There are so many
options for the modern golfer in being able to practice at home, where do you
start. I remember growing up simply being able to putt on the carpet at home,
or chipping in the back garden. However today, if you have the time, money, and
inclination you can spend thousands setting up a home golf studio with a
projector and some even include an integrated putting mat floor.
Should I set up a
Home Golf Practice Area?
I was keen to understand whether a home
golf practice area was worth the time and energy to set up. I also needed to
know where to start so I reached out to my local Golf Professional Richard
Lally. Richard has been a PGA Teaching Professional for over 22 years.
Richard is
currently Head Pro at the Aspley Guise & Woburn Sands County
Championship Golf Club in Bedfordshire. I was lucky enough to be able to
recently speak with Richard on the details of practicing at home. He offered
advice on how he would guide golfers of all abilities to ensure they keep sharp
during winter and lockdown, and also
some top tips so that they were ready for when courses reopened.
Practice Makes Permanent…
Most
golfers don’t practice enough. You can’t simply turn up to the course each week
without putting in any practice in-between rounds and expect to see dramatic
improvements on the course. However, this is what the majority of golfers do. According to Richard,
‘most golfers lack practice, and the awareness that the more you practice, the
more you will improve, it’s as simple as that. Practice makes permanent, if you
put the hours in off the course then you’ll see the benefits on the course.’
This will be the same during lockdown. Richard was speaking to me from his
state-of-the-art golf studio at Aspley Guise, here he provides detailed
analysis of golfers’ swings. Richards students have seen amazing improvements
by being able to see themselves on video. The instant feedback you can get from
video analysis is eye opening for golfers, explained Richard. If you can set up
a camera to be able to record your swing at home this would definitely help
your game.
Using this footage Richard has even
provided remote video advice to his members and students. If they send him a
short video, he’s able to review this and give them some pointers on their
swing, along with opportunities to further improve. This is another great way
to keep your game sharp during time away from the course.
In a recent national golf foundation
report, it was estimated that in 2019 approximately 64% of regular golfers had
reviewed some form of online golf instruction video. When discussing the
increase in golfers turning to online tuition and YouTube videos to get golf
advice Richard was in favour. ‘There’s so much great content available now,
golfers have access to some of the top golf coaches in the world, you should definitely subscribe to some of these content
producers online’. However, he made a
great point, their local club pro might know their swing better, and be able to
provide more tailored golf advice. So where possible golfers should reach out
to their local club professional in the first instance and see if they offer online
lessons.
Should golfers take a lesson?
Richard would
encourage all golfers to take a lesson, this can have dramatic benefits to your
game. Richard currently holds an extremely popular Women’s Academy from the
golf studio and club’s practice facilities at Aspley Guise. This includes
group sessions, and 1-2-1 tuition. During this academy he has seen a variety of
students come through the doors. There are golfers who have zero experience,
and are new to the game when they join his academy, with expert tuition, they dramatically
improve their game. This goes to show the benefit of golf tuition. If
you’re local to Milton Keynes and Bedfordshire I would recommend looking for
Richard and seeing how he can transform your golf, visitors are always welcome.
Does practicing at
home lead to bad form on the course?
Anything you can do when
you’re away from the course will help your game, so no it won’t necessarily
lead to bad form. In Richards opinion, every golfer should have a net or a
practice area at home. If golfers are genuinely serious about improving, they
need to put the effort in. However, golfers don’t need to spend thousands in
setting up home golf practice areas, it can be the remarkably simple things at
home that can improve your golf. Richard even suggests basic exercises such as
putting on the carpet at home and aiming for a penny on the floor, or in the
back garden, chipping with a wedge towards a bucket.
What is the best home
golf practice equipment?
So, now that we know home golf practice can really help your
game let’s give you some tips for the five essentials you’ll need for a home
practice area which will supercharge your lockdown game.
1. A good quality home putting mat is essential
if you’re looking to improve during lockdown. We would advise buying one which
can easily be folded or rolled up for easy storage. Be sure to choose one which
is made of heavier material and has a non-slip base, this means it won’t move
around on the floor when you’re putting.
2. Invest in a lightweight golf net which you
can use in the garden. We would recommend choosing one which can be folded away
easily, some come with carry bags. We would also advise buying one which is at
least 2 metres wide, this way should you hit any stray shots left or right they
should still be caught by the net.
3. To compliment your golf net we would recommend
a golf mat from which you can hit your golf shots. This is essential as not
only will it protect your lawn from unsightly divots, it will also ensure you
have a consistent lie for your ball each time you strike. Choose a mat which
has a heavy rubber base and is able to grip or be pinned onto the floor.
4. A chipping net is a must for building your
home golf practice area if you want to keep your short game in top condition
when away from the course. Choose a model which is able to stand on its own and
wide enough to catch off target shots. Some can be folded away and even come
with sponge practice golf balls included. These are perfect should bad weather
mean you have to move your chipping into the living room.
5. This one although essential to improving your
game during lockdown it might only be suitable for the deeply committed. We
recommend investing in a good golf swing monitor, like the Flightscope Launch
Monitor or a Trackman. Although not cheap, these will give you an excellent
understanding of what your ball is actually doing rather than just hitting into
a net for hours.
Conclusion
Anything you can do to keep yourself
sharp in the winter, or during lockdown will be a benefit to your golf. If you
put the effort into your golf during these winter months, you’ll reap the
rewards in the spring. However, if you simply want to sit at home and binge
watch Netflix don’t be surprised when your game doesn’t improve to the standard
you expect this year.
Also let’s not forget
how your equipment can also dramatically improve your golf, so if you’re
looking for the best advice on golf equipment be sure to check out www.fungolf.co.uk and read my guides for what you should know before making that
important purchase.
