On the range most players hit as many shots as possible, in a short space of time, but is it the best use of your time and effort? When on the course, your objective is to hit as few shots as possible.

On the course, you seldom hit the same club or shot twice in a row, so what help is hitting lots of the same shot with the same club when it is so different in the real game for which you are training?

There is some benefit in hitting shots over and over, for example when you are implementing technique changes. Hitting shots punctuated by lots of rehearsal moves perhaps using a mirror to make sure your intended movement is correct, but even then there should be part of your session where the ‘real game’ is given some attention.

Next time you visit the range or practice area, make sure at least part of your session focuses on varied practice.

Select a specific target for each shot and give yourself a realistic direction tolerance for the distance being hit and your current ability level. Take into consideration the wind speed and direction, your normal shot shape and where the easiest chip would be from if you were to miss the target.

Select your club (picture 1), go through your routine as if you are on the course and execute the shot (picture 2).

Hit a different shot and club each time. For the lower handicap players, you can add in deliberate draws and fades. You can alter the trajectory too.

It’s the quality of the practice that counts, more than the quantity. You are better preparing yourself to play the game than merely giving yourself a work-out by playing the equivalent of three rounds of golf in 40 minutes! Give it a try, I know it will help your performance.