Today, I want to share the story behind why I believe I got better at golf faster than I ever imagined. So, let's dive right in.

I'll never forget that fateful day when I sat in my dorm room at Lubbock Christian University, a month before graduation. Watching my favorite Major Championship, The Masters (if it's not your favorite Major, we need to have a talk about your priorities), I turned to my buddy, John, and declared, "I'm going to play golf for a living, and I'll be there someday!" Now, at that point, I had only played a few times during summer breaks, so naturally, John thought I was crazy. He said, "Bo, there's no chance you'll ever play at that level." But his doubt only fueled my determination. I embraced the challenge, graduated with my business degree, and returned to my hometown of Cedaredge, Colorado.

Upon arriving home, my parents asked what graduation gift I'd like, and I figured a summer pass at Devil's Thumb Golf Course would be perfect—I had a lot of work to do. The pass granted me access from sunup to sundown, and I even added a $250 unlimited range pass. Sold!

That summer became a turning point. My regular job as a four-wheeler trail bulldozer operator with the US Forest Service got delayed in paperwork, which worked out perfectly for my plan to improve my golf game—fast. For three months straight, I arrived at the golf course at sunrise and stayed until dusk. My daily routine consisted of hitting a large bucket of balls, practicing chip and pitch shots at the short game green, honing my sand shots out of the concrete practice bunker, and rolling putts on the putting green. Then, I'd walk 18 holes and grab a hot dog before heading back to hit another large bucket and walk another 18 holes. I averaged 36 holes a day for three months—little did I know that this would be the recipe for rapid improvement. The key was a mix of random, blocked, and interleaved practice. Allow me to explain:

Blocked Practice

This involves practicing the same thing repeatedly, like hitting twenty 7 irons in-a-row without changing targets. For lower-level players (like I was at the time), blocked practice can be very effective. I would hit one club for about 10 shots and then switch to a different club and a different target. This practice routine worked well, especially for beginners or golfers struggling with consistent ball striking.

Random Practice

The idea here is to switch clubs and targets more often. High-level players often switch clubs on every shot and even vary their targets consistently. For intermediate players, a mix of random and blocked practice can be beneficial. Try hitting 3-5 shots at a time with one club, but aim for different targets, then switch clubs and repeat. I naturally started incorporating more random practice as I improved.

Interleaved Practice

This type of practice replicates how we play golf on the course. We hit different shots with different clubs, on different surfaces, and aim for different targets—just like we encounter during a round. A fantastic way to implement interleaved practice is to imagine playing an actual round of golf on the driving range, hitting shots in the order you would on the course: drive, iron, wedge, putt. Since I was playing 18-36 holes daily, I had ample opportunities to experience this type of practice.

Becoming a more consistent golfer is a journey, but it's entirely achievable. The practice methods outlined above took me from a 10-12 handicap golfer at the beginning of the summer to a +0.7 handicap golfer by the first snowfall. Although I didn't realize I was practicing in these specific ways at the time, I consider myself fortunate to have stumbled upon the right approach. I can guarantee that with dedication and well-organized practice, you too can achieve faster results. Best of luck on your golfing journey!