How To Practice Golf At Home.
A few Steps To Practising At Home
How much time do you spend practising your golf game? The amount of time we spend honing our skills off the course is equally, if not more important than the time we spend playing.
During a round is not the time to be making sure your fundamentals are correct or for tweaking your takeaway and putting stroke. It will end up doing you more harm than good.
During our current "Stay at Home" restrictions especially, getting to the golf course or practice range as often as we would like is just not an option. Current restrictions that are upon us, just seem to get in the way.
But, whatever time of year it is, just because we can’t get outside to the course, it doesn’t mean that we can’t spend time sharpening up all aspects of our game without even leaving the house.
If you want to know how to practice golf at home then I have put together some useful and productive drills and exercises for you to try which will help keep your game progressing in the right direction.
During a round is not the time to be making sure your fundamentals are correct or for tweaking your takeaway and putting stroke. It will end up doing you more harm than good.
During our current "Stay at Home" restrictions especially, getting to the golf course or practice range as often as we would like is just not an option. Current restrictions that are upon us, just seem to get in the way.
But, whatever time of year it is, just because we can’t get outside to the course, it doesn’t mean that we can’t spend time sharpening up all aspects of our game without even leaving the house.
If you want to know how to practice golf at home then I have put together some useful and productive drills and exercises for you to try which will help keep your game progressing in the right direction.
1. Improve Your Golfing Fitness
Let’s start with a golfing exercise you need very little room for, and one that will help improve all aspects of your game. Probably the most forgotten about golfing exercise of all…… exercise itself.
Improving your overall health, fitness, and flexibility at home is going to help your golf in many ways. Improvements in your posture, balance, clubhead speed, and your overall range of motion. It will allow you to swing the golf club with more flexibility and ease, helping you to add a few extra yards to your drives, and more control to your iron shots.
There are plenty of resources online to help you find the right exercises, but the things you want to focus on most are:
Keeping fit for golf at home requires very little room, and is something that will help you in every aspect of your life, not just your golf.
https://www.tomfieldinggolf.net/golf-fitness.html
Let’s start with a golfing exercise you need very little room for, and one that will help improve all aspects of your game. Probably the most forgotten about golfing exercise of all…… exercise itself.
Improving your overall health, fitness, and flexibility at home is going to help your golf in many ways. Improvements in your posture, balance, clubhead speed, and your overall range of motion. It will allow you to swing the golf club with more flexibility and ease, helping you to add a few extra yards to your drives, and more control to your iron shots.
There are plenty of resources online to help you find the right exercises, but the things you want to focus on most are:
- Balance and flexibility – Yoga and stretching are perfect for these
- Core strength – Again yoga or pilates are great for this, along with any other abdominal exercises like the plank.
- Overall muscular strength – Bodyweight exercises are perfect, and If you have some dumbbells at home, then there are a huge amount of different exercises that you can do to help add strength and power to your game.
Keeping fit for golf at home requires very little room, and is something that will help you in every aspect of your life, not just your golf.
https://www.tomfieldinggolf.net/golf-fitness.html
2. The Full-Length Mirror Is Your Best Friend
Your fundamentals are the most important part of your golf set up and if you have a full-length mirror and a club from your bag, there are several drills you can do to ensure you have the basics right.
Your Grip – As much as 90% of swing issues are caused by a poor set up and it all starts with the grip. By practising your grip in front of a mirror, it will ensure that your hands are exactly where they need to be on the club and how they sit and look together. Seeing this from every angle will give you confidence on the course that you have it right.
Take what you learn from your lessons and practice it in front of the mirror until it becomes second nature to you.
Your Posture – I sometimes suffer from a bad posture in my golf swing and by standing in front of a mirror and taking my normal set up position I can adjust the angle of my spine, the bend in my knees, whatever it may be, so that I know exactly what my body should look like, and in turn feel like.
Take these posture set up tips and practice them in front of the mirror to ensure you have a clear idea of a good golf posture which is key to success in your golf swing.
You can utilize the mirror for your set up position, your takeaway position and to see where your club is at the top of your swing. By seeing your body in these different positions, it will help you to understand where you may be going wrong on the course.
Your fundamentals are the most important part of your golf set up and if you have a full-length mirror and a club from your bag, there are several drills you can do to ensure you have the basics right.
Your Grip – As much as 90% of swing issues are caused by a poor set up and it all starts with the grip. By practising your grip in front of a mirror, it will ensure that your hands are exactly where they need to be on the club and how they sit and look together. Seeing this from every angle will give you confidence on the course that you have it right.
Take what you learn from your lessons and practice it in front of the mirror until it becomes second nature to you.
Your Posture – I sometimes suffer from a bad posture in my golf swing and by standing in front of a mirror and taking my normal set up position I can adjust the angle of my spine, the bend in my knees, whatever it may be, so that I know exactly what my body should look like, and in turn feel like.
Take these posture set up tips and practice them in front of the mirror to ensure you have a clear idea of a good golf posture which is key to success in your golf swing.
You can utilize the mirror for your set up position, your takeaway position and to see where your club is at the top of your swing. By seeing your body in these different positions, it will help you to understand where you may be going wrong on the course.
3. Swing Drills
If it’s raining outside or you don’t have a garage, you can still practice your golf swing indoors. Just make sure that you have a space in your house where you can comfortably make a full swing. If you do have any issues then you can:
Firstly, and you can still use the full-length mirror here, the main aim is to slowly move your club into the required positions throughout your full swing to check your positions, and then use the feedback from the mirror to make adjustments as you go.
Another great drill is to simply take two similar length clubs (8 and 9 iron) and wrap your hands around both.
Then you want to make a normal backswing and you should instantly feel a pulling when at the top of the backswing through the added weight of the second club.
Continue to swing through and finish a full swing with both clubs. Do this for anywhere between 5-10 times and then move back to the one club.
This is great for improving your control of the golf club, especially at the top of the backswing, and it will also help you to add speed to your swing, because one club is going to feel so much lighter than two. This again is a great drill to practice in front of the mirror.
If you have the room in your garden or garage then you can of course practice with a net hitting full shots with some golf balls, but the downside to this is that you don’t see where the ball is going, and you are unable to see if there are any issues in your set up or posture.
If it’s raining outside or you don’t have a garage, you can still practice your golf swing indoors. Just make sure that you have a space in your house where you can comfortably make a full swing. If you do have any issues then you can:
- Simply grip down the club you are using
- If you are confident enough and have an old spare club, you can shorten it down to use purely for practice
- Or you can invest in a swing trainer tools (alignment sticks, The secret, best of all the Gary Edwin impact bag.
Firstly, and you can still use the full-length mirror here, the main aim is to slowly move your club into the required positions throughout your full swing to check your positions, and then use the feedback from the mirror to make adjustments as you go.
Another great drill is to simply take two similar length clubs (8 and 9 iron) and wrap your hands around both.
Then you want to make a normal backswing and you should instantly feel a pulling when at the top of the backswing through the added weight of the second club.
Continue to swing through and finish a full swing with both clubs. Do this for anywhere between 5-10 times and then move back to the one club.
This is great for improving your control of the golf club, especially at the top of the backswing, and it will also help you to add speed to your swing, because one club is going to feel so much lighter than two. This again is a great drill to practice in front of the mirror.
If you have the room in your garden or garage then you can of course practice with a net hitting full shots with some golf balls, but the downside to this is that you don’t see where the ball is going, and you are unable to see if there are any issues in your set up or posture.
4. Putting At Home
Everybody wants to improve their putting and there is no better way to do this than by practicing at home. There are so many options to choose from when it comes to practicing your putting at home:
Everybody wants to improve their putting and there is no better way to do this than by practicing at home. There are so many options to choose from when it comes to practicing your putting at home:
- If you have carpeted floors, then although the ball will run quite slowly across them in relation to the stimp meter, it is a great drill for gaining the feel and control of your putter. Get a trusty old school mug as a pretend target hole and you are all set
- Another great drill is to balance a coin on one golf ball at one end of the room and the object of the exercise is to practice putting another ball as close as you can so that it touches the other golf ball but doesn’t knock the coin off
- If you have a rug at home, have some room along your skirting or can lay some form of tape down on the floor (ensuring it is straight) then a great exercise is to practice your putting stroke ensuring your backstroke doesn’t go over the line of the rug or tape, and doesn’t hit the skirting. This helps ensure that you build a solid, straight and repeatable putting stroke
- Of course, the other option is to use one of the many putting mats that are currently available which come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
5. Chipping At Home
Indoor Target Hole Out Drill
Golf is a game that requires precision. With putting the goal is to hole the putt, when we hit a chip shot that goal shouldn’t be any different.
When we focus on a small target like the hole we narrow our focus, if we miss our small target we will still end up pretty close to it.
With the help of a few golf training aids like a chipping mat and chipping net you will be able to practice “holing out” chip shots during the winter months.
Chipping nets are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, some even have small holes in them to aim at that are the size of a normal hole. Please choose one that suits your needsFor this drill the goal is to hole out 3 times before moving onto the next drill. This drill will also test your patience, patience is something that will help any golfer in the long run.
Indoor Target Hole Out Drill
Golf is a game that requires precision. With putting the goal is to hole the putt, when we hit a chip shot that goal shouldn’t be any different.
When we focus on a small target like the hole we narrow our focus, if we miss our small target we will still end up pretty close to it.
With the help of a few golf training aids like a chipping mat and chipping net you will be able to practice “holing out” chip shots during the winter months.
Chipping nets are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, some even have small holes in them to aim at that are the size of a normal hole. Please choose one that suits your needsFor this drill the goal is to hole out 3 times before moving onto the next drill. This drill will also test your patience, patience is something that will help any golfer in the long run.
Drills for indoor chipping practise,
In no particular order;
In no particular order;
- Place a chair (or something similar mid way as an obstacle, you are to chip over the chair into the net. As you get proficient, move the chair closer to you, then closer to the net. This will force you to learn how to hit higher ball flights over the same distance to the net.
- Over the same distance, alternate hitting from 8 iron through to your most lofted wedge.
- Change the distance that you chip from; i.e. Long to close, followed by close to long. (Alter the distances from the target in 1 yard increments).
Towel Chipping Drill
Speed and distance control are both key factors when it comes to chipping. Distance control is important because you have to land the ball short of the hole in order for it to roll out and stop close to the hole.
Speed is also important and it is mainly determined by trajectory, higher shots will land softly and roll out less than a low chip shot. In order to get the ball close to the hole your landing spot and trajectory needs to match up.
The towel drill is a great drill if you want to practice landing your golf ball on your landing spot. A fancy golf training aid isn’t always required, for this indoor short game drill place a small towel about 5 to 10 yards away from you.
Chip at the towel and try to land the ball onto the towel at least 10 times before moving onto the next drill. The towel drill makes indoor winter golf drills fun while also teaching you new skills in the process.
Speed and distance control are both key factors when it comes to chipping. Distance control is important because you have to land the ball short of the hole in order for it to roll out and stop close to the hole.
Speed is also important and it is mainly determined by trajectory, higher shots will land softly and roll out less than a low chip shot. In order to get the ball close to the hole your landing spot and trajectory needs to match up.
The towel drill is a great drill if you want to practice landing your golf ball on your landing spot. A fancy golf training aid isn’t always required, for this indoor short game drill place a small towel about 5 to 10 yards away from you.
Chip at the towel and try to land the ball onto the towel at least 10 times before moving onto the next drill. The towel drill makes indoor winter golf drills fun while also teaching you new skills in the process.
More Chipping Drills to come!
Extended Shaft Drill.
Keeping your wrists firm on your chip shots will minimize the chances of thinning and chunking your shots. If your wrists are too active and you're too afraid of the knife drill, hold a second club in your hands as you hit chip shots. The goal is to keep the second club from hitting you as you hit your shot.
Keeping your wrists firm on your chip shots will minimize the chances of thinning and chunking your shots. If your wrists are too active and you're too afraid of the knife drill, hold a second club in your hands as you hit chip shots. The goal is to keep the second club from hitting you as you hit your shot.
The back of the Sofa Drill.
A lot of amateurs and some pros use too much lower body in the form of a lateral sway / slide towards the target on their downswing. To work on the correct motion, set up against the back of your sofa (close to the end so that you can swing your arms (holding a medicine ball of about 2 or 3 kg while swinging) freely around your body to the finish. At your set up your target side hip and leg will be nestled lightly against the back of the sofa. As you practice making your back and downswing, feel your hips to lightly compressing against the sofa.
A lot of amateurs and some pros use too much lower body in the form of a lateral sway / slide towards the target on their downswing. To work on the correct motion, set up against the back of your sofa (close to the end so that you can swing your arms (holding a medicine ball of about 2 or 3 kg while swinging) freely around your body to the finish. At your set up your target side hip and leg will be nestled lightly against the back of the sofa. As you practice making your back and downswing, feel your hips to lightly compressing against the sofa.
The Flash Light Drill.
To get yourself swinging on the correct path, grip a flashlight like a golf club, and then flip it so the light is facing your stomach. From there, you should slowly take your backswing. If the light is traveling in a straight line away from the ball, your swing's in a good position.
To get yourself swinging on the correct path, grip a flashlight like a golf club, and then flip it so the light is facing your stomach. From there, you should slowly take your backswing. If the light is traveling in a straight line away from the ball, your swing's in a good position.
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6. Mental Practice
The mental side of the game is a rather underrated and neglected area, especially when it comes to amateur golfers. Visualization techniques and trying to build confidence in your own game are greats ways to improve your golf at home.
Many professional golfers have mind coaches and use various imagery exercises to help them be at their best on the course, so why shouldn’t we take a leaf from their book and sharpen up our minds as much as our swings.
Imagery – The first exercise is to visualize how you want your swing to look. Picture what you see as your perfect swing in your mind, how it feels, what your arms are doing and where your wrists are at impact for example. The mind can be a very powerful tool, and by visualizing the perfect swing in your mind, it can often help to create a better swing on the course.
Course Management – If you are playing the same course week in, week out, then going over your perfect round in your mind is a great way to help build confidence in your game, and to give you some sort of game plan before teeing off.
Seeing where you want your tee shot to land on each hole, which side of the fairway you want to land it on to give yourself the best shot onto the green, and where are the danger points on the course.
Visualizing your round like this at home is a great way to help build confidence in and improve your game. If you have played the course before, try to remember the best shots you have hit on each hole, what club you took, how you felt and what was going through your mind at the time.
This builds overall confidence in your game, and no matter where you are playing, these little mental tricks will go a long way in helping you to stay calm, positive and energized about your round, and more importantly your next shot.
The mental side of the game is a rather underrated and neglected area, especially when it comes to amateur golfers. Visualization techniques and trying to build confidence in your own game are greats ways to improve your golf at home.
Many professional golfers have mind coaches and use various imagery exercises to help them be at their best on the course, so why shouldn’t we take a leaf from their book and sharpen up our minds as much as our swings.
Imagery – The first exercise is to visualize how you want your swing to look. Picture what you see as your perfect swing in your mind, how it feels, what your arms are doing and where your wrists are at impact for example. The mind can be a very powerful tool, and by visualizing the perfect swing in your mind, it can often help to create a better swing on the course.
Course Management – If you are playing the same course week in, week out, then going over your perfect round in your mind is a great way to help build confidence in your game, and to give you some sort of game plan before teeing off.
Seeing where you want your tee shot to land on each hole, which side of the fairway you want to land it on to give yourself the best shot onto the green, and where are the danger points on the course.
Visualizing your round like this at home is a great way to help build confidence in and improve your game. If you have played the course before, try to remember the best shots you have hit on each hole, what club you took, how you felt and what was going through your mind at the time.
This builds overall confidence in your game, and no matter where you are playing, these little mental tricks will go a long way in helping you to stay calm, positive and energized about your round, and more importantly your next shot.
7. The Soccer ball between the elbows Drill.
The dreaded chicken wing. If you have one, place a soccer ball between your forearms and make sure the ball doesn't fall to the ground as you swing.
The dreaded chicken wing. If you have one, place a soccer ball between your forearms and make sure the ball doesn't fall to the ground as you swing.
8. A Few Bonus Practice Drills
As well as the exercises we have already discussed to help you to practice your golf at home, there are a few other things you can do:
As well as the exercises we have already discussed to help you to practice your golf at home, there are a few other things you can do:
- Simply watch more golf. Your family members may end up fighting you for the remote, but as well as being entertaining, you can learn a lot from watching how the professionals play the game. It’s not just about copying their swing, but how they manage the course, the time they take over their shots and their pre-shot routines.
- And finally, you don’t have to go out there and spend a huge amount of money on all of the latest gadgets to help improve your golf game. Various household items can prove to be equally as useful during your practice. This list is a great example.
To Conclude
So there you have it. Not being able to get to the golf course or driving range is simply no excuse when it comes to improving your golf game. Hopefully, we have provided you with various and interesting ways to practice golf at home whether you are stuck there because of the weather, or you have 15 minutes spare each evening before bed.
The whole idea is to make practice fun and equally as useful. Aimlessly swinging your club without taking any notice of how your body and club are moving in relation to your swing is going to get you nowhere fast.
Effective practice at home is not about spending your money on the most expensive gadgets, it’s about ensuring whatever gadgets and drills you use have a positive impact on your game.
So there you have it. Not being able to get to the golf course or driving range is simply no excuse when it comes to improving your golf game. Hopefully, we have provided you with various and interesting ways to practice golf at home whether you are stuck there because of the weather, or you have 15 minutes spare each evening before bed.
The whole idea is to make practice fun and equally as useful. Aimlessly swinging your club without taking any notice of how your body and club are moving in relation to your swing is going to get you nowhere fast.
Effective practice at home is not about spending your money on the most expensive gadgets, it’s about ensuring whatever gadgets and drills you use have a positive impact on your game.