As a result of the coronavirus pandemic many golfers who are stuck at home will be losing their edge. By the time things return to normal, some golfers will argue that their time away from the course has ruined their game.

Fortunately, you don’t have to be one of those…

A few weeks at home doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your golf game, because there are plenty of ways you can practice your golf game at home.

Here are a few of our favourite strategies to help ensure that, when golf courses do finally reopen, it will be like you never left.

1. Practice Your Putting

A good short game is essential to good scores, and it’s easy to hone your craft at home. If you don’t own any equipment, it’s as simple as placing a mug on the carpet to simulate a hole to practice putting to.

However, if you’re looking to step this up a little, you can invest in a golf putting mat. This will provide the perfect surface for you to practice your putting on. We recommend spending a little extra on a decent quality mat which will mean you have a consistent speed no matter what surface you place it on. 

Buying a decent hole simulator such as the PuttOUT Pressure Trainer is also a good idea to help hone your putting with a little more accuracy. The guys at PuttOUT have also created a number of practice games to make sure your practice is competitive and enjoyable too. 

2. Practice Your Chipping

If you’re lucky enough to have a yard with a grassy area, then this is the perfect area for you to practice your short game.

It can be as simple as placing a bucket on the floor and trying to chip into the bucket. Or you can buy a chipping net that’s designed to help your chipping accuracy. 

If you don’t have a garden (or a space outdoors) fear not, chip off a winter golf mat into the net in your home. Just be careful not to swing too close to the TV!

3. Practice Your Swing 

A full-length mirror is a handy piece of equipment you can use to practice your downswing and backswing. A few minutes of this every day will help you keep your muscle memory intact for when you finally get back out there for real.

As you practice, watch your movements in the mirror and work on perfecting them. As you notice your posture improving, you can ramp up the speed of your swings to improve your power and accuracy.

Although swinging a club is useful for muscle memory, a golf net is the next best thing to the driving range. You can swing at full power without worrying about smashing windows or dinging the neighbours car. There’s no better way to give your golfing muscles a good workout and keep you in top form.

If you combine a net with a launch monitor you can get instant feedback on any changes you are making to your swing too.

 4. Golf Lessons at Home 

YouTube is an excellent resource you can use to improve your golf game for free, with heaps of professional golfers offering hints and tips. 

From videos with pros explaining the technique behind their swings to “how to” videos, there’s an almost endless supply of videos that can help you with your own game. 

If YouTube isn’t your thing, books on golf are another avenue to keep you mentally attuned to the game. There are lots of books out there that can help with not just the technique in the golf swing but also the mental side of the game. 

We’ve hand picked some of our favourite golf books to give you a head start on where to begin.

5. Keep Yourself Fit

Fitness and flexibility are essential for keeping you at the top of your game, but you don’t need an entire golf course to stay in shape. You can actually do a lot within a limited space and with minimal equipment to help your golf game at home. 

Develop exercise routines that will help improve your mobility, power and strength. A few sessions of yoga and pilates are great examples of exercises you can do anywhere and that don’t require any extra equipment.

But there are also some excellent golf specific trainers who put content out there for free to help you build routines that will help you hit the ball further or swing pain free. 

Fit For Golf and Jamie Greaves Golf Fitness are both excellent accounts to follow. Both regularly upload videos on exercises and short routines to help you work the areas that are important for the golf swing.  

As you can see, there is no reason you need to let your golf game suffer during the coronavirus shutdown. Practice the above tips, and you may even find that you are in your best shape ever when you finally do get let out.