Practice Like a Pro

Ever watched a tour player on the range and noticed the pace of their practice?

They don’t just rake and rip. They hit a shot. Watch it. Study it. Learn from it. Chat with their caddy or coach. Then reset. Rehearse. Repeat.

It’s not just talent. It’s not just repetition. It’s intention.

Tour players don’t just hit balls. They practice with purpose. Every shot has a target. Every swing has a reason. Pre-shot routine on every shot.

Practice makes permanent. So why “practice” if you’re not working to improve?

Every shot sends a return message. Every message is a learning opportunity. Every session has a goal.

Here’s the truth: Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes permanent. If you’re rehearsing bad habits, you’re just getting better at being doing whatever you have been doing. If you rapid-fire through a bucket of balls, you’re not learning anything—you’re simply reinforcing the same things you went to the range to fix.

The answer lies in the flight of the golf ball. What it does shows us the problem—or the results of the test. That ball flight is your report card. It tells you what the result was from what you did. But if you don’t bother to look at it, how are you going to fix it? And even if you do, are you capable of recognizing why the ball did what it did? And then knowing what changes need to be made?

If the answer is no—this is exactly why you need a coach. A good coach helps you understand the why behind the ball flight. They better not just stand behind you and say “good one”—you can see that on your own. A good coach asks questions. They train your thinking process. If I do this, then the ball does that. If I do less of this, or more of that, I get a different result. They don’t just watch you hit balls—they teach you how to train.

As a player, you’ll start to improve the moment you understand this concept.

So how do you actually practice like a pro? Here’s how I break it down:

Have a plan. Don’t just show up and “work on your game.” Know what you’re working on before you grab a club. Is it contact? Ball flight? Distance control? Start lines? You don’t need to fix everything—just pick one thing and commit to it.

Reps, not raking. The player raking balls with no pause is not the player improving. Step away after each shot. Think. Reset. Rehearse. Go through your full pre-shot routine—even on the range. Train the habit you want to show up under pressure.

Target everything. Pick a target every time. On the range, on the putting green, even with short game. If it doesn’t have a target, it’s not practice—it’s just exercise.

Feedback wins. Use feedback tools. Ball flight. Divots. Alignment sticks. A launch monitor. A training aid. Video. Your coach. A mirror. Anything that gives you truth is your best friend. Guesswork doesn’t help you get better.

Split the session. Tour players often break practice into two parts: technical and performance. In the technical phase, you’re working on mechanics. Slower swings. Drills. Blocked reps. In the performance phase, you simulate pressure. Random targets. Game-like routines. Score your results. Most amateurs don’t do either.

Finish strong. End every session with something you’re great at. A favorite shot. A drill you own. A couple flushed wedges. Why? Because you want to leave the range with confidence. That’s what lingers—and that’s what shows up tomorrow.

Want to take it a step further? Try this:

Write down your plan before you practice. One goal. One drill. One way to measure it. Then write down how it went. That simple act? That’s what separates grinders from golfers.

This is what I do when I come to coach you. I study you, know what I want to accomplish with you in that session, and then have a plan to get to that end. I set up drills and help you understand what we’re looking for. You would expect that from me, right?

So why wouldn’t you demand the same thing from yourself?

When I go to practice—which, let’s be honest, isn’t often—I have a small thing or two I want to work on. I know what that “work in progress” is meant to accomplish, and I analyze the results to make sure it’s doing what it’s supposed to do. I set up drills for myself to feel the feels, and then slowly wean myself off the drills to ensure the change becomes permanent—just like I do with you.

Our sessions have a purpose. My own practice sessions have a purpose. How are you going to structure your sessions so they have a purpose too?

So… Are you going to Practice like a Pro? Or just kill some time on the range?