Practice vs. “Practice”

Do you ever go out to the driving range to warm up, and you start hitting them exactly the way you want? Who am I kidding, we all have. Well, is practicing at the driving range really better than just going out and having a practice round? It depends on who you ask. I personally feel that practice rounds can benefit more because they are real-situation shots. In addition, you are using golf balls that are new, or fairly new. The range balls are recycled hundreds of times, losing the “realness” of them. However, during practice rounds you may lose your motivation to continue with that perfect swing, or you may decide not to work on your swing after a bad shot, which could lead to a permanent change in your swing.

As for the driving range, if this is your choice of practicing, “you should have a goal in mind that directs your practice session,” whether that be increasing distance, determining your distance, or curing the slice or hook that you picked up from your golfing buddy. One advantage of the driving range is the ability to continuously hit at the same target and master that shot. The cost of the driving range, say 60 shots is far less than the round to play, which serves as another great advantage. However, it can become dull and boring. To avoid this, play games with either your buddy or yourself to entertain you, but keep in mind you are there to fix your game. Overall, it is still your call. As you continue to practice, you find out which is more beneficial for your game.