Say what you want about Bryson DeChambeau but he offers more actionable advice and insight than any other professional golfer.
This video where Bryson gives a 14-year-old golfer a lesson is one of my favorites. It offers some harsh realities about what it takes to get good at golf but if you’re anything like me, it will make you want to head to the range and work on your game with a new outlook.
A little background
Most amateur golfers don’t know how to practice. Bryson admits he would spend eight hours practicing with little to no direction when he was a junior. He wasn’t making much measurable progress and that’s when he transformed his practice to make it more efficient, measurable and, ultimately, effective.
It’s not about the one good shot (You have to repeat it)
Yes, the one good shot feels great but if you can’t repeat it, what’s the point? If you want to take your game to the next level, you’ll have to be able to hit the same type of shot five times in a row.
It’s a lot harder than you think.
(Timestamp: 1:44 – 2:58)
Your practice should look like a round of golf
Does your practice at the range look anything like a round of golf?
For most amateur golfers, the answer is no. You might hit a handful of 7-irons in a row with no target in mind but that’s not preparing yourself for a round of golf.
One of Bryson’s best tips is to start making your practice session look more like a round of golf.
Create imaginary fairways using landmarks.
Bring your rangefinder with you and zero in on targets. Don’t estimate.
Take things like wind, slope and grass into account. Make the shots count.
(Timestamp: 3:46 – 4:56)
Pressure isn’t an excuse
Bryson is coaching a high-level junior player but regardless of skill level, we all struggle with pressure. We all know the feeling when you have your best round going or you are finally going to beat your golf nemesis and you have to play just one more good hole to finish the job.
If you can’t execute under pressure when practicing, you won’t do it under real pressure. Make sure your practice sessions have pressure built in. Put something on the line like keeping a streak alive. From there, learn what helps you to execute under pressure. Is it a certain shot shape? Is it a certain swing thought? Discover what works.
(Timestamp: 10:49 – 12:00)
Find your key to consistency
This is one of my favorite parts of the video because I think it’s a piece of the game that separates the good players from the great players. You can listen to swing coaches and golf experts about what you should think or feel to hit consistent shots but, in the end, you have to find your personal consistency cue.
In the video, the junior golfer recognizes that “low left hands” help him hit a cut shot. Once he did this, he was able to repeat the shot. You’ll find these consistency cues through proper practice on the range.
(Timestamp: 11:21 – 12:28)
Stop playing and start training
Playing golf is fun but playing great golf is even more fun. Yes, playing on the course and participating in real challenges and course management is important. Still, Bryson believes high-pressure training on the range is the most effective way to improve your skillset for long-term development.
It’s hard to disagree with a golfer who has had this much success and is willing to share how he’s made it there.
Bryson believes the formula is:
Learn your stock shot.
Make it repeatable under pressure.
Create game-like scenarios in practice.
Benchmark your consistency.
(Timestamp: 13:02 – 13:59)
Final thoughts
Now comes the real test. Ask yourself if you can hit five controlled cut shots in a row. They don’t have to be perfect but they need to be repeatable.
According to Bryson, If you can do that, your game is in great shape. If you can only do two or three before missing, you have some work to do.
Bryson’s lesson may have been for a junior golfer but the principles apply to anyone serious about improvement.
If you want to actually get better, don’t just practice for low scores—train for them.
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