Practicing a Little Differently
Just because you can’t get out to the course and play doesn’t mean you can’t work on your game. I wanted to offer some of my favorite at-home practice ideas for this unique time we’re in—and also add in some advice from two of my friends in the peak performance world. Dr. Gloria Balague is a Team USA sport psychologist, and Gabe Salinas is a sports science trainer. They have some great tips on dealing with the emotions that come from being isolated and how to get yourself in terrific shape with the free time you might have now. I also embedded a video from my YouTube channel which shows you exactly how to do some of the drills we’re going to discuss.
Let’s get started!
Home Putting Drills
If you have a four-foot steel or aluminum ruler, you can get way better a putting. Place the ruler on the floor and the ball in the center, and practice making swings where your backswing and follow through are the same length—about 12 inches to start. Your first goal is to make a stroke that equal size and get the ball to roll down the ruler without falling off the side.
Once you can do that regularly, download one of the free metronome apps and set it so it sounds at 60 to 62 beats per minute. Now make those same strokes while taking the putter back on one beat and hitting the ball on the next beat. You can even lay out a string and see if you can get all your putts to end up in the same area near the string.
For “graduate school,” move to a carpeted hallway and start varying the length of your back-and-through stroke so it’s still equal, but maybe 10 inches on each side and then 15 and then 8. Each length should produce a different length of roll. You can even use different colors of ball on each of these shots and see how close you can get them to each other.
Mental Practice
You don’t even need clubs—or a ball—to get better. One of my father’s friends, Colonel George Hall, spent seven and a half years as a POW in Vietnam. Within a month of returning home, he shot 76 in a pro-am. When he was asked about it for this ESPN article, he wasn’t shocked. He said he had played at least 18 holes a day for the last seven years—in his mind. He visualized every shot from the first tee to the last hole at Pebble Beach, and recorded his score every day! Jack Nicklaus always said the 90 percent of shots are missed before the club even moves back. That means you can take this time to work on your setup fundamentals in a mirror!
Becoming More Resilient as Player
My friend Dr. Balague is fantastic resource for athletes who are trying to become more confident on and off the course. She was the team psychologist for the Chicago Bears from 2015 to 2019, and has helped the USA Track and Field, Gymnastics and Field Hockey Teams. Her advice is perfect for the times we’re in now:
•Focus on What you can Control (your body, your fitness, your schedule, your friends and hobbies)
•Challenge Catastrophic Thoughts (don’t assume the worst, but train yourself to stay in the present and think about positive solutions)
•Organize Your Day (make a schedule and leave open space for relaxation and fun…don’t just wait until you “feel like it!”)
•Be in the Present (stop, take a few deep breaths, and observe what you see and feel in the now)
•Practice Self Care (acknowledge your feelings of fear, anger and disappointment and think about what you can learn from them)
Remember: When a big boulder falls, it doesn’t necessarily block your goals. It blocks your path.
To download Dr. Balague’s full presentation, click here.
Train Like a Champion
My friend Gabe Salinas has generously provided a great strength and flexibility training program for players to use during this time. You can use it to gain muscle, lose fat, or to just get yourself moving with some direction. You can see the packet and download it here, see some of his favorite exercises here, and learn more about his programs here.