TIPS: One Ball, One Routine: Practise for the Next Shot
On the course, each shot starts with a new decision. Indoor practice can become quite different: the same club, the same target, and another ball ready immediately. For Metro Vancouver golfers, a useful bridge between the two is a repeatable routine built around one ball at a time. The aim is not to reproduce every outdoor condition, but to rehearse choosing, setting up, and committing before each swing.
Make the target line clear
Begin with an iron and a defined target in the practice environment. If alignment aids are permitted, place a stick on the mat parallel to the intended starting line, safely outside the clubhead’s path. Never position it where a swing could strike it. The stick is a reference, not something to swing over.
Set the clubface toward the intended starting direction, then arrange your feet and body relative to that line. For a straightforward stock shot, a parallel body alignment is a useful starting reference. Remember that the feet point along a parallel line, not directly at the distant target. Check any simulator’s hitting-position requirements before placing the ball.
Use the same short sequence
A routine should be simple enough to repeat without becoming a checklist of swing mechanics. Try this sequence before every ball:
- Choose: Name a target and a landing area, not just a club.
- Picture: Decide on the intended starting direction and a comfortable shot shape.
- Set: Aim the clubface, take your stance, and make one final look.
- Swing: Use one familiar cue, or simply focus on the target.
After the shot, step away from the address position. This small reset interrupts the habit of dragging over another ball and swinging before making a decision. Keep the order consistent; there is no need to force an exact number of seconds.
Change the problem, not just the ball
Once you have checked your setup, alternate between different targets and clubs. For example, play a comfortable mid-iron toward a broad landing area, then select a shorter iron for a nearer target. Choose distances that suit your own game rather than chasing a prescribed yardage.
Before each shot, define an acceptable result: perhaps finishing within a chosen distance band and avoiding one side. This makes the task about a playable outcome rather than whether the swing felt perfect. Remove the alignment stick for the final shots so you also practise setting up without a physical guide.
Try a 20-ball practice block
- First five: Use a comfortable iron to check alignment and rehearse the routine. Make one adjustment at a time.
- Next ten: Change the target or club after each shot. Step back and restart the sequence every time.
- Final five: Set a fresh task for each ball, remove the alignment aid, and allow no retries. Count how often you complete the routine and meet your chosen outcome.
Track routine completion separately from shot results. A well-prepared shot can still miss, while a rushed shot can finish close. Keeping both measures helps you evaluate the habit without judging it by one swing.
Take the routine outdoors, not the assumptions
A mat does not reproduce rough, slopes, or every turf interaction; it can also make some heavy strikes less obvious. Indoor distance readings do not automatically account for the conditions of your next round. Outdoors, reassess the lie, wind, elevation, and available landing space. Keep the decision-and-setup sequence, but adapt the shot to what is actually in front of you.
