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Playing a practice round, be it in person or virtually, can pay huge dividends before you even go to play the course for an event. When you are aware of the holes and challenges each presents, you can have confidence in your game plan and focus solely on making the shots.
So if you want to increase your golf practice rounds and start seeing fewer results, take a look below at the 10 ways that can help you reach your goals faster – and make better, more productive rounds.
1. Blow, bout, bout!
When you are playing a course that you are not used to, it is very important to have a good feel for the greens. How speed and break compare to what you’re used to is really useful to understand and will give you confidence when you’re really competitive.
Rolling extra cuts from one side of the green to the other can help develop this instinct and save you strokes. By doing this, you will get a better understanding of the slopes and speed of the greens.
If you struggle with reading greens, one of my favorites is Golflogix Greenbookswhich provides round-quality green data.
2. Make note of breaks that surprise you
As you roll extra kicks, if there is a break or extreme speed that surprises you, write this down in your notes to remind you of it when you play. The devil is in the details, so be specific for future reference.
Sometimes, green looks a little different than what’s going on. By getting this feedback, you will have a better sense of direction, speed, and distance control.
3. Green fall identification
While playing practice rounds, I always do my best to spot green flakes on the sides of the playing surface. These areas are where the ball is most likely to roll away. So make sure you know where it is in order to save strokes!
It can also be smart to note the shaded green areas, which will help the ball stay on the green and back off.
4. Get to know the perfect tee club
Some golf holes are wide open and welcome your driver’s use, while others are narrower with hazards that require a little more planning.
If you are not confident that you can land a wider landing position, develop a better strategy and consider a different club. You may need to adjust for wind as well.
5. Know which areas to avoid
The most successful rounds of golf involve avoiding the areas that cost you strokes. Off Borders would certainly fall into this category. But make a note of other areas to avoid, too.
For example, things like deep fairway bunkers or areas around the greens that will cause the ball to bounce into hazards should also be noted.
A large “X” at these locations can help remind you of places to avoid when playing a competitive tour.
6. Choose the best line for your tee shots
A practice round can help you determine the best target line for your tee shots, which can help you avoid any trouble. This can also help give you better angles for your approach shots to the green.
Take notes about your goal, but always remember to adjust for different weather conditions such as wind or rain.
7. Find out the yardage per hazard
Sure, rangefinders are useful nowadays, but I still recommend marking your yardage for any hazards you need to avoid.
Knowing these yards is important, but also experiment with different clubs off the tee – which can help you better manage the course and set up unobstructed corners to the green.
8. Look for narrow drop zones and try to avoid them
As mentioned earlier, not all lanes are created equal. Some are wide and some are narrow – so it’s important to know the safest places to land the ball, while also understanding where the narrow ball lands.
Make note of these tight spots during your training run and use them to your advantage during competition.
9. Take extra short game shots
Once you’ve completed a gap, if you have time and the group behind you don’t wait, hit a few more shots for a short game on the green. This will give you a better feel for both speed and incline.
If there are speeds or curves that surprise you, mark that in your notes.
10. Take advantage of virtual training tours
Sometimes life gets in the way of playing golf, so what can you do if going to the track physically isn’t an option? Consider playing a virtual training tour to see the course layout on file Golflogix GPS app.
My son and I do this a lot before his tournaments – especially if we’ve never been on a course before. Golflogix’s 3D maps and bridges allow us to “see” the course and plan it for the next day.
It may not be the real thing, but it at least gives an idea of what to expect.
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