Shooting balls into darkness all winter is pointless. Fabian Bünker offers five engaging alternatives to advance your game.
Knowing that not everyone can invest a lot of time in golf training, here are five practical tips to improve your long game efficiently on any driving range, even with limited time.
1. Evaluate Your Shot Quality
Take 30 balls and hit each with a different club aiming at different targets. Perform a routine before each shot like on the course or even better, like in a tournament. After each shot, grade the quality from 1 (very good) to 6 (poor). This sharpens your concentration as you wouldn’t want to give yourself low marks.
2. Tai Chi Swing Practice
This requires high concentration and a calm environment. Practice your golf swing very slowly, focusing on specific elements you want to change, feeling every movement consciously. Closing your eyes may help strengthen the mental image. Experts can precisely time their slow swings and gradually increase speed from 30% to 90%, avoiding 100% speed during training to maintain control.
3. Practice the Draw and Fade
Learn to control your ball flight with draw shots that curve right to left, swinging the club from inside to out with a slightly closed face, ideal for countering slices. Equally, practice fade shots that curve left to right by doing the opposite swing with an open face. Each golfer needs personalized adjustments, so consider a pro lesson if needed. Frank Adamowicz explains Draw and Fade.
4. Focus on Specific Body Parts
Working on your technique alone can be challenging. Instead of self-recording which often lacks proper angles, concentrate on one body part during your swing (e.g., left wrist). Feel its movement attentively without distraction. This focused practice enhances your swing control and complements professional coaching feedback.
Whether refining technique or simply hitting balls, bring variety to your training with these tips!