13 Golf Practice Mistakes That Kill Your Scores

At Dennis Sales Golf Academy, we see it all the time: players working hard but not getting better. The issue isn’t effort—it’s structure. Below are the 13 most common practice mistakes that sabotage progress—and how we help players fix them for good.

1. Not Warming Up

Jumping into practice especially with a mid-iron or driver, without preparing your mind and body is a recipe for poor contact and injury. Every serious athlete has a warm-up routine. At Dennis Sales Golf Academy, we help players build purposeful warm-ups using bands, tempo tools, and wedges to prime both the brain and body for focused training.

2. No Clear Practice Plan

Random practice creates random outcomes. We begin every player journey with a complete assessment and then build a custom plan that targets weaknesses, tracks milestones, and drives consistent progress. You don’t need more data, you need a proven process.

3. Should Practice Really Be Fun?

As a former professional soccer player, I can say: practice wasn’t always fun, it was work. But the reward came on game day. That’s the mentality we foster at Denis Sales Golf Academy. Your practice should challenge you. We make it engaging, but we also make it honest. And if your coach gives you fitness work, embrace it. It’s part of your growth.

4. Constantly Making Swing Changes

Elite players don’t chase a new swing thought every session. They stay committed to the task until they can’t get it wrong. We teach players the difference between mechanical training and performance training and when each should be used. There’s a time to focus on movement and a time to focus on scoring. Learn the difference.

5. Poor Alignment Habits

If you’re not aligned properly, your brain will create compensations and poor habits will follow. We train players using video, mirrors, and structured alignment routines to ensure your fundamentals are rock solid. Don’t chase flaws that start with a bad setup.

6. No Breaks Between Shots

It’s not just about rest, it’s about structured reflection. We coach players to slow down between reps, record notes, and review feels. This transforms your sessions into learning experiences, not just ball-hitting. Build your own "playbook" with notes that help you recover when things go off track.

7. Not Creating a Scoring Zone Matrix

Most golfers guess their way through partial wedge shots. At Dennis Sales Golf Academy, we use TrackMan or GC Quad to build a customized scoring zone matrix. Players develop reliable distances with scoring clubs based on different backswing lengths and tempos. This removes doubt and turns feel into precision.

8. Neglecting the Putting Green

Players love the range but avoid the green, yet putting accounts for 40% of your strokes. Using SAM PuttLab, we assess stroke mechanics and build training plans that include technique, speed control, and pressure drills. Our goal? Lag it closer and make more putts when it counts.

9. Never Recording Your Swing

I’ve said it often: most golfers don’t need more data, they need an education. That education starts with video. If I could only use one tool to help a student improve fast, it would be my iPad. We teach you how to film your swing, assess it against a model, and create real awareness. Video builds accountability and accelerates improvement.

10. Overusing Training Aids

Training aids are helpful when used intentionally. Too often they become crutches. We show players how to use them with purpose, then transition those feels into real ball flight. You’ll learn to move your body more efficiently and swing with intention, not just mimic positions.

11. Skipping Data-Driven Feedback

Golfers don’t need more data, they need the right information at the right time. While video is our primary coaching tool, objective data has its place. At Dennis Sales Golf Academy, we use data to guide, not overwhelm you. You’ll learn which metrics you can directly control and impact your performance, and how to use that knowledge to train smarter, not harder.

12. Never Cleaning Your Clubs

Dirty grooves equal inconsistent spin and less control. At our academy, we have a rule: show up with dirty clubs, you do pushups. Clean clubs reflect attention to detail and respect for the game. Discipline in preparation leads to sharper performance on the course.

13. Ignoring Your Routine

A consistent pre- and post-shot routine is a signature of elite players. We help students build routines that include visualization, rehearsal, and breathing to lock in focus. Then we teach how to review each shot post-impact, whether to store it as a positive or adjust something for the next rep. Great golf is trained into you, one rep at a time.

Final Thought: Practice Smarter, Play Better

If you’re frustrated with your progress, it’s not your effort, it’s your system.
At Dennis Sales Golf Academy, we don’t guess. We assess, structure, and guide. Every player gets access to the best technology, the most proven systems, and the coaching expertise to bring it all together.

📍 Based in Argyle, Texas, we serve players from Denton, Lantana, Flower Mound, and the greater DFW area.

👉 Schedule Your Assessment Today
Let’s take the guesswork out of practice—and build the golfer you’re capable of becoming.