Where I live we are blessed with almost year round sunshine and golf courses with superb practice facilities that not only offer the ideal area to improve your game but a chance to do so with a group of friends.
Yet, like many golf courses across the world and driving ranges they are becoming more and more underused and highly undervalued by the members and visitor that should be using them.
I am often surprised by this because if you take your time to listen to groups coming off the course, sat on the terrace enjoying a much needed beer, the reference to game is usually quite negative.
So why the reluctance to use the facilities that are staring them in the face?
My previous director posed this question and I responded that truly I didn´t know, so I did the only thing that I thought may yield some answers; go and ask the people that used the facilities why they use them and what would need to be changed for the m to use them more often.
Apart from the odd “I am too busy” or “the wife won´t let me” excuses, the remaining answers, were to be honest exactly the reason why I would travel 30 miles to a particular driving range.
Driving ranges (and practice facilities) are boring.
It is true.
They are generally flat areas of land with a few flags and maybe some “not always accurate” distance markers which offer little in the way of “fun”.
I quickly got some ideas and I began to implement in my group coaching sessions, creating a more dynamic and diverse practice ground.
One of my favorite sessions with the kids was when I got hold of a load of old plates and dishes from a local charity shop.
Placing the old ceramics on the practice ground gave the lesson a sense of fun and although we were focused on destroying the plates, the amount of learning was incredible.
The kids loved it.
The parents loved watching it and the parents that played golf wanted to try it.
Suffice to say it has become a stalwart of my group clinics, with all ages truly having a great time.
This simple task got my mind working and with very little outlay a golf course can truly make a practice ground something to be proud of.
Dye the grass a different color to create mini greens, add in a small pond for people to aim at, great feedback for the golfer.
But above all make the task of practicing fun and something that people want to do.
We spent some money and the results were incredible, the practice ground was full all day every day.
If you are looking to improve your game, look for the practice ground with the most diversity and targets. You need to involve your inner child and get the fun back into your practice sessions.
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