JPH Golf Coaching

Stop the mindless practice and fill your bucket!

I’ve put together a FREE golf practice guide to help you train with purpose, improve faster, and actually transfer your range work onto the course.

Comment “PERFORMANCE” and I’ll send it over ⛳️

Most golfers don’t have a chipping problem… they have a practice problem.

If every chip you hit is the same lie, same target, same outcome, you’re not actually preparing for the course.

This is where a Constraints Led Approach (CLA) can be applied.

In this drill, you chip from 9 different locations to 9 different flags, with a scoring system that forces every putt to be earned — not given. By pulling the first putt back one putter length, you also increase pressure and make the task more realistic.

The result is simple: you stop training technique in isolation and start training performance under changing conditions.

That’s what actually transfers to lower scores.

Better chipping. Better distance control. Better up-and-down conversion when it matters.

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The classic “ladder drill” — 5 balls from 30, 40, 50, 60 yards — looks structured. It feels productive. But in reality, it often lacks the ingredients that actually drive transfer to the course.

In skill acquisition, we know that performance ≠ learning.

The ladder is just the skeleton.
What most players forget is they need to add the meat and blood.

The Contextual Interference a theory can be applied to this mistake.

Research shows that practice which feels harder, less predictable, and more variable leads to better long-term learning and on-course performance.

But most ladder drills do the opposite.

Same club.
Same order.
Same rhythm.

They become comfortable. Repeatable. Predictable.

Low interference → low transfer.

So how do we change that?

We don’t throw the ladder away.
We design it better.

- A clear success parameter (e.g. a defined landing radius)
- A consequence (3 in a row, or a scoring system)
- Feedback loops (which yardages actually hold up under pressure?)
- Variability (changing clubs, trajectories, or shot types)

Now the drill has interference.

Now every shot demands:
- A decision
- An adjustment
- A solution

It’s less clean.
It feels harder.
It’s easier to “fail”.

But it looks far more like the game.

Because golf isn’t played in perfect sequences.
It’s played in constantly changing situations.

The best players don’t just chase perfect reps…
They train their ability to adapt.

The ladder gives you the structure.
But learning only happens when you introduce the right level of disruption within it.

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If you struggle with inconsistent contact, poor balance, or timing issues in your golf swing… this drill is a game changer.

The feet together drill forces you to stay centered and improves:
• Balance throughout the swing
• Solid, consistent ball striking
• Better timing between arms and body

Start with short swings and focus on clean contact. If you can strike it well here, your full swing will feel effortless.

Add this into your practice routine and watch your consistency improve fast.

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I see so many golfers struggle in the sand, not because of their swing—but because they start from inconsistent positions.

Why?

Because small changes in setup massively influence where the club enters the sand.

And in bunker play, that’s everything.

On the course, good bunker shots require:
• Consistent strike location
• Control of where the club enters the sand
• A predictable low point

But most golfers set up with:
• Variable ball position
• Poor awareness of where their weight is
• A square, restricted lower body

So what actually helps?

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A simple framework:

Use 3 reference lines in your setup:

• Ball position → around one clubhead inside your lead foot
• Sternum → starting just behind the ball
• Lead foot → opened to around 10 o’clock

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Low awareness (inconsistent strike):

❌ Random ball position
❌ Sternum drifting too far forward or back
❌ Lead foot square, limiting movement

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High awareness (more consistent contact):

✅ Fixed ball position reference
✅ Sternum controlling low point and strike location
✅ Open lead side to allow the club to move through the sand

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This isn’t about making a perfect swing.

It’s about starting in a position that gives you a chance.

‼️For me, this highlights how important a consistent setup is—especially in shots where strike location is everything.‼️

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The biggest issue with putting practice isn’t technique… it’s environment design.

I consistently see golfers spending large amounts of time on the practice green, yet seeing very little transfer to the course.

Why?

Because the conditions they practise in look nothing like performance.

On the course, putting is:
• Variable
• Unpredictable
• Performed under pressure
• One opportunity per attempt

In practice, it often becomes:
• Repetitive
• Predictable
• Low consequence

So which is best? Repetition or variability?
And how do we design practice that actually transfers?

The concept of representative learning design suggests that for learning to transfer effectively, practice must reflect the informational and psychological demands of competition.

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A simple example:

9 balls from one location around the green.
Putt one ball to each hole.
Each hole = Par 2.

This creates:
• Different reads and speeds every time
• One opportunity per attempt
• A scoring system that introduces consequence

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Low representativeness (limited transfer):

❌ Repeating the same putt from the same location
❌ Multiple attempts with no consequence
❌ Minimal decision-making or green reading
❌ No pressure or scoring element

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High representativeness (enhanced transfer):

✅ Constantly changing targets and distances
✅ One attempt per situation
✅ Requirement to read and adapt each putt
✅ Built-in pressure through scoring, consequence, or competition

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This doesn’t mean repetition has no place.

But if the goal is performance, practice must develop the ability to adapt, decide, and execute under realistic conditions.

Not just groove a stroke.

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‼️For me, this highlights the importance of intentional practice design—and the role of a coach in aligning training with performance demands.‼️

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