Us golfers often face a frustrating disconnect: crushing it on the practice range only to crumble when it counts on the course.
If this sounds familiar, we’ve found it’s super valuable to shift how you approach your practice—or perhaps create a clearer practice plan to begin with.
Do You Really Hit It Well on the Range?
It’s easy to think we’re hitting well on the range, but are we actually improving or just ignoring our weaknesses trying to not look silly in front of others? On the range, a bad shot might not faze you, as the stakes are low but when on the course it’s different! We need to practice as if you’re playing under pressure because the separation (between your best and worst golf) is in the preparation.
Here’s how we’ve taking our practice from good to game-ready with two simple steps:
Step 1: Check Your Mindset
Practice Range:
It’s What We Put Into the Hours (Not the hours we put in)
It’s not about how long we practice—it’s about how focused and mentally engaged we are. If our mind starts wandering, it’s time to reset. This is the difference between conscious (deliberate) practice and unconscious (going through the motions) practice.
Are we practicing with a fixed or growth mindset?
Practicing to look good, avoid embarrassment, or stay safe would be tendencies of having a fixed mindset and will lead to minimal improvement. In contrast, being open to learning, being okay with mistakes, like hitting a shank, allowing your skills to develop would be the tendencies of a golfer with a growth mindset. Where did you sit on this continuum? Could you have more of a growth mindset?
On the Course:
Finding the Sweet Spot
On the course, trying too hard can lead to overthinking and underperformance. Have you ever had a “good game going” and then collapsed? Likewise, have you ever had a poor start and then let it lead you to “giving up” or not trying 100% for the rest of your round? I know we have!
To avoid collapsing when things don’t go your way, have tools ready, such as a simple swing thought to centre yourself around for the day or practicing grit by continuing your effort to implement what you’ve been practicing, no matter how your round starts or turns.
Step 2: Create a Plan
Have a Practice Framework
Effective practice isn’t random—it follows a framework. Here’s a simple one to try:
- 15 minutes on technique (refining specific movements)
- 15 minutes playing fun, pressure-filled games (to simulate stress)
- 15 minutes developing new skills (targeted improvements)
- 15 minutes simulating on-course conditions (full pre-shot routine)
Track and Gather Insights
Take notes on what’s working and what’s not. This will help you develop a deeper understanding of your game and make tweaks based on real feedback. Use this data from your practice (e.g. number of “successful” shots out of 10 – you define the success metric) to guide your next steps. Notes prevent us from relying on gut instincts which can often lead us astray. Over time, implement these findings into your practice so you can make sustainable improvements.
Long-Term Golf Growth Plan
How long do you want to play golf for? If your answer was more than the next 12 months it’s worth considering a long-term plan and getting clear about what current phase you’re in: Are you working on developing new skills (growth phase) or maintaining what you’ve built (maintenance phase)? Avoid the temptation to chase quick fixes from random YouTube videos.
Sticking to a clear, structured plan – whether it’s from your coach or self-guided has lead ourselves and our golfers to better results!
By following these two steps—adjusting your mindset and creating a structured plan—you can bridge the gap between the range and the course, leading to more confident and consistent play!
What you can do to guarantee better performance on course!
- Implement Step 2:
- Have a practice framework. Something is better than nothing.
- Track and gather insights. Again, something is better than nothing. Pen and paper or digital.
- Have a long term growth plan, including the golf exercise phases and practice program that assists you to map out your weeks in advance!
- We can do this with you via our 12 week Move Better Play Better Golf program which builds your Golf Body Blueprint and Forever Set of Golf Exercises
- Alternatively you can start upgrading your most important piece of golf equipment, your body, for free by joining our Move Better Play Better Community
- We can do this with you via our 12 week Move Better Play Better Golf program which builds your Golf Body Blueprint and Forever Set of Golf Exercises
Here’s to better performance ON course!
Happy golfing,
Ben Taylor
Helped hundreds of golfers (and counting) over the past 8 years
Level 3 Golf Medical Expert at Titleist Performance Institute
Creator of Move Better Play Better Golf program
P.S. We’ll be creating more content to help you on your golfing journey so if you have ideas about what you’d like us to dive into next, please let us know by contacting us here!
