Practise with a purpose.

Before leaving a lesson, ask John what your main practice focus should be and how you’ll recognise progress. Put the answer in your own words. It might concern the contact, starting direction or a particular shot you need.

Keep that instruction with you. If a bad shot sends you searching for another swing tip, return to the task you agreed. If you’re unsure what the instruction means, ask John before adding more changes.

The purpose is to connect your movement with the strike and ball flight. That fits John’s approach to coaching: working with your natural swing to improve the shots you can play.

Here’s a suggested way to organise a range visit. Adapt it to John’s advice and the time you have.

• Settle in. Warm up comfortably. Choose a club and target suited to the shot you’re working on. Notice the contact and flight before you start changing anything.
• Work on your lesson focus. Use the rehearsal or exercise agreed with John, then play a normal shot. Give yourself time between balls to notice whether the intended change is appearing.
• Test it with a target. Imagine a shot you face on the course. Choose where it should start and finish, go through your usual preparation and play it. Reset before the next ball.
• Finish with feedback. Write down what improved, what remained difficult and one question for your next conversation with John.

You can change clubs or targets during the test to make each shot a fresh decision. Keep the challenge within your ability. A beginner might be aiming for solid contact in a broad area; an experienced player might choose a more precise landing area or flight.

Notice several shots, including the ordinary ones. Did the contact become more solid? Did the ball start closer to your intended line? Did your common miss become less severe?

Keep your notes brief and specific. “Mostly solid with the 7-iron, still starting right” gives you something to discuss. Understanding ball flight helps you separate the start, curve and strike.

When you play, notice whether the practised shot is available when you need it. That is the connection between range work and shot-making on the course.

Bring your observations to your next lesson. John gives private lessons on the undercover range at Thurgoona Country Club Resort, Albury. Call or text 0417 682 008 to arrange a time.

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Background reading: Butch Harmon on a focused lesson, rehearsing a course shot and using real practice targets, published by Golf Digest.