When I go to the range before a round, basically I’m warming up, getting a feel for my rhythm and determining the state of my swing.

Some days I’ll feel more or less loose and supple, which can mean that my shots will move a bit one way or the other. Rather than try to alter that situation in the last minutes before a round, I gear my practice to making the best of it. This is what we call “dancing with the girl you brought”, and it probably applies to amateur players even more than to the pros.

Also, during pre-round practice I vary my clubs. One day I’ll start with the pitching wedge, then skip the 9-iron and go to the 8, skip the 7 and go to 6, and so forth, practising with only the even-numbered irons. The next day, I’ll start with the sand wedge, and practice with the odd-numbered irons. I recommend this regimen to you because it eliminates the possibility that you’ll become very familiar and comfortable with some clubs while never getting a good feel for others.

“I’m getting a feel for my rhythm and determining the state of my swing.”

HAVE A POST-ROUND AGENDA

When my round of golf is over, my most serious work has just begun. Even if I’ve shot a 65, I’ll head back to the practice tee – and always with an agenda.

More often than not, I will have played a few shots that did not make me happy. Let’s say I missed two or three greens with iron shots that strayed to the left. The first item on my list will be to address that error. I’ll spend at least a bucket of practice balls working on it.

Once I’m satisfied that I’ve corrected the problem, I’ll hit another bucket or so, either working on another shot or just keeping the edge on my ball-striking. Then, before calling it a day, I’ll go back to the original shot, just to be sure I’ve found my cure.

 

Read on for more instruction from Greg Norman and Australian Golf Digest.