The answer to this question is actually YES!!. The reason being is that after 31 years of playing golf I realised that just quantity of practice doesn't necessarily equate to more success. I have found this to be so true in golf unlike any other sport. For eg, generally in sports like football or basketball, you can generally work out the majority of technique required. However in golf, as I experienced when I was younger, just because you hit more balls doesn't mean you will get better. In fact the more you hit balls without the right technique, the more you condition bad habits and actually feel like you're going backwards on occasion.
What you ideally want to do is learn the technique early by seeing a coach and also through your own discovery of watching Tour Players in person or T.V. What you will discover when you regularly see a coach is that you will get better thus giving you more enjoyment and often not having to hit as many balls in the process.
Getting back to what I would do. Firstly I would have seen a coach more regularly and really learnt and understood the technique when I was young. Instead of then just hitting balls nearly every day, I instead would have hit 3 buckets of balls per week (small or large) and I would have done 20-30 mins mirror drills on three other days of the week. Doing mirror drills can seem mentally exhausting but are very powerful in creating the right sensations for your desired technique.
Try this prescription next time you're looking to improve in golf: Try 2 buckets of balls per week and then 10-15 mins of mirror drills at least twice a week. Also check in with a golf coach every week to a fortnight along with playing competition or social games, once a week. If you're able to be consistent with this method, you will in fact improve faster than if you were trying to 'beat' excessive balls on the range.
If you'd like any further help on expanding your knowledge on improving your game, just book in for a lesson.
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