Golf practice range training: the plan to improve in 60 minutes

What constitutes a good golf driving range practice session?

The driving range is your laboratory: you can practice, measure, and correct without affecting your scorecard. On the course, you manage the consequences; on the driving range, you build the causes. The classic trap is hitting balls "just for the sake of hitting balls": it's a good way to let off steam, but it doesn't provide any structure.

An effective practice session always follows the same four-step logic:

• You are working on a specific element (contact, distance, trajectory).
• you are measuring a numerical result
• You adjust only one parameter at a time
• you validate in course simulation

This is the approach we recommend to golfers of all levels who come to practice on the covered driving range at Golf du Belvédère.

Before hitting the first ball: choose your objective

A practice session without a goal is like a workout "just to sweat": you leave tired, but you do exactly the same thing the next time. The rule for good golf practice is simple: one measurable goal per session.

Three measurable objectives to choose from

• Dispersion: With 10 balls using a 7-iron, hit 6 balls within a corridor of X meters.
• Contact : to get 7 out of 10 balls hit in the center of the face, with the expected feel and trajectory.
• Wedges: between 30 and 75 meters, place 6 out of 10 balls at a "puttable" distance (2 putts maximum).

The 5-ball rule, versus autopilot

The brain loves to switch into autopilot mode as soon as it repeats a movement. To avoid repeating the same mistake thirty times in a row during a session, apply this simple rule:

1. Hit a maximum of 5 balls with the same setting.
2. Pause for 15 to 25 seconds.
3. Change just one element: the target, the club, the intended trajectory, or the routine.
4. Restart the series.

60-minute golf driving range training plan

Here is the framework we recommend for a complete and balanced session, suitable for both beginner and experienced golfers.

If you wish to structure this progression with the help of a professional, the private lessons from the Belvedere Golf School allow progress to be significantly accelerated.

Start with the short game and putting, before the driver

The urge to pull out the driver during warm-up is natural. However, if your goal is to lower your score, the most productive areas are within 100 meters of the green. Starting with the short game allows you to find your rhythm and immediately switch into "quality" mode.

Putting exercise #1: The confidence circle (3 minutes)

Place 6 balls around the hole, 1 meter away. The goal is to get at least 5 out of 6 in. If you get fewer, repeat the set before moving on to the next exercise.

Putting exercise #2: Distance control (4 minutes)

Play 3 putts from 5 meters, then 3 putts from 8 meters. The goal is to avoid 3-putting and to finish each shot within a 1-meter circle around the hole.

Chipping exercise: landing then rolling

Choose a specific landing zone, different from the flag. Out of 10 chips played, aim for at least 6 puttable balls in a single roll.

Wedges: the game that earns you points immediately

Wedges are the fastest shortcut to a better scorecard. Here, the goal is control and tempo, not a show of force.

The distance scale, a simple and powerful exercise

Choose three distances, for example 30, 50, and 70 meters, and play three balls at each distance (nine balls in total), using the same routine before each ball. The success criterion is to hit at least six out of nine balls within a "puttable" distance.

Full swing: finish with the irons, then move up to the long clubs

Once you've established a rhythm using the short game and wedges, you can work on the full swing. The goal isn't to hit the ball farther, but to produce more playable shots on the course.

A progression that prioritizes quality

• 6 balls with a medium iron (7 or 8)
• 6 balls with a long iron or hybrid
• 4 balls in the woods, weather permitting
• 4 balls with the driver, optional only

The "practice course" for immediate transfer

Instead of hitting 10 balls with the same club, simulate a complete hole: a tee shot to an imaginary fairway, an attack shot to a specific target, and then a finish shot with a wedge. Repeat this pattern over 2 or 3 imaginary holes: this will train your decision-making and routine, not just the swing.

Mental preparation, a pillar too often forgotten

Many golfers train regularly and yet still plateau, often because their routine differs between the driving range and the course. The goal: a decisive swing.

Routine before each move, simple version

1. Choose a specific target.
2. Visualize the trajectory for two seconds.
3. Perform a test swing to regain the feel.
4. Position yourself facing the ball.
5. Go for it, without renegotiating your decision.

Micro-ritual against dispersion

Every 10 balls or so, put down your club, take two deep breaths, take a sip of water, and reread your goal for the day. This mini-ritual prevents fatigue from gradually degrading the quality of your session.

This pre-shot routine is only valuable if you repeat it identically on the practice range and on the course. Many golfers change it depending on whether they are in competition, playing a friendly round, or practicing alone, which negates the very benefit they are seeking: the mental stability provided by a consistently identical preparatory movement, regardless of the actual stakes of the shot to be played.

What equipment do I need for a good workout?

A good workout doesn't require a full arsenal. The bare minimum is simple:

• a putter,
• a wedge, ideally a sand wedge
• a medium iron (7 or 8)
• a long, hybrid or wood club

The rest is a bonus. Only the session plan is truly mandatory.

How can you tell if your session was really good?

At the end of each session, simply note three things: the success rate on your main exercise (for example 6 balls out of 9), a key feeling retained ("slower tempo", "balanced finish"...) and a specific action to work on again during the next session.

This three-line notebook takes less than a minute to fill out, but it radically changes how you approach your next session: you arrive at the driving range with a goal inherited from your last visit, instead of starting from scratch each time. It's often this detail, more than a change in equipment or technique, that shifts a player from inconsistent progress to consistent improvement.

Common mistakes to avoid during golf practice.

Certain habits recur very regularly among amateur golfers and severely limit progress, even after several sessions per week. Identifying them allows for quick correction without changing one's entire training plan.

• emptying an entire bucket with the same club, without ever changing the target or the setting
• always start with the driver, even though the body isn't warmed up yet.
• neglecting the short game and putting, which nevertheless weigh most heavily on the scorecard
• correcting several technical flaws in the same session, instead of a single clear objective
• never transfer the sensations from the practice range to a course simulation

A session that avoids these five pitfalls generally progresses faster than a longer session that is spread over too many objectives at once.

Adapt your session according to the season and the weather

The logic of the 60-minute plan remains valid year-round, but its application varies depending on the season. In spring and summer, the long days allow for evening practice sessions followed by outings on the course, which facilitates the direct transfer of the skills practiced to real play.

In autumn and winter, it's best to focus your practice sessions on the short game and putting, two areas that can be effectively worked on even in 30 minutes and that have the biggest impact on your score. A covered driving range, like the one at Golf du Belvédère, allows you to maintain this consistency regardless of the weather, without being dependent on external conditions.

In any case, two short, targeted sessions each week are better than one marathon session followed by several weeks without hitting a ball: regularity always trumps volume in effective golf practice training.

The covered driving range at Golf du Belvédère in Annecy

Since the golf practice in Annecy At Golf du Belvédère, with its multi-level layout and 230-meter covered area, you can use this plan regardless of the season. Visual markers and distances facilitate structured practice sessions rather than impromptu ones.

To progress faster with an outside perspective, Julien and Adrien, instructors at the Belvédère Golf School, build an individualized plan based on your actual level and personal goals, from the complete beginner to the experienced player wishing to refine their dispersion.

Are you a beginner at golf? Our guide How to start playing golf in Annecy details the first steps on the course and at the practice range.