One common mistake that all golfers make when practicing is to practice from the same spot at the driving range or practice fairway hitting to the same target with the same club…every single session.
Let me ask a question. Does this at all resemble the game of golf? Absolutely not. Unless you have a fresh air shot, the lie, the distance and the conditions change from shot to shot.
So golfers the world over spend their time trying to perfect the unattainable dream of a perfect golf swing that changes from shot to shot anyway. Therefore the practice you do, needs to closely resemble the way a game of golf is played. Approximately 14 times per round the driver would be used. Except when putting, the same club is rarely used twice in a row. The ball is on different types of grass from shot to shot. The ball is on a different slope every shot once it is teed off. The ball can be above the feet, below the feet, uphill lies and downhill lies. Combinations of all the above, for example an uphill right to left lie. The game is invariably played in all types of conditions, different temperatures, rain and different strengths of wind blowing in different directions.
So the practice and preparation required for golf is far more specific than the way that most people go about it. I bet you are already guilty of hitting 50 drivers at the driving range with no target in mind and no penalty for a missed shot? Don’t feel bad, you and 98% of golfers practice like this. So you are not giving anything away. If you really want to improve then you need to practice in a far more effective way and use the motto “Every Shot Has A Purpose.” You see, anything can happen in a round of golf. You can play from some pretty amazing but difficult places on the course. So as the title says, prepare for anything.