Block Practice

As we ring in the new year we find ourselves in the midst of the off-season here in the Northeast. With the relatively mild weather that means not much golf, if any, is being played and there is time to make improvements to old patterns.  As the saying goes, old habits die hard, which means that a consistent concerted effort is required to make a change that will ultimately hold up under pressure.
An integral part of the improvement process is to incorporate block practice into the daily practice plan.  What is block practice?  It is taking a specific skill or fundamental that you would like to improve and staying focused on it for a sustained period of time.  The reasoning is that as you continue through reps you are increasing awareness and, if you continue to ask why, will grow a deeper understanding of cause and effect.  One sustained period of practice with a singular focus can have a dramatic impact on the trajectory of your improvement.
Of course, the first step is to identify the areas that need improvement and then create a plan to work on those areas.  With the new year and perhaps a renewed sense of energy to start preparing for the 2020 season, list out the areas that you want to improve and carve out blocks of time to work on them.  It is important to be specific and to come up with how you will go about making those changes.  Utilizing the help of a coach can be very beneficial as you look for better forms of practice and feedback along the way.