Shooting balls into the dark all winter is pointless. Fabian Bünker shares five exciting alternatives to improve your game.Knowing that not all players have much time for golf practice, here are five training tips for your long game you can do on any driving range even with limited time.
1. Evaluate Your Shot Quality
Take 30 balls. Hit each with a different club toward different targets. Before every shot, perform a routine like on the course or better, in a tournament. After the shot, grade it from 1 (very good) to 6 (poor). This practice helps increase focus as no one wants to give themselves bad marks.
2. The Tai Chi Swing
This exercise requires high concentration and a quiet environment. Perform your golf swing—especially elements you want to change—in absolute slow motion to feel every movement part consciously. Closing your eyes can enhance the internal image of the motion. Experts can time their Tai Chi golf swings precisely, setting durations like 30 seconds or a minute.
Practice this at home without a ball unless space permits air swings, and also on the driving range, progressively increasing tempo using the 30-60-90 rule: start at 30% speed, then 60%, finally 90%. Avoid 100% tempo as loss of control is high.
Keep in mind when practicing Tai Chi tempo swings:
• Give clear movement instructions
• Focus on one swing aspect only (e.g., start of backswing)
• Find a quiet place (turn off phones)
• Get feedback externally (coach)
• Initially practice without a ball
3. Practice the Draw
A draw curves the ball from right to left (for right-handed players). The ball starts slightly right of the target line then curves back to the left. Swing the club from inside to outside, feeling like swinging far right of the target, with a slightly closed clubface to the swing path. This shot helps players who tend to slice the ball by countering the slice.
4. Practice the Fade
Try hitting the ball with a fade, which curves from left to right. This is the opposite of the draw: swing from outside to inside with a slightly open clubface to the swing path. There are no one-size-fits-all technical tips since every golfer’s swing differs. If you struggle, book a lesson with a pro who can tailor advice for hitting draws or fades effectively.
5. Focus on Single Body Parts
If you take golf lessons and want to stabilize your swing in winter, isolated technical practice helps. Instead of reviewing videos that might be hard to analyze correctly, concentrate on one body part during swings—like your left wrist. Think only about how that part moves and feels throughout the swing. If working on a specific swing aspect with your coach, channel focus there, e.g., lowering your arms during downswing by feeling your right elbow position. This method enhances your swing confidence.
Whether refining technique or just hitting balls on the range, add variety to your training with these tips!