Suggestions for Effective Club Practice Routines and Methods for Amateur Golfers

Concerns of an Amateur Golfer

Many amateur golfers face the first problem when they arrive at the driving range: 'Which club should I practice with first, and how?' It's common to see them grab a driver and swing hard right away without any warm-up, but the results are usually unsatisfactory. Their bodies are not loosened up, their shots are inconsistent, and their confidence tends to decrease.

Understanding the Characteristics of Golf

Golf is not just a sport of hitting a ball far, but an intricate sport that fine-tunes the quality of shots through sensation and rhythm. Therefore, even at the driving range, applying a systematic club order and repetitive routine is essential for achieving desired results in actual play. This article suggests the most efficient club usage order for amateur golfers, the composition of repetitive practice, and strategies for focusing on specific clubs during training.

The Importance of Practice Order in a Club

Each club has different lengths, lofts, and center of gravity, so fine adjustments to swing timing and impact point are necessary each time you change clubs. If you practice randomly without considering this, it is no different from trying a new shot each time, making it difficult to achieve consistency. By structuring your practice flow from shorter clubs to longer clubs and from lower trajectories to higher trajectories, your body's rhythm and swing path will naturally become organized.

Recommended practice order: from short clubs to driver

The starting point of practice is handling short clubs and wedges. Focus on the feel of the ball and club connection, body balance, and tempo through wedge shots. Trying out various trajectories and distance adjustments at this time can help you quickly regain your sense of feel. After that, it's beneficial to transition naturally to a short full swing club like a 9-iron.

The flow of the practice swing

After short irons, you improve mid-range accuracy with mid irons, such as a 7 or 6 iron. At this stage, focus on consistency and direction in your swing, being aware of the trajectory differences that come with the longer club length. Following that, transition to a wood or utility club to simulate shots from the fairway. Utilities are more forgiving compared to longer clubs, making them suitable for adjusting your swing path and maintaining your feel just before practicing with the driver.

The Importance of Driver Practice

The last part of practice is the driver. Most amateurs feel a lot of pressure with the driver, but if you practice the driver after properly warming up and getting a feel for the preceding clubs, the quality of your shots will significantly improve. At this point, focus on direction, impact at the center of the clubface, and distance control while practicing tee shots.

Wedge finish

Finally, we return to the wedge and proceed with the finishing shots. This effectively relaxes the tension built up in the body from using the driver and helps to calm the senses. By lightly repeating short pitch shots and running approaches, we can also reduce the risk of injury.

Club-specific repetition shot routine composition

For effective practice, it is important not only to follow the order of clubs but also to consider the number of repetitions per club and the composition of sets. Below is an example routine: 5 repetitions with the driver, 10 repetitions with the 7-iron, 5 repetitions with the utility, and 10 repetitions with the wedge. By repeating this set three times, focused practice for about 90 minutes can be achieved. However, the important point is not to hit a lot, but to hit accurately.

Focused training for a specific club

In addition to the overall routine based on club order, a recommended approach is to focus on practicing a specific club to create your own weapon. To do this, a strategy of concentrating training on only one club for a week or a month is effective. The 7-iron or 9-iron, which are frequently used, are recommended. These clubs are advantageous for training stability at mid-range distances and achieving precise impact.

Focus Training Cycle and Practice Method

Short training lasts 1 to 2 weeks, and the medium-term plan is one month. The key is to take 50 to 60 shots each day at the same club, recording feedback on impact position, trajectory, and target direction, while checking for changes over time. Additionally, after some simple warm-ups with a wedge, focus on repetitive shots with your main club, and finish with the wedge without hitting the driver or other clubs. This will help build confidence in actual play.

Conclusion: Strategy Is Needed Even in Practice

Golf is a sport of repetition, but simply playing a lot does not lead to proficiency. A systematic approach, purposeful repetition, and focused training on specific clubs must combine for true skill improvement. When stepping into the practice range, having a clear plan makes practice no longer daunting.