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How Justin Thomas Practices: Golf Tips to Help Lower Your Score
By Brendon Elliott, PGA
Published on
Justin Thomas has always been an absolute wizard with his irons – he is currently sitting 8th in Strokes Gained Approach on the PGA TOUR this season. His putting is solid too, ranking 40th in Strokes Gained Putting. Not too shabby.
But here's where it gets interesting. Off the tee? He's been struggling, ranking 108th in Strokes Gained off the Tee. And his scrambling has been even more problematic at 129th. Those are genuine weaknesses in his game.
So, what's happening this week at the RBC Heritage where he's leading after 36 holes? His strengths are still showing up – 4th in Strokes Gained Approach and 9th in Strokes Gained Putting. But the real story is what's happening with his typical weaknesses. He's jumped all the way to 31st in Strokes Gained off the Tee and T23rd in Scrambling. That's why he's leading the tournament.
JT didn't abandon his strengths to fix his weaknesses. While he has been working with his dad, PGA Coach Mike Thomas, he maintained his elite iron play and solid putting while improving just enough in his trouble areas to let his overall game shine.
And you should be doing the same. Let's talk about it.
The Balancing Act
I see this mistake all the time with amateurs. A player who's naturally a good ball-striker becomes so obsessed with fixing their putting that they neglect what got them to the dance in the first place. Six months later, their putting has improved marginally, but their ball-striking has deteriorated, and their scores are worse.
The key is balance. You need to maintain your strengths while methodically addressing your weaknesses. This isn't just feel-good advice – it's strategic. Your strengths are your competitive advantage. They're what separate you from the field. Abandoning them in pursuit of fixing weaknesses is like trading in a Ferrari because the cup holders are too small.
The 60/40 Rule
Here's my rule of thumb: spend about 60% of your practice time reinforcing and refining your strengths, and 40% working on your weaknesses. This ratio ensures you don't lose your edge in areas where you excel while still making steady progress on your limitations.
Say you can practice four times a week – two one-hour sessions and two two-hour sessions. Here's how I'd structure that practice time for someone with a profile similar to JT (strong iron play and putting, weaker off the tee and around the greens):
Day 1: One-Hour Session
- First 15 minutes: Putting drills focusing on distance control and feel
- Next 30 minutes: Iron play, working through half your bag with deliberate practice
- Final 15 minutes: Targeted work on driving, focusing on one specific aspect
Day 2: Two-Hour Session
- First 45 minutes: Iron play with progressive challenges and on-course scenarios
- Next 30 minutes: Short game work, emphasizing weakest scrambling shots
- Next 30 minutes: Driver work with feedback (launch monitor if available)
- Final 15 minutes: Putting under pressure, focusing on 4-8 footers
Day 3: One-Hour Session
- First 40 minutes: Strengths maintenance (irons and putting for our example)
- Final 20 minutes: Focused work on one specific weakness, with measurable goals
Day 4: Two-Hour Session
- First 30 minutes: Full warm-up across all clubs
- Next 45 minutes: On-course practice focusing on strengths (approach shots, etc.)
- Next 45 minutes: On-course practice deliberately creating scenarios that challenge weaknesses
The Mental Game
Remember, there's a psychological component here too. Working exclusively on weaknesses can be demoralizing. Spending time with your strengths keeps practice enjoyable and confidence high. That positive mindset often translates to better learning when you do tackle those trouble areas.
So, take a page from JT's playbook. Lean on those strengths – they're your moneymakers. But keep chipping away at those weaknesses, because that's where your untapped scoring potential lies. Golf isn't about perfection; it's about effective management of your unique game.
PGA of America Golf Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. Check out his weekly Monday column on RG.org, and to learn more about Brendon, visit OneMoreRollGolf.com.
