How to Practice on the Golf Course

Hitting a perfectly straight shot on a flat driving range mat is one thing, doing it on the course from an awkward sidehill lie while staring at a water hazard is another entirely. If you want to lower your handicap, you have to practice where you play. This guide will walk you through exactly how to shift your focus from simply playing a round to having a truly productive on-course practice session that skyrockets your improvement.

Why On-Course Practice Is Non-Negotiable

The driving range is fantastic for one thing: building and grooving the mechanics of your golf swing. It offers a controlled environment where you can hit dozens of balls in a short time, focusing on elements like grip, setup, backswing, and impact. It’s like a lab for your swing. But golf isn't played in a lab.

On-course practice is where you learn how to play golf. It’s where you take the swing you’ve been honing and apply it to the messy, unpredictable reality of a golf course. On the course, you’ll face:

• Uneven Lies: The ball is almost never perfectly level with your feet. You'll have uphill, downhill, and sidehill lies that alter your stance, balance, and swing path. The range doesn’t prepare you for this.
• Variable Conditions: You’ll have to hit from thick rough, wispy fescue, fairway bunkers, and hardpan. Each surface requires a different technique and swing adjustment that you can only learn through experience.
• Course Management: Shooting low scores is less about hitting perfect shots and more about making smart decisions. Where do you aim on your tee shot? What's the "safe" miss? When should you be aggressive versus when should you play a simple layup? These are strategic skills honed on the course, not the range.
• The Mental Game: Practicing on the course introduces a level of consequence that the range lacks. You have to live with the result of a bad shot and figure out how to recover, sharpening your focus and building mental resilience.

Simply put, range practice makes you a better ball-striker. On-course practice makes you a better golfer.

Your On-Course Practice Mindset: Let Go of Score

Before you even step on the first tee, you need to make a mental shift. A practice round is not about shooting your personal best. In fact, if you’re doing it right, your score will likely be higher than usual, and that's perfectly okay. Toss the scorecard out (mentally or literally). Your only goal is to work on specific aspects of your game.

Three Rules for an Effective Practice Session:

1. Set a Specific Goal: Don't just go out and "practice." Go out with a mission. "Today, I’m only focused on my wedge shots from 50 to 100 yards," or "My goal for this round is to get up-and-down from greenside rough at least three times." A clear goal provides structure and purpose.
2. Bring Extra Balls: You're going to be hitting multiple shots. A lot of them. Don't be afraid to drop a second, third, or even fourth ball from a tricky spot to practice the same shot until you feel comfortable with it.
3. Play When the Course is Empty: The best time for on-course practice is during quiet times, like late afternoons or twilight. This allows you to take your time, hit extra shots, and not feel rushed by other groups. Always be respectful and let faster groups play through.

Actionable Drills for the Course

Now for the fun part. Here are some of the most effective drills you can do to turn a "round" into a powerful practice session. Choose one or two to focus on per session.

1. The "Play It Two Ways" Drill for Course Management

This drill trains you to think strategically instead of just grabbing your driver on every hole.

How it works:

• On a par-4 or par-5 tee box, hit two tee shots.
• Play the first one aggressively - probably with your driver - taking the most direct line to the hole.
• Play the second one conservatively - perhaps with a 3-wood or hybrid - aiming for the widest part of the fairway and taking major hazards out of play.
• Play both balls out and see which one results in a lower score. You’ll be surprised how often the "safe" play leads to an easier approach shot and a better score.

This teaches you to see the course through the eyes of a tactician, weighing risk vs. reward on every shot.

2. Play a "Worst Ball" Scramble

If you really want to pressure-test your game and force yourself to hit difficult recovery shots, this drill is for you. It builds tremendous character and creativity.

How it works:

• From every position, hit two balls.
• Assess the results. Did one find the fairway and the other land in a bunker? Is one just off the green and the other in deep rough?
• You must play your next shot from the location of the worst ball.
• Continue doing this for the entire hole.

This drill systematically puts you in uncomfortable positions. You’ll be forced to practice punch-outs from the trees, long bunker shots, and sketchy lies in the rough. When you face these situations in a real round, you’ll be much better prepared.

3. Focused Practice: The "Game Within the Game" Approach

Instead of playing a normal round, dedicate your practice session to one isolated part of your game. This is incredibly efficient for targeting your specific weaknesses.

Short Game Session:

Walk the course but don't focus on your score from tee-to-green. Instead, when you get to about 30-40 yards from each green, drop 3-4 balls in different spots - one in the rough, one in a bunker (if available), one on the fairway. Your only goal is to get all of those balls up and down. You’ll get more realistic short-game practice in 9 holes than most people get in a month.

Wedge Session (100 Yards & In):

This is where scoring happens. Play your tee shot normally. Once the ball lands, pace off or use a rangefinder to find a spot that is 100 yards, 80 yards, or 60 yards from the hole. Pick up your ball, drop it there, and play it out. Hit a couple of extra shots from that spot, focusing on distance control with your wedges. This repetition from key scoring distances builds incredible confidence.

4. The "One Ball Only" Pressure Drill

This drill helps simulate the mental pressure of a tournament round.

How it works:

• You only play one ball for the entire round.
• No mulligans. No re-hits.
• You must go through your full pre-shot routine for every single shot, from a 3-foot putt to a tee shot.
• You must play the ball from whatever lie you get - deep divot, behind a tree, awkward stance. No improving your lie.

This forces you to concentrate, commit to your decisions, and deal with the consequences. It’s the ultimate test of playing "real golf" and helps you identify how your game (and your mind) holds up under pressure.

Putting Together a 9-Hole Practice Plan

Feeling overwhelmed? Here’s a simple structure you can use for your next on-course practice session:

• Holes 1-3: Course Management. Use the "Play It Two Ways" drill on at least two of these holes. Analyze which strategy puts you in a better position to score.
• Holes 4-6: Short Game Mastery. When you get near the green, stop keeping score from tee-to-green. Instead, drop 3-5 balls in challenging spots around the putting surface and see how many you can get up-and-down. Focus on shot selection: chip, pitch, or even putt from off the green?
• Holes 7-9: Pressure Simulation. Switch to the "One Ball Only" drill. Put everything together. Go through your complete routine and play seriously, focusing on committing to every shot. Note how you react mentally to both good and bad shots.

Moving your practice from the sterile environment of the driving range to the dynamic challenges of the course is the single best way to learn how to score. It changes your perspective from just hitting the ball to actually playing the game.

Final Thoughts

Transforming your on-course time from casual play to structured practice is the fastest way to get unstuck and start shooting lower scores. By focusing on simulating real game challenges, working on course management, and pressure-testing your skills, you stop hoping to get better and start actively building a more resilient, smarter, and more consistent golf game.

Understanding course strategy and navigating tricky situations is a huge part of this process. With our app, Caddie AI, you can get instant, expert-level advice right on the course. Whether you need a smart game plan for a visually intimidating hole or you’re stuck in a tough lie and not sure how to play a recovery shot - you can even snap a photo of your ball's lie to get a clear recommendation - we give you the strategic information you need so you can play with more confidence and make smarter decisions.