Every golfer aims to improve when they play a round or go down to the driving range. The amount of online content teaching golf demonstrates how many players are heavily invested in lowering their handicap numbers. However, despite their passion for golf, many amateur golfers struggle to find enough time to truly work on improving their game. They don’t know whether they should spend more time on the driving range or whether simply playing round after round will improve their level. This post will look at the pros and cons of just practicing or playing to improve your game.  

Practicing

Pros

Pros

Practicing and playing independently is a great way to get more comfortable with your golf game, but if you want to improve your skill level, you need to train with a certified PGA professional on a driving range. They will be able to spot bad habits that you aren’t aware of and recommend how to progress in every aspect of your game. The feedback they provide will be tailored exactly to your needs compared to generalized online lessons, and they will also be able to provide advice on other aspects of golf, such as the best clubs for your playing style, as well as course recommendations. If in doubt as to whether you need to practice with a pro, remember that even the best players in the world still work with instructors to improve their game.

Indoor Golf

Where once the only option a golfer had to practice was to get down to the driving range or hope that their local course had a putting or chipping green, today you have more options. Most cities will offer an Indoor Golf option that allows players to practice their shots with the help of data analytics, giving them accurate information on each shot – including distance, direction, and ball spin. This allows you to see exactly where you need to improve. They also have a wide range of practice options available, from traditional driving ranges to dedicated games and the ability to play an entire 18-hole course, all from the same spot. GolfX has two locations in San Juan and BGC that offer the best indoor golf experiences to help you improve.

Cons

Lack of Shot Variety

If you are just going down to the driving range, you will likely hit the same shots each time. While this is great for getting confident with your driver, woods, and irons, most players hit their favored shots aimlessly down the range rather than working on their weaker areas. To add variety, you need to be strict with yourself and add challenges that mimic the golf course, such as distance control and target practice. For more ideas on how to add variety to your practice session, check out our post on 4 Games to Play On the Driving Range.

Not Realistic

In line with the above, practicing on a range isn’t like playing on a course. The lie from which you hit will always be flat, and there is no consequence to your shots. If you mishit, you simply hit another. This is why many amateur golfers choke on the course (especially the first tee in front of the clubhouse). They aren’t used to hitting with the mental pressure of only getting one chance to get it right.

Playing

Pros

Course Management

Alongside being able to hit the ball well, to be a great golfer, you need to understand course management. The only way to do that is to get on an actual course and experience the different challenges each hole brings compared to hitting from a mat on the driving range. Elements like how to hit shots in different weather conditions or from different surfaces, especially deep rough, can only be learned on a course. You will also learn how to better utilize your clubs to get around the course rather than just relying on the distances you hit during practice.

The Ultimate Practice

Playing on a course is the ultimate practice because you will be challenged in every area of golf. From shot selection and swing skill to overcoming the game’s mental aspects, a round of golf challenges everything. The more you play, the better you will become at all these different aspects. Unlike the practice range, if you make a mistake, you have to live with it and play on. While a golf course may seem intimidating to newer players, the only way to get the confidence needed to lower your scores is to keep playing and challenging yourself. Playing on a course is the best way to know the weaker areas of your game.

Cons

Limited Chances to Improve Weak Areas

While playing is the best way to find your weaker areas, if you are not spending any time practicing, your weaker shots will suffer. As mentioned above, practicing on a driving range allows you to hit the same shot multiple times. On the course, you only get one chance, and if, for example, your chipping is a weakness, the added pressure will increase your chance of hitting the ball poorly, which in turn will increase your frustration and decrease your ability to improve. If you only play on a course a few times a month or even less, then your time to improve your weaker areas will also decrease.  

Less Golf

Statistics show that the average golfer plays around 10 – 20 rounds a year, often shooting far over 90. If you are only playing once or twice a month and not spending any time on the driving range, your ability to improve will be seriously impacted. Golf is a difficult game to get competent at, and if you are only limiting your time to a course a few times a year, you won’t see massive improvements and will likely get frustrated with the lack of progress and maybe stop playing altogether. The only way to drop those course numbers is to play golf on a consistent basis.

Verdict

The obvious answer is that playing and practicing frequently will improve your game and help you continuously improve over time. Playing golf on a course is the best way to discover your weaknesses, which you can then work on during your practice sessions. If you only have enough time to focus on one area, then the majority of your time should be spent playing, as you will be forced to play a wide variety of shots, and you will get the confidence needed to improve your game. That being said, you must aim to play much more than the average golfer in order to get better.