[Automobill]

There have been times in my life when I practiced a lot. I think practicing is very important. While I still warm up before I play and hit 50 to 100 balls, I am out of shape, getting old, and have a touchy back, so I do not do long practice sessions. I typically hit a variety of wedge shots to loosen up, a number of middle iron shots, hybrid shots, fairway woods off the deck and off a tee, and finish with 10 to 15 drivers. I work myself from stiff to loose, paying attention to how I'm the hitting ball, and then try and play accordingly that day.

I do, however, spend a lot of time on the range watching my 12 year old daughter hit balls, and while I don't do a lot to help her with her swing, she works with someone far more qualified for that, I do help her practice. I make sure her alignment is good, she hits to targets, and in general makes shots on the range count. I do not let her just hit ball after ball with no thought behind the shots. I tell her when I think it's time to back off and hit some wedges, flop shots, half shots, or shoulder turn drills. She's developing excellent practice habits, and is really starting to enjoy practicing as she sees improvement.

She hits a lot of different kinds of wedge shots on the range, and is going to be phenomenal from inside 100 yards if she chooses to keep taking the game seriously. Everyone should practice lots of wedge shots if that option is available to them.

Kevin

[Auzuigcx]

I practice a ton. Practice at the range really helps my game. The range also helps me unwind from the work day by giving me something else to think about. I hit the range 4-5 days a week and try to play a round or to two a week. I love getting out and practicing. The range can't really simulate scoring conditions for me though. Twilight golf is good for that. I try to play twilight because I can be out on the course by myself and work on scoring.

[ChicasCams]

I practice as much as I can, just because I want to be good at something. Golf has become a real passion for me and I want to enjoy it more by being good. Now by being "good" I mean breaking 90. Obviously, I want to work at breaking 80 but in due time.

[Suvuseh]

It depends on what is happening. Before tournaments I practice 3 days a week, most other times I warm up with a few balls, chip and putt a bit to gauge the greens then take off to the first tee. I have to make myself practice as I would rather play a round. It's funny because guys like Tom Kite would rather practice on the range and guys like Ben Crenshaw said he would rather play than practice. It's a game that takes practice but I find my best golf is played when I hit about 20 balls then just go play golf. If I try to mess with my swing on the range it usually ends up being a bad round for me.

[Emalodoulouts]

For all the folks who state they don't practice much due to a sore back.

Do you stretch and do excercises to strengthen your back?

[Jellowstrom]

For all the folks who state they don't practice much due to a sore back.

Do you stretch and do excercises to strengthen your back?

I don't have a sore back, but I have a foam roller, which I love to use.

[markbila]

I don't have a sore back, but I have a foam roller, which I love to use.

What is a "Foam Roller"?

[Jellowstrom]

What is a "Foam Roller"?

This is the first clip I came across.

[YOUTUBE]5lLw81kGeXg&feature=fvw[/YOUTUBE]

[Yb4bulVR]

For all the folks who state they don't practice much due to a sore back.

Do you stretch and do excercises to strengthen your back?

I already had back trouble when I took up the game semi-seriously back in the mid 80's. I started playing a lot of golf after I gave up whitewater kayaking because my back wouldn't let me sit in the boat any more. Golf actually helped my back for a long time, but now age has caught up with it as well. I stretch before every round, but my back still gets sore by about the middle of the back 9. For that reason I don't hit balls before a round, only chip and putt.

Once this summer I played 36 holes in a day... didn't seem to bother my back any more than 18 does. I still played another 18 the next day, and 18 more the day after that. The pain isn't crippling, just annoying.

[GWRIeEQp]

The course I play at is unlimited for $75 a month so I play 3 times a week and the other days I usually hit balls and putt around for an hour or so. Just working on becoming more consistent.

[Caunnysup]

I practice all aspects of my game,spending about 8-10 hours a week doing so. Dont practice on the course unless its really quiet,determined to get down to scratch.

[eladiopsislab]

I find time to swing my Medicus and Momentus clubs through their suggested "workouts" once or twice a week, even outside of my golf season here in Oregon (April-October, I'm a fair-weather-only player).

During the season, I'll hit the range at least once a week, spending most of my time on pitches and iron play, and on the pratice green chipping and putting. My family life prevents me from playing more often than 3-4 times a month, and when I do play, 95% of the time it's only 9 holes.

[Jellowstrom]

I think we all want to improve, but go about it differently. I wish on stars and eyelashes, but am not very good about practicing. Lefty has a detailed practice plan and I know others set goals. Basically, I go out and play all the while hoping for the best. I'm very optimistic about golf. What do you do? Are you someone who practices, set goals or just wings it on the course?

[!!Aaroncheg]

I practice on the course. Screw up a shot that I know I can make, toss another ball down & try until I get it right. Playing real world conditions is a better approach for myself as opposed to range time.

I don't have any goals either, would I love to be scratch or better, sure who wouldn't? But really what's the point?

[Muhabsssa]

I take lots of lessons and try to practice in between. Unfortunately, practice seems to take a back seat to the rest of my life. It shows.

[smirnoffdear]

I practice whenever I can (which isn't to say it's very often). I make it a game in itself to try to keep it fun and challenging. How many 5 footers can I make in a row? Pct of sand saves or up-and-downs. How many range balls does it take to get within x feet of a set of flags (the fewer the better)?

And I do have a goal for myself this year. I'll have to go dig up my graph and see if you think I can do it. (it's not as bad as it sounds. really...)

[medifastwoman]

I consider everything I do 'practice', including every round that I play. I hope that there will be a time in the future when I can play as much golf as I want, and everything I do now is to prepare for that time. I won't call myself a golfer until that time comes. I am basically trying to build a halfway decent skill-set now. I do set goals (for most things that I do): They keep me moving!

[zoneouddy]

Since I'm retired, I should practice - but I don't. My back gets sore VERY easily so I don't hit balls at all. Once in a while I'll go to the nearby course and putt for 10-15 minutes, but that is it.

[markbila]

I practice at least 3 times a week, or more. I play every weekend and will often go to the range after a round to practice whatever I did not do well. There are a couple of drawbacks I suffer with, first, I work fulltime so it is hard to get to the short game practice areas during good light and secondly, I have trouble practicing putting for more than 20 minutes at a time. My back tightens up so badly that I can barely walk.

When I lived in Arkansas, I had a much less demanding store to run. Here, there is just not enough hours in the day to do what I need, so golf takes a backseat. My handicap shows it. I went from 6.6 to around 10 since I moved.

[Audi_z]

I just like playing the game of golf. I don't set any practice, or playing schedules. I just go when I feel like it, or when some ones calls. I still play a lot of golf as it is. I think I am nearing 120+ round for the past 12 months. I can actually tell when practicing with in a few strokes what I would have shot if I had actually been playing. If my range, and short game practice went well, I know I would have played well, and vice versa. I have saved would have been wasted green fees because my pre-round practice shots were terrible. I could no doubt lower my handicap if I put in more time practicing, and playing, and put golf higher up on my list of personal goals. Just so much other stuff that is just as important, that I also like doing, and being a part of.