TIPS: A Notebook-Led Plan for Your Next Practice Hour

A useful practice hour does not need a full bag of clubs or a long list of swing thoughts. It needs a question you can answer. For Metro Vancouver golfers planning their next session, this Birdie Golf Center guide uses two irons, a simple target corridor and a pocket notebook to keep the work focused. The aim is to leave with an observation and a next step, not just a ball count.

Minutes 0–8: Set up and choose your question

Choose a familiar short iron and a mid-iron, such as a 9-iron and a 7-iron. Put your notebook and spare club outside the swing area. Keep loose balls away from your feet. If alignment sticks are permitted, place one flat on the ground outside the club’s path, parallel to your intended target line. Never position a stick where you could strike it.

Start with comfortable movements, easy rehearsal swings and a few short shots before building towards your usual swing. Write one question: “Can I finish more shots inside my chosen left-to-right corridor?” Avoid adding several technical goals.

Pick a target appropriate to the shorter iron. If your practice setup shows landing positions, choose a corridor, perhaps 10 metres either side of the target line. Otherwise, use clear range markers to define a visible area. Choose something achievable and keep its boundaries unchanged.

Minutes 8–20: Record a starting sample

Hit six shots with the shorter iron, using your normal routine. Step away and reset between shots rather than pulling the next ball straight into place. Record each result as left, inside or right of the corridor. Where the landing point is unclear, mark it unknown rather than guessing.

Count how many clearly finished inside. This is a starting sample, not a verdict on your ability. Also note whether contact felt mostly solid or inconsistent. Keep the same ball-position and aiming routine for the later comparison.

Minutes 20–35: Practise one repeatable action

Work through three groups of five shots with the same iron. Choose one familiar process cue, such as selecting an intermediate aiming point before taking your stance. Do not rebuild your swing after every miss.

• Before each shot, name the target and complete your setup.
• After each group, note the most common result: left, inside or right.
• Pause briefly between groups to check your alignment and clear loose balls.

If results are mixed, write “mixed”. An honest note is more useful than forcing a pattern from a few shots.

Minutes 35–50: Change clubs without changing the task

Alternate the two irons for ten shots, allowing time for a full reset. Select an appropriate target distance for each club, but retain the same corridor width and scoring method. Before swinging, name the club and target so that every shot has a deliberate setup.

Track each club separately. Notice whether switching clubs makes you rush or skip your aiming step. This block tests whether you can retain your routine when the task changes; it is not a distance contest.

Minutes 50–60: Repeat, compare and close

Return to the shorter iron and the original target for six shots under the starting conditions. Compare the inside counts, while remembering that two small samples cannot establish lasting improvement.

Use the final minutes to write three lines: what happened, what helped you stay organised, and what to repeat next time. For example, record the actual counts and whether alternating clubs disrupted your routine. If time runs short, hit fewer balls rather than rushing the review. Your notebook should leave you with one clear starting point for the next session.