Training Your Skills

Training Your Skills

Training your skills allows you to work on the areas of your game that you need to improve to pass your current division. To help determine what you should be working on, we suggest keeping your stats while playing. 

Putting

WHAT IS THIS SKILL?
Skill required to hole the ball when you are training on the green using your putter.
HOW TO TRAIN THIS SKILL?

Equipment needed:

  • Putter
  • Golf balls

We recommend that you watch the Level 1 Putting and Green Reading Objective videos in the Op 36 Curriculum if you would like more help with training your putting skill.

WHERE TO TRAIN THIS SKILL?
To train your putting, most golf facilities have a practice putting green that you can use for free to work on your putting.
HOW IT HELPS YOUR GAME?
Putting is the only skill that you will use on almost every hole! It does not matter your overall golf skill level, anyone can be a good at putting. Putting consists of roughly 40% of all strokes you take during a round of golf. We highly recommend you spend time training your putting skill when you go out to practice, especially when first learning to play golf!  
SUGGESTIONS
  • Make sure you practice putts from different lengths trying to get the ball to stop beside the hole.
  • Work on your putts from within 4 feet. They may seem easy, but they can be tricky and can really help you improve your putting.
  • Work with your coach on your green reading skills. Knowing how the putt is going to move after you hit it will greatly improve your putting.

Chipping

WHAT IS THIS SKILL?
Finesse skill when you are just off the green, and the ball rolls more than it is in the air.
HOW TO TRAIN THIS SKILL?

Equipment needed:

  • A wedge (we recommend starting with your pitching wedge, which is the club with P on the bottom of it)
  • Golf balls

We recommend that you watch the Level 1 Ball Flight Objective video in the Op 36 Curriculum if you would like more help with training your chipping skill.

WHERE TO TRAIN THIS SKILL?
Depending on the facility that you are at, you can train your chipping at the putting green or a designated short-game practice area. Some facilities do not allow you to practice chipping on the putting green and may have signs letting you know of this policy. If you are not sure where to practice, you can always ask one of the staff members!
HOW IT HELPS YOUR GAME?
When you hit a shot close to the green, you will need to hit a chip shot to get the ball on the green. By working on your chipping skill, you can hit the ball closer to the hole so you will only one-putt after.
SUGGESTIONS
  • Practice shots from the fairway and rough.
  • If you are able to, we recommend combining your chipping and putting practice so you can work on getting the ball into the hole in the fewest shots possible.
  • After getting comfortable with using one club, try different clubs to find out which one you do the best with.

Pitch Shots (10-30 Yards)

WHAT IS THIS SKILL?
Shots typically within 50 yards of the green where the ball travels in the air more than it rolls.
HOW TO TRAIN THIS SKILL?

Equipment needed:

  • A wedge (we recommend starting with your pitching wedge, the club with P on the bottom, or sand wedge, the club with S or 56 on the bottom)
  • Golf balls

We recommend that you watch the Level 1 Ball Flight Objective video in the Op 36 Curriculum if you would like more help with training your pitch shots skill.

WHERE TO TRAIN THIS SKILL?
Similar to chipping, you can train your pitch shots (10-30 yards) at the putting green or a designated short-game practice area. We recommend following the same guidelines for pitch shots as chipping if you are not sure where you are able to train this skill.
HOW IT HELPS YOUR GAME?
Similar to chipping, when you hit a shot that is close to the green but is a little farther away (where the ball needs to be in the air longer), you will need to hit a pitch shot to get the ball on the green. By working on your pitch shot skill, you can hit the ball closer to the hole so you will only one-putt after.
SUGGESTIONS
  • Practice shots from the fairway and rough.
  • If you are able to, we recommend combining your pitch shots and putting practice so you can work on getting the ball into the hole in the fewest shots possible.
  • After getting comfortable with using one club, try different clubs to find out which one you do the best with.

Wedges (30+ Yards)

WHAT IS THIS SKILL?
Full swing shots using wedges.
HOW TO TRAIN THIS SKILL?

Equipment needed:

  • Any of your wedges (inlcudes pitching wedge, sand wedge, and lob wedge)
  • Golf balls

We recommend that you watch the Level 1 Power and Ball Flight Objective videos in the Op 36 Curriculum if you would like more help with training your wedges skill.

WHERE TO TRAIN THIS SKILL?
Depending on the facility that you are at, you can train this skill at a designated short-game area or at the driving range.
HOW IT HELPS YOUR GAME?
Working on your wedge skills will be helpful for every round of golf you play. As you progress through the Op 36 Divisions, you will use your wedge skills in almost every round. Working on this skill will help you get the golf ball on the green on your first shot. This will help you shoot better scores. 
SUGGESTIONS
  • Practice from different yardages and different clubs from those yardages to figure out which one you hit the best.
  • Practice from the fairway and the rough.
  • Practice from the yardages that you are most often hitting from when playing on the golf course.

Full Swing Irons

WHAT IS THIS SKILL?
Full swing shots off the turf using irons.
HOW TO TRAIN THIS SKILL?

Equipment needed:

  • Your irons
  • Driving range balls

We recommend that you watch the Level 1 Power, Grip, Alignment, and Posture Objective videos in the Op 36 Curriculum if you would like more help with training your full swing irons skill.

WHERE TO TRAIN THIS SKILL?
To work on your full swing irons, you will train this skill at the driving range.
HOW IT HELPS YOUR GAME?
As you progress through the Op 36 Divisions, you will need to use your full swing irons on almost every hole. By improving this skill, you will be able to hit a green in regulation and have a chance to make a birdie! 
SUGGESTIONS
  • Practice with all of your irons and don't just use the one that you hit the best.
  • Change where you are trying to hit the shot and the club you are using after a few shots.
  • Work with your coach to improve your swing.

Full Swing Woods

WHAT IS THIS SKILL?
Full swing golf shots with woods off the turf or driver off a tee
HOW TO TRAIN THIS SKILL?

Equipment needed:

  • Your driver and woods
  • Tees
  • Driving range balls

We recommend that you watch the Level 1 Power, Grip, Alignment, and Posture Objective videos in the Op 36 Curriculum if you would like more help with training your full swing woods skill.

WHERE TO TRAIN THIS SKILL?
To work on your full swing woods, you will train this skill at the driving range.
HOW IT HELPS YOUR GAME?
Even though you most likely won't need to use your full swing woods when you first start out, this is a very important skill. Once you get far back enough in the Op 36 Divisions, you will tee off on most holes with a wood. By improving this skill, you will be able to start each hole in a great position, giving you a chance to make a par or better!
SUGGESTIONS
  • Create a fairway for yourself on the driving range when practicing.
  • Make sure your driver is fit for you.
  • Work with your coach to improve your swing.

On-Course Play Simulation

WHAT IS THIS SKILL?
Practicing on the course without recording a 9 or 18-hole score.
HOW TO TRAIN THIS SKILL?

Equipment needed:

  • Your entire golf bag
  • Golf balls

We recommend that you watch the Level 1 Performance Objective video in the Op 36 Curriculum to see how to start practicing from Division 1 on the golf course.

WHERE TO TRAIN THIS SKILL?
On the golf course.
HOW IT HELPS YOUR GAME?
There is nothing quite like practicing the real thing! On-course simulation gives you the chance to work on your game without worrying about posting a score. This allows you to work on the shots that you will need to hit when you do want to play a round where you keep score.
SUGGESTIONS
  • Do not worry about your score. Focus on working on your game and the skills that you have been training.
  • If you are going to practice on the course, we recommend only doing this when the course is not busy.
  • Keep your stats still to see if you are improving in the areas that you have been training.

Bunkers

WHAT IS THIS SKILL?
Shots out of greenside and fairway bunkers
HOW TO TRAIN THIS SKILL?

Equipment needed:

  • Your sand wedge or lob wedge for greenside bunkers
    • A sand wedge will either have an S or 56 on the bottom
    • A lob wedge will have either an L or 60 on the bottom
    • If you do not have either a sand or lob wedge, you can use your pitching wedge
  • Any of your irons if you are practicing fairway bunker shots
  • Golf balls
WHERE TO TRAIN THIS SKILL?
If your facility has a designated short-game area, they will usually have bunkers that you can train this skill in. 
HOW IT HELPS YOUR GAME?
Whether you hit your ball into a bunker on the fairway or by the green, you will want to get your next shot out of that bunker on your first try. Working on your bunker skill will help you achieve this!
SUGGESTIONS
  • Work on getting the ball out of the bunker first and foremost.
  • On greenside bunker shots, you want to hit the sand and let that carry the golf ball out.
  • On fairway bunker shots, you want to hit the golf ball first and try to only barely touch the sand with your club.

FAQ

Below are some of the most common questions we get asked about training your skills! 

How long should I train?

We recommend that you train for at least 10 mins if you want your training session to count. When first getting started it is more important to train multiple times per week than for just one long period of time.

How often should I train?

How much you should train depends on how much you want to improve along with how much time you have to train. Overall, we recommend training at least once a week. If you would like to improve faster, than we recommend training at least 2-3 times per week. As stated above, you will improve much faster if you train multiple times a week compared to just once a week, even if your overall time trained is the same.

What can I do to get better?

To get better, you need to participate in all 3 pillars of Operation 36. These include training your skills, playing golf, and learning by going to your weekly classes or private lessons.

Should I log when I train in the app?

Yes! This will allow you and your coach to keep track of your training sessions. You can also see how much you have trained each skill within the app. This helps you ensure that you are practicing all of your skills equally!

Where can I go to train my skills?

This depends on whether you are a member of a golf course. If you are a member at a facility, then you can most likely go practice at that facility. If you're not sure, we recommend calling your club to confirm with them. If you are not a member of a golf course, don't worry - there are plenty of options. There are driving ranges and golf courses that are open to the public. You can usually do a quick Google search to find one near you. If you are not sure whether a facility is open to the public or not, we recommend calling them to ask.

The Types of Training

There are two types of practice that you can incorporate into your training. Both types of practice serve a purpose for improving at golf but are used for different reasons. Read more below to learn how to use both types of practice to accelerate your improvement!

Block Practice

WHAT IS BLOCK PRACTICE?
A traditional approach to practice that involves getting a high number of reps repeating the exact same movement over and over and over again (hitting 10 putts from the same spot).
WHEN TO USE THIS KIND OF PRACTICE
Block practice is most effective when you are first learning a new skill or working on your technique.

Random Practice

WHAT IS RANDOM PRACTICE?
A practice approach that randomizes reps – you never do the exact same thing twice (hitting 10 putts from different spots on the green).
WHEN TO USE THIS KIND OF PRACTICE
Random practice is most effective when you are trying to get your skills to transfer over to the golf course. Just like when playing golf, random practice involves creating a training environment that allows you to mimic the ever-changing nature of playing golf on the course.