Alright, let me tell you about this thing I started doing, I call it my ‘Malnati Golf’ day. It’s not about some fancy technique or anything, just my own little ritual I cooked up.
It all started a few months back. I was feeling a bit stuck with my swing, you know? Just going through the motions at the range, not really seeing much improvement. Felt like I needed something to shake things up, make practice feel less like a chore and more like, well, something enjoyable with a point.
Setting Up the Routine
So, here’s what I did. I decided that one day a week, usually a Friday afternoon, I’d dedicate a solid couple of hours purely to working on one specific thing. Could be my short game, maybe just hitting the driver straight, whatever felt weakest that week. The key was focus. No just banging balls randomly.
I’d get to the course, grab a large bucket of balls. First, I’d spend about 15 minutes just stretching, getting loose. Old bones need that, trust me. Then, I’d pick my target for the day. Let’s say it was irons. I’d lay down some alignment sticks, really focus on my setup for every single shot. I wasn’t worried about hitting it miles, just making clean contact and hitting my target line.
- Warm-up: Gentle swings, stretching.
- Pick the focus: Irons, wedges, driver, putting – just one!
- Set up aids: Alignment sticks are my best friends here.
- Slow practice: Shot by shot, thinking about the feel, not just the result.
- Take breaks: Walk around a bit between sets of 10-15 balls.
The ‘Malnati’ Part
Now, where does Malnati’s come in? Simple. It’s the reward. Lou Malnati’s deep dish pizza is kinda my guilty pleasure. So, the deal I made with myself was this: if I genuinely put in the focused effort for those two hours, really worked on my goal for the day, then on the way home, I earned the right to pick up a Malnati’s pizza. No good practice, no pizza. Simple as that.
It sounds silly, maybe, but it worked! Knowing that buttery crust and cheesy goodness was waiting gave me that little extra push to stay concentrated. Instead of getting frustrated and quitting early, I’d think about the pizza and stick with it. I’d picture that deep dish while lining up a tricky wedge shot.
Did it Work?
Yeah, surprisingly well, actually. My practice sessions became way more productive. I wasn’t just hitting balls; I was practicing. And linking it to a reward I genuinely love made it something I look forward to.
My iron play has become more consistent, definitely. Short game’s still a work in progress, but better. And yeah, I’ve eaten a fair bit of pizza. But hey, I feel like I earned it each time. It’s my little system, my ‘Malnati Golf’ day. Gives me structure, focus, and a tasty payoff. Nothing revolutionary, just something that clicked for me.
