When I’m not out on the road competing, I’m at home in Orlando, Florida practicing and training with my instructors and on my own. People are always asking me what my practice regimen consists of, so I thought I would share the program that Kevin Smeltz and David Leadbetter put together for me a few years back. We stick to it to this day. I would recommend that any competitive junior, college, or aspiring professional golfer follow it as well. There is a great deal of hard work, discipline, and commitment that goes into getting to the PGA Tour, but I am so lucky and grateful to be doing what I love. It doesn’t feel like “work” to me. I enjoy it.
Here’s what an “off week” of practice looks like for me. Read carefully. Each day may look the same, but they are actually very different and detailed.
MONDAY
-1.5 hours full swing
-45 min doing drills
-45 min hitting shots using all clubs – go through the entire bag
-1.5 hours short game
-45 minutes putting (technique practice – drills, posture, alignment, speed)
-45 minutes chipping (feel and touch drills – land balls on specific spot, same shot / different clubs, different shots with same club, etc)
LUNCH
-1.5 hours full swing
-40 minutes technique
-40 minutes shaping shots (low hook, mid draw, high draw, low cut, mid fade, high fade, knock down, etc using all clubs)
-10 minutes pre-shot routine
-1.5 hours short game
-45 minutes pitching (focus on distance control)
-45 minutes bunker (focus on distance control)
-Possibly play 9 holes
TUESDAY
-1.5 hours full swing
-45 minutes technique (drills)
-45 minutes shaping shots and hitting to specific targets, all clubs
-1.5 hours short game
-45 minutes pitching (technique)
-30 minutes up and downs (chipping and putting with one ball)
-15 minutes bunker (distance control)
LUNCH
-Play 18 holes
WEDNESDAY
1.5 hours full swing
-45 minutes technique (drills)
-35 minutes shaping shots (low hook, mid draw, high draw, low cut, mid fade, high fade, knock down, etc using all clubs)
-10 minutes pre-shot routine
-1.5 hours short game
-45 minutes bunker technique
-45 minutes putting (bungie cord around arms, putting arc, ladder drill – putt to target then each ball has to finish short of the previous ball and see how many balls you can get within a certain area. Putt with eyes closed, putt looking at the hole, etc)
LUNCH
-1.5 hours full swing
-40 minutes technique (drills)
-40 minutes fairway bunker shots
-10 minutes pre-shot routine
-Possibly play 9 holes
THURSDAY
-1.5 hours full swing
-45 minutes technique (drills)
-45 minutes playing golf course on range (hit driver, then iron, etc. for any course you know)
-1.5 hours short game
-30 minutes chipping technique
-20 minutes bunker
-20 minutes pitching
-20 minutes putting
LUNCH
-Play 18 holes
FRIDAY
1.5 hours full swing
-45 minutes technique (drills)
-45 minutes side hill lies (ball above feet, ball below feet, uphill lie, downhill lie)
-1.5 hours short game
-1 hour up and down from everywhere (bunkers, buried lies, out of deep rough, out of divots, behind trees, etc.)
-30 minutes putting
-15 minutes technique
-15 minutes putting looking at hole or eyes closed
LUNCH
Play 9 holes (with only 4 clubs or 2 ball worst ball)
SATURDAY
-1.5 hours full swing
-45 minutes technique (drills)
-45 minutes practicing whatever shots you had trouble with for the week
-1.5 hours short game
-10 minutes putting (distance control)
-10 minutes chipping (distance control)
-10 minutes pitching (distance control)
-10 minutes bunker (distance control)
-50 minutes practicing weakest point for the week
LUNCH
Play 18 holes
Tags: canadian tour, gateway tour, Golf, golf drills, golf instruction, golf pro, golf tips, hooters tour, John Raser, mini tour, nationwide tour, pga tour, practice routine, pre shot routine, professional golf, regimen, tar heel tour
