MY SYSTEM · STEP 3
Training after analysis
Weaknesses become weekly plans. Six module families, interleaved practice, alternating drills — and a two-file system that saves me 15 minutes of planning each week.
Three principles to guide every training week
Most senior golfers practice what they enjoy—hitting drivers, putting on the practice green. Exactly wrong. The biggest score-killers remain untouched because they're unpleasant. PW distance control from 80 yards is strenuous and boring. But it saves three strokes per round.
For over two years, I've distilled a system from over 200 training sessions. Six module families, alternating drills from learning research, a strict two-file system for weekly planning. What remains: a plan that doesn't follow impulse, but diagnosis.
Weakest first. Interleaved instead of blocked. Measurable instead of vague. Three rules that make every weekly workout honest.
Weakest first
The most expensive thing is trained first. PW weakness with -2.9 strokes per round beats 5-wood maintenance with -0.3. The training plan strictly follows the score impact list from step 2 - not the personal fun factor.
Interleaved instead of block
Learning research is clear: 30x PW in a row feels better, but transfers less to the course than 10x PW, 10x Driver, 10x PW alternating. My X-Drill family (X-D1-I8, X-PW-52) does this systematically—more strenuous, but more effective.
Measurable instead of vague
„Practicing wedges” is marketing. „Documenting 30 PWs from 80m with an 8m-circle success rate” is training. Each session has a success criterion and is logged. Only then is step 4—identifying improvements—even possible.
Every weekly plan grows from these building blocks
Driver · Long Game
L- and B-training with drivers and woods. D1 = Driver mechanics (path), D2 = Tee setup, D3 = Wind adjustment. Currently weakest area due to G740 transition in June.
Woods · Hybrid
5-wood and 9-wood, hybrid replacement for long irons. Wd1 = Fairway wood mechanics, Wd2 = Lay-up control. 5-wood is the senior all-rounder — tested and confirmed 2026.
Iron · Approach
I7 to I9 plus U-iron. I1 = Distance control per club, I2 = GIR (Green in Regulation) drill with target windows, I3 = Wind play. Strongest branch: I8 with σL 7.53 m.
Wedges · Short Game
PW, GW (52°), SW (58°). W1 = Distance Control 60/80/100 m, W2 = Pitch Height Variation, W3 = Bunker Standard. Biggest Score Killer Branch in June - Highest Training Priority.
Putten · Lag
P1 = 3-Circle Test, P2 = Tour Lag (9/12/15m), P3 = Lag Putter Length (6/9/12m), P4 = Hole-Out 15m, P5 = NEW 4–8m after Wendlohe Diagnosis. Data-based putter tests documented.
SuperSpeed · Athletics
3 Sticks Senior Set (yellow/blue/red). S1 = Level 1 protocol, S2 = Level 2 without additional weights. Maintain swing speed, don't chase—mechanics over power, USGA-2023 Senior Strategy.
Switch drills instead of block training
If I hit 30 putts in a row, I'll get good at hitting putts in a row. But on the course, I never play 30 putts straight – I hit driver, then iron, then putter, then driver. My training needs to reflect that.
This led to the X-Drill family: X-- means: alternating one shot with the first club, one shot with the second, in multiple sentences. Examples from my plan:
X-PW-52 PW/52°-GW alternating — 8 sets
X-Wd-I7 5-wood/iron-7 alternating — 8 sets
Sports science calls this interleaved practice. The training day feels more demanding, and the hit rate per racket drops in the short term. But: The transfer to the court is measurably better. My training plan has been half X-Drills since 2025.
In five steps to a training plan
One Sunday - 15 minutes of planning, and the week is ready.
Take over three focal points from Step 2.
The score-impact list from the analysis week shows what the training week gets. Three focal points — no more. More focus = no focus.
Assign modules from the six families
PW-Weakness → W1 (Distance Control). 3-Putt Problem → P5 (4–8m-Lag). Course Management → no separate module, that goes into the course round. Each focus area gets 1–2 modules assigned.
Distribute units over the week
5 units of 60 minutes each is my standard framework. Wedges 3x, Putting 2x, plus two X-Drill alternating sessions. Each unit has a clear focus, plus 15 minutes of alternating drills for attention.
Define success criterion per unit
„Practicing wedges" isn't enough. „W1: 30 PW from 80m, at least 18 within an 8m circle" is measurable. Without criteria, there's no training; without training, there's no re-test.
Translate in PowerPoint - Two Files System
File 1: KW_Training_Plan.pptx — 9 slides, weekly. File 2: Training Types.pptx — 16 slides, static, module library. Codes correspond. I have the weekly schedule on my phone in my pocket.
KW25 after the Wendlohe diagnosis
This is what the weekly plan looked like, which resulted directly from the meeting on June 12th.
Diagnoses from step 2: PW Σ −2.90, 3-putt rate 33 %, three water penalties. Three key areas: W1 Driving Accuracy, P5 Lag Putt 4-8m, M1 Water Hazard Management.
5 units · 5 days · 60 minutes
W1 distance control · 30 reps from 80m, goal: 18+ in 8m circle · 15 min X-rep 52 alternating · 15 min S1 SuperSpeed warm-up
P5 Lag Putt 4–8m · 20 putts from 4m, 20 from 6m, 20 from 8m, record distance-miss for each
W1 + X-D1-I8 · 80m x 25 PW · 8 sets of X-D1-I8 (alternating Driver/Iron 8)
M1 Course-Management Water 9 Hole Gut Waldhof, Pre-Round Cheat Sheet, strictly lay-up instead of risk at water hazards
W1-Retest + P5-Retest · Same setups as Mon/Tue, compare σL and distance-resistance — flows into step 4
Result after CW25: PW-σL from 14 m to 11 m (target: ≤ 10 m — almost achieved). 3-putt rate from 33 % to 22 %. Water penalties: 0. If the diagnosis is correct and the modules fit, the training works in a single week.
Weekly plan + training types
Nine slides, week-specific: Cover, Diagnosis, three focal points, five units, re-test setup. Created every Sunday in 15 minutes.
Sixteen slides, static: each module family with all exercise codes, setups, success criteria. The library referenced by the weekly schedule.
Per unit, one page for notes: Date, Module, Club, Strokes, Accuracy, Notes. Then moves to the master Excel spreadsheet.
The codes in both PowerPoints correspond. „W1" on the weekly schedule directly points to the W1 slide in the library.
Why Swap Drills Work
Shea & Morgan (1979), Brady (2008): Alternating training outperforms blocked training in transfer to competition—despite temporarily poorer accuracy in training.
Senior players lose disproportionately at distance control, not at maximum distance. Wedge training has the highest score impact for ages 60 and older.
Strokes Gained by Category: Putting = biggest score driver for Senior HCP, followed by wedges. Driver distance only 4th – the data collector decides.
Did the training really work?
The honest answer comes from retesting, not from gut feeling. Step 4 shows how I really determine improvement.
German 
English 