Practice Positively On The Range

Try to get to the local driving range once or twice a week between lessons and test out your swing by hitting some balls. DON'T just smash them off the tee. Think about the tempo of your swing and aim your shots at a target.

Use different clubs - from the driver through to the sand or pitching wedge. On the golf course you are going to be playing more iron shots than drives.

Think about it. Practicing on the range

On an 18 hole golf course you will probably have at least three par 3 holes. You will probably have another three to five holes where a 3 wood/metal would be a better option than a driver - so you might only play 10-12 shots with a driver.

Think about how many iron shots you are likely to play. Depending on the quality of your driving and your putting you will play many more iron shots than drives.

You are going to play an iron on each of the par 3 holes; at least one, probably two on each of the par 4 holes and probably 2-3 on each par 5 hole.

Let's say there are three par 3s; three par 5s leaving twelve par 4s. The chances are that you will be playing somewhere around thirty-nine irons shots plus some chip shots and pitches - say 50 iron shots as against 10-12 drives.

You can see what I'm getting at here. Your driving range practice should be based on hitting about 20-25 drives including about 8 with a 3 wood/metal; 75-80 iron shots of different lengths (and irons) per 100 balls.

Mix things up a bit

I had some excellent advice from a low handicap golfer recently. He suggested 'imaging' a hole on the golf course - either one you have played (if you have got that far yet), or creating one in your imagination.

Let's say it is a straight 400 yard par 4 hole. Get out your driver or 3 wood/metal and drive the ball at the furtherest flag on the range - probably about 250-300 yards.

Estimate how far you have hit the drive - maybe it is around 170-200 yards. You have 200-230 yards left to the imaginary 'green'. What club would you use next? Possibly a 3 or 5 wood?

Use that club to play your next shot. How far has it gone - maybe about the same distance again - 170 yards, say? So you're left with 30-60 yards onto the 'green'.

You might use a  pitching wedge to cover that distance. Aim at a flag or distance marker of that length. Play the shot. How far did you get?

Say you're 10 yards short or long. You'd probably play a pitch shot with the pitching wedge. Aim at a flag of about that distance and play your shot, and if you are still short - or long - play another shot, probably with the pitching wedge again (assuming you're not on the green) and depending on the distance you are short or long.

By using this method you are replicating use of the clubs as you would play them on the course - a driver or 3 wood, followed by (possibly) another 3 or 5 wood, a 7 iron, pitching wedge and so on. The only thing you won't be able to do is putt out!

This is an excellent variation on simply hitting several shots with the driver, followed by several shots with the woods and irons etc. and it'll give you the feel of using  - and interchanging - different clubs to play the hole.

Hold back 20 of your 100 balls to play a couple of 'holes' like this. To make it even more authentic, if you stray off course - you slice or hook for example - aim your shot left or right to compensate for your 'error' rather than hitting the ball straight, to get you back to reaching the green.

You'll find this exercise fun and challenging and you'll be THINKING about what you need to do rather than simply hammering balls down the range.

Exercise your brain when you practice on the range.