6 things you should always — and never — practice

In my 44-plus years of teaching and coaching this incredible game, I have found that a surprisingly small percentage of recreational players have a logical and repeatable practice plan. Even after a lesson, most players still wander onto the practice tee with no structure, no intention and no accountability.

Let me touch on a few things you should never do — and a few things you must do — when going to the practice tee to actually improve your golf game.

1. Never practice without alignment

Aim and alignment are never “once learned and done.” They must be reinforced constantly. That is why alignment sticks should be a permanent fixture in every practice session. The best players in the world practice daily with guidance. Visual references keep them honest and ensure their setup remains consistent. If the best players on the planet still rely on these tools to check their aim and alignment, it raises an obvious question: why would an amateur assume they don’t need the same help?

2. Never rapid-fire balls

Rapid-fire ball beating is one of the fastest ways to destroy tempo, sequencing and awareness. Instead of mindlessly hitting ball after ball, practice should be deliberate and paced. In fact, many recreational players would improve faster by simply limiting how quickly they hit balls.

Place a single ball a few yards away, walk to it, set it down deliberately and then go through your full pre-shot routine before hitting the shot. Afterward, take a moment to evaluate what just happened before moving to the next ball. Practice should resemble the rhythm and intention of actual golf.

3. Always practice your full pre-shot routine

This is one habit I wish every amateur would adopt without exception. If you don’t rehearse your routine in practice, you cannot expect it to magically appear on the golf course when pressure rises. Every ball you hit is training a habit, whether it is a good one or a bad one. By committing to your full pre-shot routine during practice, you are teaching your mind and body how to prepare consistently for each shot. Simply put, practice the way you intend to play.

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4. Never practice in a crosswind (without purpose)

Practicing in the wind can be valuable, but it must be intentional. For a right-handed player, repeatedly hitting balls in a strong left-to-right or right-to-left crosswind can quickly encourage an over-the-top swing path as the player subconsciously fights the wind.

In my experience, one extended practice session in a strong crosswind can take several days to undo in terms of swing pattern. Wind practice should therefore be occasional and purposeful, not the default condition under which you groove your swing.

5. Always trust the ball

Players often say to me, “I thought I did it that time.” My response is always the same: “What did the ball do?” The flight of the golf ball is the most honest feedback you will ever receive. If the result wasn’t good, then whatever you believed you did probably wasn’t what actually happened. The ball never lies. Take that to the bank.

6. Always have an objective

Before every practice session — even today — I make one simple decision: what is the one thing I want to improve? That entire session is then devoted to that single objective. The golf swing lasts less than three seconds, and there is a limit to how many thoughts you can manage in that time. Improvement rarely comes from piling on more ideas. It comes from clarity, focus, and repetition. Get better at one thing today, and tomorrow you can move on to the next.

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