You must practise (like Padraig) with purpose

Moment of truth: Harrington celebrates his Open triumph

When top professional golfers are interviewed they're often asked about taking their game to the next level and when asked about their goals are often reluctant to share them.

The reason is usually a mixture of nervousness and embarrassment, coupled with a fear of overconfidence and the likelihood of being ribbed by their colleagues. Many too, are superstitious that if they reveal too much it's tempting fate that it will work against them.

Padraig Harrington is the exception. He has never shirked from announcing that a major championship was his goal and has been prepared to put in the work with a smile on his face. His initial rewards - an Order of Merit win, an Irish Open and that Open title - have been achieved but now his goals are even higher. More majors and he'll continue to work even harder.

At club level many of us are content with our game and are not motivated to improve. Many wallow in the knowledge that they've been playing for years, but don't seem to improve. They wish they could but don't understand why they don't.

Despite their experience mustered through years playing the game, as they get older, the incentive wanes and they're content to let their handicap slide.

Sound familiar?

For the club golfer, whatever your age and experience, it's important to set individual goals to give you the motivation to improve. Not everyone has the same need to achieve if they do have lofty aspirations, it's probably going to take a diligent, committed effort to meet them.

Note how Harrington chips without a glove - to get more feel

And by avoiding the weaker parts of your game, you're setting yourself up for even greater disappointment.

How many of us head for the range, hit a few 9-irons to warm up then grab the driver and blast 50 shots at full pelt then head for the putting green for a five minute tap-around before joining our playing partners on the tee?

If you want to improve your game and lower your scores, work on your areas of weakness not on your strengths. You might consider chipping and putting practice boring or tedious but by avoiding practicing your areas of weakness it's increasing your fear of failure.

It's a fear that if you put hard work into a section of your game that's weak and you don't see immediate results, you've failed. Therefore it's easier to excuse poor performance through 'lack of time' to practice.

Golf's difficult. It's never mastered and accept that you're going to have moments or days when you're disappointed with your performance. We've all got close to chucking in the towel - that's what golf can do to us.

But what you do with that disappointment is in your control. You can continue to be disappointed or you can take control.

First step to improvement is ask for advice from the professionals. Most courses have a PGA-trained pro who'll give you the benefit of his or her advice for as little as £15 for a half-hour session - even less if you join a small group.

But golf lessons alone are not going to make you improve immediately. You have to take what the pros has shown you and practice it with a purpose.

When you leave the lesson, have a clear idea about what you and your pro have worked on and what you will practice independently. Have a game plan in mind and identify which swing fundamentals, strategies or techniques you need to work on to improve.

For example, if your chip and run shots fall short of the hole or tend to run well past it, it's easy to develop a distaste for chipping and a preference for putting from off the green even through thick fringe.

However, if you learn the right technique, practice it and start leaving yourself with 'tap ins' you'll make more time for chipping practice, amaze your mates and identify ways to make short-game practice more fun.

You can also incorporate goal-related games into your short game practice - perhaps consistently chipping into a small circle around the cup.

Study how the great players chip, for instance. I've only just realised that Harrington removes the glove from his left hand to give him more feel through the grip. I think I'll try that!

Those who practice very little or not at all but are content, have a different set of expectations and have probably already met their golfing goals. But remember if you want to improve you have to put the work in with purposeful practice.

Padraig Harrington has - with spectacular success. Take inspiration from him.