What Is Blocked Practice?

Blocked practice is a way of practising in which you repeat the same or a similar task several times in a row. In golf, that might mean hitting a series of chips to the same landing area before changing the shot.

Blocked Practice, Explained Simply

Blocked practice means working on one type of shot repeatedly before moving on to something else.

Imagine you are practising short chips. You choose a landing area and hit ten balls towards it, using the same club and a similar setup each time. You then move to a different landing area or work on another shot.

Because the task stays relatively consistent, you can become familiar with the movement, the distance and the result. You have repeated opportunities to notice what happens and make small adjustments between shots.

Blocked practice can be useful when you are learning a skill, developing a feel or trying to understand a particular shot. However, repeating the same task successfully does not necessarily mean you will be able to produce the shot as reliably when the situation changes on the course.

Why Does Blocked Practice Matter?

Blocked practice gives you a predictable environment in which to work on a particular part of your golf game. Rather than changing clubs, targets and shot types after every attempt, you keep the task relatively stable.

That consistency can make it easier to focus on the skill you are practising. For example, if you are working on chipping distance control, hitting several shots towards the same landing area gives you repeated chances to judge the carry distance and see where the ball finishes.

It can also make practice feel more comfortable. When the next shot is similar to the last, you have a familiar task to return to instead of having to solve a completely different problem each time.

The limitation is that a golf course rarely gives you the same shot repeatedly. Lies, distances, targets and obstacles change. A golfer who performs well during a repetitive practice session may still need practice adapting to different situations.

What Matters With Blocked Practice?

Blocked practice is most useful when you understand what you are repeating and what you want to learn from those repetitions.

One task at a time

The defining feature is consistency. You repeat the same or a similar task before switching to something else. That might mean hitting a series of seven-irons towards one target or practising chips to the same landing area.

A clear purpose

Repeating shots is more useful when you have something specific to work on. You might be learning how far a particular club carries, developing a more reliable chipping action or becoming familiar with a new technique.

Feedback between shots

Each attempt gives you information about the result. You can notice the strike, flight, distance or finish and use that feedback to inform the next repetition. The aim is not to make a mechanical correction after every shot, but to learn from what happens.

Not just hitting more balls

A bucket of balls hit towards the same target can become little more than repetition if you stop paying attention to the results. Blocked practice describes how the task is organised; it does not automatically make the session effective.

A bridge to the course

Repeating a shot can help you become familiar with it, but golf requires you to adapt. Mixing different clubs, targets and shot types later in practice can help you work on choosing and executing a shot when the situation changes.

Blocked Practice vs Random Practice

Blocked practice and random practice are two ways of organising a golf practice session. The main difference is whether you repeat one type of task or regularly change between different tasks.

In blocked practice, you might hit ten chips to the same landing area before moving on. In random practice, you might alternate between short chips, longer chips and different targets, choosing a different shot for each attempt.

Blocked practice provides repetition and familiarity. Random practice asks you to select, prepare for and execute a shot under changing conditions. It can require more decision-making and make each attempt less predictable.

Neither approach is automatically best for every golfer or every session. Blocked practice can be a sensible starting point when learning a new skill, while random practice can help you work on applying skills in varied situations. The right balance depends on what you are trying to improve.

Blocked Practice — At a Glance