To get the results you really want in your golf game, you have to spend a lot of time on the practice range. Hours of time spent just pounding golf balls may improve your physical stamina and swing but to get the best results from your practice, you also need to engage your mind and imagination.
Timing for your practice sessions is also important if you are serious about improving your game. The professional players all realize one of the most vital times to practice is right after a round, when all your bad shots are still fresh in your mind. This is the best time to work on the shots that are giving you the most trouble on the golf course. You have the shots from your round still fresh in your memory and it is easy to visualize the shot you were trying to make and had trouble with. It's not fun working on the shots that give you the most trouble but that is the best way to show significant improvement.
Before your round is always a good idea to warm up on the range and build up a little confidence but after the round is where you can be most effective at solving your problems. To optimize the results of your practice, you want to visualize each shot instead of just pounding balls. Try to picture the shots you were trying to accomplish on the course and struggled with. Be sure to pick a specific target for each shot and repeat your pre-shot routine for each swing. Going through your full routine on the range makes your shot execution feel natural and will help reduce your stress when you are on the course and have a difficult shot.
Another effective mental practice away from the course, is to visualize yourself playing and work at remembering how it feels to make a good shot. This exercise helps build positive muscle memory and produces surprising results.
A good exercise to further build this muscle memory is to hit some shots on the range with your favorite club and mentally note the physical sensations of each good shot you hit.
