Practice to Play

One of the many reasons golf is such a difficult game to play well is that during any one hole in the space of 10 or 15 minutes, the player may, depending on the par, length and configuration of a given hole, have between 2 and 5 different skill sets to accomplish. For example: On a par 5 of approximately 500 yards a player will probably tee off with a driver which is a skill of launch, minimum back spin with launch angle to create maximum distance. The next shot may be a hybrid or fairway metal which will be a shot of spin but with a shallower angle of attack, because of length and lie, of the club being used. After that there may be a short iron or pitch shot that is a higher trajectory shot with more spin created from a steeper angle of delivery. The player may also have a chip and run shot that is a small swing with a shallow descending blow or a green side bunker shot that is a whole different skill set culminating with putting which is a game of rolling the ball on the ground as opposed to all the shots going in the air with more or less spin. Then we start all over again.

One of the most useful types of practice a player can do, when not working on specific swing or skill sets, is to play a course they know well on the driving range. Picture a hole, hit the tee shot, imagine where it would end up (being realistic), change clubs and play the next shot and so on until you reach the green. This practice will help the player gain the ability on the real course to go from shallower angled launch swings to steeper angled iron swings and all swings in-between. And, if you have a really good imagination, it may save you some money on green fees.

Bob Blean is PGA Instructor for John Jacobs Golf Schools at Hillcrest Golf Club in Sun City West, Arizona. You can reach Bob at 480.991.8587 or 480.363.2516 or email at bblean@jacobsgolf.com.

Note: This is the seventh of a series of instructional columns that will be presented each month by a different John Jacobs’ Golf Schools and Academies’ Instructor.