It can be an endless debate: should you make a practical move? When you watch the best players on television, do you see them getting one? The answer, almost all the time, is yes.
If they need one, chances are you do too. A practice swing is a tool — and should be taken seriously if you want to score lower.
Here are some ways you can improve your game and lower your score simply by paying attention to your practice swing.
1. Turn thoughts into a feeling
Most of us don’t have the perfect golf swing, and many of us don’t have the time to practice enough for the technique to become automatic. If this sounds like you, use your practice swing to intentionally repeat the correct motion. This often requires conscious effort.
When you do that exact movement, your body starts to remember the feeling. Once you finish your setup, you can just repeat that feeling instead of overthinking it. Over time, this process can help improve your technique just by playing more consciously.
2. Get used to the length of the club
On the course, you are constantly switching between clubs of different lengths – from driver to wedge. Going from a longer club to a shorter club without a practice swing can be difficult. Your body needs time to adjust.
If the ball is on the ground, your practice swing should clear the ground (except for the driver). If not, you may be inadvertently attempting a headshot.
You may notice this especially in your short game – sometimes it takes a few swings to get the club to hit the ground properly. This is often because the club is shorter than the one you just used.
3. Uneven lies
Uneven lies require setup adjustments.
For example, if the ball is above your feet, you may need to grip the club. A practice swing helps to confirm if you have adjusted correctly. If you’re not gripped enough, the club can hit the ground, which is a clear reaction that you need to adjust further.
These little trials help you learn how to adjust to different lies, so when you step up to the ball, you can feel more confident in your setup.
4. Use the puff
For high fairway shots around the green, you want the ball to release and stop quickly. Because these swings are shorter and slower, it’s important that the club glides through the ground instead of digging in. This is where dancing comes into play.
Modern wedges have built-in jumps, and you can also open the balcony to increase it. This helps the club slide, even if it makes contact with the ground just short of the ball.
Your practice move gives you valuable feedback here. You want to hear a soft “thud” as the club clears the ground rather than a deep, aggressive rift.
If you are taking large parts, this may indicate a closed face or very weak shaft, both of which reduce loft and bounce. Use that test to make adjustments before you go into the shoot. It can save you strokes.
5. Move the low point forward
For low, chip shots, the club should still contact the ground but slightly ahead of the ball. Ideally, this occurs on the target side of the ball and is created by proper set-up, with your upper body positioned slightly forward.
If your practice swing shows the club hitting the ground too far into your stance, it’s a sign to adjust your setup by shifting your weight and center forward.
Again, this feedback allows you to make a correction before hitting the shot, leading to more consistent contact.
