As a golf instructor who's worked with players of all different skill levels, golf instructor Tom Stickney says a common problem he see is how golfers go about their practice on the driving range.
To put it bluntly, many golfers simply lack focus and don't put together a plan when hitting balls. They just swing and hit without much intention.
When golfers practice, they should always have a particular goal in mind, work diligently on achieving that goal, and then repeat it all to try and create new habits. However, most people don’t focus enough on using progression drills to improve, and instead just try to swing their driver as hard as they can — which doesn't actually lead to lower scores.
So how can you make meaningful progress as a golfer? Stickney suggests using progression drills, which help you identify swing flaws and slowly improve on correcting them.
For instance, let's say you're a player who routinely hits it off either the toe or heel of the golf club. This is a problem that plagues even the best golfers, but by incorporating progression drills into your practice, you'll start seeing solid contact quickly (and more consistently!).
3 Ways to Fix Your Driving Range Routine
Progression 1: Pitch/Punch Shots to Improve Clubface Awareness
The first progression I recommend is to practice pitch or punch shots using "The Short" PureOne practice club, hitting shots from 30 to 70 yards. By using the PureOne on these shorter shots, you're forced to focus more intently on where the clubface meets the ball, providing valuable awareness of your horizontal impact.
Progression 2: The Gate Drill (using a Regular-Sized Iron)
Once you’ve mastered short pitch and punch shots with the PureOne practice club — and consistently find the center of the clubface — it’s time to progress to your regular-sized iron.
So the next driving range drill is the "gate" drill.
First, set up two tees or objects in the ground that create a small gate, forcing you to swing between them without hitting the tees. If you miss the gate or strike the tees, you’ll notice that your horizontal impact quality diminishes.
Start practicing the gate drill with pitch/punch shots from 30 to 70 yards. The smaller swing and added focus will help you master the drill before progressing to full swings.
Progression 3: Full Swings with the Gate Drill (using PureOne)
The final progression is to integrate the gate drill into your full swing practice.
Using both the PureOne and your regular clubs, I suggest hitting five shots with each club and switching back and forth. This method will improve your focus and help you make more consistent contact on the sweet spot. If you find yourself struggling, don’t hesitate to revisit the previous progression drills to refine your technique.
By adding these three progression drills into your driving range routine, you won't just improve your focus and clubface awareness, but you'll begin to experience better contact and purer shots.
Tom Stickney is the Lead Teaching Pro at Jonathan's Landing Golf Club in Jupiter, Fla., and is recognized as top golf instructor by GOLF Magazine. You can discover more about Stickney on his Instagram account.