Building a connected golf swing on the driving range is a challenge, but it is within the reach of most senior golfers. As long as you are willing to take some time to learn the basics of this technique, and you have time available to practice your swing, steady progress can be made. But what about taking that progress and heading out to the course for an actual round? Well, that’s where things can get tricky.
Golf is famous for being much more difficult on the course than it is on the range. Even if you are happy with the progress you have made in practice, you might not be happy with how that progress shows itself on the course. For those having trouble taking their connected swing from the range to the golf course itself, the following points may be of assistance.
Pick realistic clubs. One of the reasons golfers lose connection on the course is due to picking the wrong club. If you are using a club which has to be struck just perfectly in order to reach the target, you are naturally going to make an aggressive swing. That swing could become too aggressive, and you might get disconnected as a result. By choosing a club that can easily reach the target with a controlled, relaxed swing, you will be less likely to overdo it. Also, this concept applies on the tee, when swinging your driver. Don’t try to set a personal distance record with every swing – instead, focus on quality and make sure you stay connected. Adding five extra yards to a tee shot isn’t worth the risk of making a wild swing and hitting the ball into the woods.
Make great practice swings. In some circles, practice swings get a bad rap because they can slow down pace of play. While it is true that you don’t want to stand in the fairway making several practice swings before hitting your shot, it is perfectly acceptable to use a single practice swing. During that practice swing, pay attention to your connection and make sure your arms and shoulders are working together perfectly. With one good practice swing complete, step up and hit the shot. Base your entire pre-shot routine around logging one nice practice swing and you should be able to take your range performance out to the course successfully.
Stay in the moment. Things can go wrong quickly in golf if you lose your focus. You have certainly heard that you should focus on playing this game ‘one shot at a time’, but you may not know just how important that advice is. If you get ahead of yourself by thinking about shots that are still to come – or if you get hung up thinking about a mistake you made earlier – your swing technique can come apart in a hurry. Be disciplined enough to focus on each shot as it comes and you are going to be happy with the results.
As a senior golfer, you may already have some successfully strategies in place for taking your range game out to the course. With that said, it never hurts to revisit this topic just to make sure everything is clear. Nothing about your technique needs to change from the range to the course, as long as you are in the right frame of mind and you don’t try too hard to hit incredible shots during your rounds. Stay within yourself, trust your preparation, and live up to your potential.
