target is at the limit of the range of a particular club.

Number four - take some chalk with you as this can be used in a number of ways. Mark the end of the mat towards the target. Make a mark on the centre line of your swing and two marks about four inches to the right and left of that mark. Practice hitting draws by aiming the ball at the right mark and to practice fades aim at the mark on the left.

When you swing through, aim to hit your ball between the right and centre marks to draw the ball and between the left and centre line to fade the ball.

Number five again uses your chalk. Draw a thick line between the tee straight to your address position. Take a few practice swings with an iron to try and hit the middle of the chalk line. If you hit behind the line, then you may be coming in too steep or from an inside to out line. If you hit beyond the line then you are likely to be coming over the shot and slicing the ball.

Try these out next time you are at the range - not only do they relieve the monotony of just hitting ball after ball, they will help your game when spring comes around.