Golf can be an addicting game.
Many of us want to play golf more often and improve our game.
Unfortunately, there are some limiting factors to playing or practicing as often as we would like:
- Time is often limited
- Money is often limited
- Access to a golf course or driving range can be limited
So how can a golfer overcome these barriers and still seek game improvement and enjoy the game of golf within the constraints of some of these limits?
One way to is find alternative ways to practice without going to the range of the golf course.
How To Practice Golf Without Going To The Range?
- Buy and build a golf simulator
- Find a big open field
- Buy a hitting mat and a net
- Master your short game around your yard
- Build a putting green
- Train for speed
- Use video or mirror work to improve swing mechanics
- Practice visualization and study the mental game
- Practice short game in your house
Option #1: Buy and build a golf simulator
If money is not a major limiting factor, yet time or access to year round golf is, a golf simulator is a wonderful option. I made this purchase over 5 years ago now and have seen significant game improvement from playing simulator golf in my garage.
Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently. About three years ago, I made the leap and invested in a golf simulator build for my garage. I went with a SkyTrak Launch Monitor and the TGC software and can now play over 100,000 courses including Augusta, Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black, Whistling Straits. St. Andrews and many other of the top 100 courses in the world.
This golf simulator setup, which is more affordable that you might imagine, has been a game changer. I can now play golf everyday of the year regardless of rain, snow, cold weather or time of day. I can practice or play rounds of golf. I can stand in the 11th fairway at Augusta and with the auto-rewind feature I am able to practice my approach shots from various differences.
It is worth checking out through Rain or Shine Golf as they offer some incredible packages along with financing offers that are difficult to beat.
Some direct links to Rain or Shine Golf for pricing and financing:
Option #2: Find a big open field
If you have a shag bag full of golf balls and an open field or park where you have permission to hit golf balls, you can really dial in your wedge or iron game and master this part of the game. This is a cheap option that allows you to improve your game and practice without a driving range. It will come down to the area that you live in and what access to open fields you might have.
Option #3: Buy a hitting mat and a net
While not everyone will have the budget to build a golf simulator, another quality option is a simple hitting mat and net that you can set up in your backyard, garage or somewhere else on your property. You can hit shot after shot and really get better at your ball striking.
One of they key fundamentals in golf is controlling the low point in your swing. Through the mat and net setup you can hit thousands of golf balls over a winter or even during the season and watch your ball striking improve!
Does hitting into a golf mat help?
Option #4: Master your short game around your yard
Most of us have enough room to hit some simple chip or pitch shots around the yard. Become the master with the wedge in your hand and watch your score improve drastically. Most amateur golfers are going to miss 9 or more greens in regulation on a typical 18 hole round.
When you can hit quality chip and pitch shots your score will improve. The only clubs you might use more than hitting your lob wedge around the green are the driver and the putter.
Chipping with a lob wedge (5 Tips)
Option #5: Build a putting green
Could you imagine a real or synthetic putting green on your property? Talk about a great opportunity to master your putting stroke and those simple chip shots. If you want to get really good at golf, you must become really good at one or more parts of the game. While this might be an expensive option, it is a great option for overall game improvement!
Option #6: Train for speed
The game of golf has evolved to where speed is important in the game of golf. The faster your swing, the further the ball flies and the more shorter irons or wedges you have into a green.
Training for speed is a great idea and one worth exploring!
If you are going to train for speed, I would highly recommend the SuperSpeed Training System.
Gone are the days of simply being content with the distance you currently hit your golf ball. Many older golfers have proven over the past several years that an increase in swing speed is possible.
There are training systems to help you get your game to the next level and distance is arguably the fastest way to make this happen!
My number one recommendation is to check out SuperSpeed Golf and their protocols to help you find a safe way to increase your swing speed.
I spent many years wondering how I can increase my swing speed. When I was playing junior golf, we weren’t fortunate enough to have some of the training aids and knowledge that is now available. Smart people have studied the golf swing and have created training aids and protocols to help all golfers increase their distance!
At around the same time, the statistics from the PGA Tour have become more clear and the importance of speed is acknowledged by many to be a key to being the best on the PGA Tour.
Within the past several years, there have been several products hit the market to make speed gains possible. While many people for many years waited for the latest driver to come out to gain an additional 5-10 yards, you can now do this even with your current clubs.
Did you know that with the SuperSpeed Training System you can gain 5-8% increase in swing speed as early as the first training session? This would allow you to gain somewhere between 10 and 30 yards depending on your current swing speed.
The SuperSpeed Training System is based on three different swing speed sticks all weighing at different weights. There is a green club that is 10% lighter than the average driver, the blue club which is 5% lighter and the red club which is actually 5% heavier!
Following their prescribed protocols the golfer completes the training every other day. The total time to complete most of their protocols is between 10-15 minutes. Most people can find the time to make this happen. The golfer will also need a swing radar to measure their progress.
The science behind the SuperSpeed Training System is based on overspeed training. Overspeed training has been around for several decades now and has been used by olympic athletics in the sport of Track and Field.
The science behind this overspeed training is based on the premise that your brain will only allow your body to move as fast as it feels it can stop safely! So, you get to work and swing the clubs as fast as possible, retraining your brain to allow you to swing your driver faster.
For more permanent results, the golfer should continue these training protocols for several months. The initial 5-8% is great and can become more permanent with the right length of training. The golfer can expect to continue to break down barriers every several months at a 1-2% increase.
I have no power in my swing! Help!
My own experience has been an increase of 7-10 miles per hour on average from between 98-101 all the way up to 106-109. My goal is to hit the PGA Tour average of 113 mph in the coming months. I will continue to train every other day and watch in amazement as I am hitting drivers longer now than ever before!
Phil Mickelson (a senior golfer now) has been known to increase his swing speed in the past year or so and is close to 120 miles per hour in his swing speed. There are potential results for golfers of all ability levels and age!
Check the current price on SuperSpeed Golf System, here!
| Original Swing Speed | After 4-6 Weeks | New Carry Distance | Total Distance |
| 95 | 102 | 245 | 265 |
| 100 | 108 | 259 | 279 |
| 105 | 113 | 271 | 291 |
| 110 | 118 | 283 | 303 |
Option #7: Use video or mirror work to improve swing mechanics
The golf swing can be complicated. I would recommend finding one instructor and follow his or her swing method and really try to master that approach. One way to make these swings adjustments and improvements is through mirror work or using your smartphone to capture your swing on video.
Many instructors will give video lessons where you record your swing and send it to them for feedback. They will often give you 1-3 drills to utilize to make these improvements!
Option #8: Practice visualization and study the mental game
I truly believe that a target based approach where the golfer utilizes visualization to create and hit the shot they need is vital to the overall success of a golfer. Dial in and read up on the best mental game approaches and learn to use visualization techniques to play your best golf in the next golf season!
Option #9: Practice short game in your house
Ping pong balls or golf wiffle balls are great options to chip around your house. Plus a simple putting mat or using the right carpet in your house and you can really perfect that putting stroke to make more 5-10 footers in the next golf season!
Are wiffle balls good for practice?
Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better
What does this mean for you? I believe in the following recipe to get better:
1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor. Here are some options:
Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:
2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed. Here are some options:
Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:
3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier. Here is a series on breaking through:
We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.
4 – Practice Frequently
Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system? It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions:
- Is a Golf Simulator Worth It?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator?
- What is the Best Golf Simulator?
- Golf Simulator Accessories?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for under $7000
- Top 11 Reasons to Buy a SkyTrak
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for Under $1000
- Why Build A Golf Simulator?
- What Space is Needed?
- Can A Golf Simulator Improve My Game?
- How Much Does A Golf Simulator Cost?
- Don’t Forget to Check out our 15 best golf swings of all time.