The Problem: "Block Practice" (hitting the same shot repeatedly) builds false confidence that disappears under pressure.

The Science: A 2017 study proves that while random practice feels harder in the moment, it leads to significantly higher retention and skill transfer.

The Fix: Adopt a "randomized" routine where you never hit the same shot twice (with one major exception).

No matter how long you have been playing or what your handicap is, every single golfer eventually asks the same question: "What is the fastest way for me to actually get better at golf?".

The answer seems logical, almost seductive in its simplicity. You go all in. You obsess. You read every forum, watch every Instagram reel, hire a coach, and treat golf like a second job. You assume that if you just hit enough balls—if you just work harder than everyone else—the scores will drop.

But there is a problem with this route. You will pay a steep price for it. You will build a beautiful practice swing that looks elite on the driving range but completely falls apart the moment you step onto the first tee.

This isn’t just a theory. It is the story of my own golf career.

The "Hardest Worker" Fallacy

In college, I was struggling. I was a "generationally bad" driver of the golf ball. I didn’t know how to fix it, so I defaulted to the only solution I knew: brute force. I thought that by pounding balls and being the hardest worker in the room, I would find the answer.

I remember a specific night when a teammate literally told me to stop practicing. I felt backed into a corner, frustrated and desperate. So, I ignored him. I went to the practice facility at 11:00 PM and hit balls into the night.

The result? I became an elite golfer on a GC Quad launch monitor. I could groove a swing perfectly in a controlled environment. But I didn't get functionally better on the golf course. I was practicing to be better at practicing, not to be better at golf.

The Science of False Confidence: Block vs. Random Practice
Why does this happen? Why can you stripe 30 seven-irons in a row on the range but chunk that same club on the 4th fairway?

It comes down to how the human brain learns.

In a 2017 study, a group of golfers was split into two distinct practice camps:

The Block Practice Group: They hit the same shot over and over again.

The Random Practice Group: They constantly varied their clubs and targets.

During the initial session, the Block Practice group looked like professionals. They made more putts, hit tighter dispersions, and their confidence skyrocketed. Meanwhile, the Random Practice group struggled. They missed more often and their confidence dipped.

However, the researchers brought both groups back one week later for a retention test. The results flipped. The Random Practice group far exceeded the Block group in performance.

The "9x7" Phenomenon

The study highlighted a critical flaw in how most of us train. Block practice creates a "false confidence".

Think of it this way: If I ask you, "What is 9 times 7?" you have to do the mental math to answer "63." If I ask you again three seconds later, you don’t do the math—you just recall the number "63".

When you hit 30 seven-irons in a row, you aren't learning how to hit a seven-iron. You are learning how to repeat a motion you just performed. You aren't "doing the math" of golf—calculating wind, lie, distance, and pressure. You are just reciting the answer.

On the course, you never get to hit the same shot twice. You have one chance to solve the problem. If you haven't trained your brain to solve random problems, you will crumble when the variable changes.

The Strategy: How to Randomize Your Game
If you are a golfer with a 9-to-5 job, you don't have time to waste on ineffective reps. You need to be strategic. Here are three building blocks to fix your practice immediately:

1. The "One Shot" Rule

Stop hitting the same shot two times in a row. Unless you are actively working on a swing change with an instructor, you must force variability. Switch targets. Switch clubs. Switch trajectories. This simulates the on-course reality where every shot is a new puzzle to solve.

2. The Driver Exception
   There is one major exception to the "Random" rule: The Driver. We do not want to be creative off the tee. We want to be "free throw merchants". Your goal with the driver is to have one reliable shot shape that keeps the ball in play. You don't need to mess with random practice here; you need to build a bulletproof repetition that you can trust under pressure.

3. Rehearse the Routine
   If you don't go through your full pre-shot routine on the range, your practice is irrelevant. On the course, the pressure will rise. Your heart rate will go up. The only thing you can control is your routine. If you practice the swing without the routine, you are omitting the most critical mental step.

Focus on What Actually Lowers Scores
Finally, stop trying to be a "well-rounded" golfer in theory. You really just need to be elite at three things:

Keep the ball in play off the tee.

Hit greens (Approach Play): Statistically, approach play is the highest-weighted "Strokes Gained" category for every skill level.

Elite Speed Control: Whether lag putting from 60 feet or holing out from 10 feet, speed control dictates whether the cup captures the ball or lips it out.

The Path Forward

You have a choice. You can stay in the "obsession loop," looking perfect on video but scoring poorly. Or, you can embrace the struggle of random practice.

It’s going to suck for a while. You will look worse on the range. But you learn infinitely more from failing in practice than you do from succeeding.

We are building Play Ready Golf to take the guesswork out of this process. We analyze your skill level and facility access to build a practice plan that prioritizes scoring, not just swinging.

Beta Access: We are accepting beta testers until December 25th and capping it at 100 golfers. The beta begins January 1st and includes free lifetime access.

Public Launch: Coming late March.

Don't rush the process. Enjoy the challenge. And start practicing like you actually want to play.

A Final Note

We’re builders, but first we’re golfers. We’ve both had that 25-minute squeeze before dark and the sinking feeling of “maybe I just exercised my frustration.” We’ve also seen what happens when you replace guessing with intention. A handful of habits—pre-shot routine, start-line awareness, a reliable wedge ladder, a brief pressure finisher—compound faster than people expect, especially when they’re easy to start.

Play Ready Golf isn’t about cramming in features. It’s about arranging the right ones, in the right order, so improvement survives real life.

We hope you are prepared to Play Ready Golf.

—

Luke & Isaak

Co-founders, Play Ready Golf