Defined and clarified, it’s something else altogether

Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes permanent. Perfect Practice makes perfect!

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had someone come into the Golf Shop and ask for two or three buckets of balls because they needed to “practice” so they could work out a problem they were having. When asked what their plan was to work this out, the answer I usually get is something like “Hitting lots of balls!”

Maybe we need to check the definition of “practice.” My dictionary defines practice as: “To exercise … for instruction or improvement, or for the acquisition of discipline, proficiency or dexterity.” Again: “… for the acquisition of discipline / proficiency.” That sounds like work! Hitting balls sounds more fun to me.

Practice is work. When you Practice you need to have an agenda beyond moving your pile of Practice balls from the tee out onto the range. Without a plan, you’re better off taking your bucket of balls to the front of the tee, and with one smooth motion, seeing how far you can throw all the balls off the tee box. This will accomplish about as much as “hitting lots of balls,” and free up some time for you to do something you really enjoy.

Don’t have a plan? Here’s mine. I won’t go to the Practice tee with less than one hour to spend on my Practice session. I do some stretching and then pull out my sand wedge and make a few slow, good swings. I like starting with this club because it’s the heaviest club in the bag and helps me stretch and get ready to Practice. It’s also one of the shortest distance clubs so I don’t have as much of a tendency to see how far I can hit the ball.

Next I’ll start smoothing a few shots towards the range. I don’t really care where they go, I’m just trying to finish loosening up and see what sort of tempo I might have going that day. Then I’ll start focusing on a target a comfortable distance away. After 10-15 shots like this I’m ready to really start working on something, whether it’s tempo, take-away, position at the top or impact, a specialty shot, whatever. When I consistently produce the shot I want with the sand wedge, I move on to the 8-iron, then the 6, and so on.

When I Practice I’m working every swing. And, I’m making Practice swings as well. Every three or four shots I take a break to evaluate what I’m doing, how I’m progressing and to let my body relax. A Practice session for me lasts about 60 minutes. During a session I hit between 60 and 75 balls – that’s it. Any more than that and my mind begins to wander. I lose interest, start hitting trick shots or who knows what. Sixty balls in 60 minutes – think about it.

Practicing is work, physically and, even more so, mentally. Don’t try it if you’re not ready to put in the time and the effort.

Kim Anders is the Director of Golf at Estrella del Mar Golf and Beach Resort in Mazatlan. An accomplished player early in his career, he nearly starved to death when he tried playing for a living. Kim now focuses on the administrative side of golf and helping others find enjoyment in the game. Contact Kim at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .