By Robin All
How many buckets of balls do you hit each week at the driving range? If you’re like many golfers, you probably spend most of that time swinging away with your favorite club—likely your driver. But what if you could get more out of your practice sessions without hitting more balls?
Try this: Instead of blasting through your bucket with the same club, play a “mental round” of golf. Imagine you’re on your favorite course, starting on hole one and playing through to eighteen. Switch clubs just as you would on the course, adjusting for distance, lie, and shot shape.
Let’s say we’re teeing off on the first hole at Charwood. You stripe a drive down the fairway, but it finishes behind a big pecan tree. Now it’s time for a low punch shot with a three-iron, followed by a sand wedge to escape the greenside bunker. Maybe the putt doesn’t drop, but that’s okay—it’s on to hole two in your imagination.
This approach also encourages smarter decisions. Consider those two doglegs to the right—do you gamble with a high fade over the trees or play it safe with a three-wood down the left side to avoid a big number?
The real benefit of this kind of practice is learning to hit a variety of clubs at different targets—just like you do in a real round. It’ll take longer to get through your bucket, but your session will be far more productive. And once you’re done, skip that second bucket. Head to the practice green and spend time chipping and putting. That’s where good rounds are truly made.
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