FORE! (If you yell this a lot, try a lesson!) Can you hit this thing right every time?

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Questions & Answers
Responses from PGA/LPGA Teachers on FINDaLESSON.com                                                                                  << BACK
From Tim, golfer:
I'm looking for a routine on the driving range, putting, and chipping green. To work with all clubs.  Any suggestion would be appreciated.  Thank You.
PGA/LPGA TEACHING PROFESSIONAL RESPONSES:
Arizona
"We have "coined" a pre shot routine in an acronym/ phrase that I personally helped develop in the early eighties. It seems to have stood the test of time. GASP; which stands for Grip, Aim, Stance , Posture. Do it for every shot, every time. Of course you need personal instruction to learn the correct
Grip, Aim, Stance, Posture that best suits you. But even if you are not doing it correctly, develop a routine and start to discover consistency." - Donald Crawley, Teaching Professional
Florida
"Dear Tim: 3 ideas. 1, look to see where you want to go. 2, put your hands on the club. 3, start with your feet (little shuffle dance) to find proper ball position with putts chips pitches and swings. P.S. Go get Davis Love, Sr. (1984?) book from the library for good pictures or order one of my videos."
- Sean Gorgone, Teaching Professional
Florida
"You need about 3 years of lessons. Get the book "Understanding the Golf Swing" by Manuel de la Torre, as that will help you will all of your requests." - Patricia Kimball, Teaching Professional
Illinois
"A routine: Assess the situation, formulate a plan, choose the appropriate club, set up according to your plan and execute the shot. Good Luck." - Scott Mayer, Teaching Professional
Minnesota
"Pick your target, grip the club, aim the club, aim yourself, get comfortable, stay in motion, make a last look at the target, swing. Do the same thins in the same order, and take the same amount of time to do them." - Jim Manthis, Teaching Professional
New Hampshire
"Hi Tim: Like lots of people, you may find you have difficulty taking what you do from the driving range or the practice green over to the golf course. The reason is in lots of cases that you do things differently at each place. My suggestion would be to simulate your play when you practice. For instance, play some warm up shots at the range, then begin playing the holes on the golf course at the driving range.  Try to visualize the shot you want to play, the club selection and play that club. Do that until you feel like your practice is very much like your play on the golf course. I'll bet you'll enjoy your practice time more and you may find some patterns that develop in your game you can learn from. On another point, when you practice you short game, please, only use the golf ball that you play on the course.  Use only one ball. You get only one shot on the course. You do not get six tries with six different balls in one spot like you might on the practice green. Make you practice have consequences involved.  You will improve your scoring - I guarantee it. Best of luck to you." 
- Keith W. Gagnon, Teaching Professional
North Carolina
"To develop a routine, work with each club first. I would suggest the 30 ball drill with y our clubs.  The first 10 balls work on mechanics, the 2nd 10 balls work on mechanics and feel and the 3rd 10 balls work on just feel. Grade your shots from 1 to 10 with 1 being the worst and 10 being excellent.  Best to do this drill with a partner. Then play the holes on your golf course, using your driver and then whatever clubs you would use for second shots and third shots and so forth. Practice your pre shot routine before each shot when playing your course on the range. On the putting green practice uphill putts, downhill putts, side hill putts to develop feel. One of my favorite drills is the ladder drill. Take 6 balls and set them up like a ladder starting at 2', 4', 6'8' and 10'. You have to make each putt to advance to the next.  By the time you get to the last putt, you should have the feeling that you get on the golf course when you are facing this 10' putt. If you miss any of the putts you have to start over. Try these practice routines and I think you will see improvement in your practice as you are practicing with a purpose." 
- Ben Hynson, Teaching Professional
Texas
"ASSIMILATE A ROUND OF GOLF AS MUCH AS YOU CAN, UNLESS YOU ARE JUST BACK TO TOTALLY WORKING ON TECHNIQUE.  A GOOD PRACTICE APPROACH AFTER YOU GET WARMED UP IS HIT A DRIVER, HIT AN IRON, HIT A CHIP, THEN VISUALIZE THE PUTT, EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE NOT ON THE PUTTING GREEN." - Mr. Kim Brown, Teaching Professional
Utah
"Dear Tim: What I see most Pros in our area work on is similar to the fitting of clubs. Start out with a 6 or 7 iron on the driving range and work towards the 3 iron.  After the 3 iron hit driver until satisfied or warmed up!  Hit a few wedges after driver to bring you back to Earth! This should be descent warm up of most all clubs.  On the putting green work with pitching and chipping around the fringe of the green.  Make sure your confident before moving onto the green. Take your putter and warm up to the speed of the green. Don't putt too much! You don't want to stress your back by bending over too much! This is about an hour or less warm up procedure.  If you have any other questions, email." 
- Brent Wootton, Teaching Professional