Does going to the range really help?

[dkglf98]

Range use it what you put into it, if you work on something its great but just rapid fire balls is no good you are wasting your time ingraining a bad swing. I hold my finish till the ball lands on every swing and feel my finish is balanced or laying back or what, and I watch every ball flight to tell what each swing did. I spend half of the bucket on 85 yard shots and in. The rest on tempo and ball flight.

[golf_junkie27]

I think thats the reality of it. Some people benefit more from the range than others. I agree that grass practice greens can help a lot, mats on the other hand don't help as far as I am concerned. They help you grove a bad swing. Then on the course you get owned.

This is not true. There are so many different types of mats, today, that actually simulate course conditions. For example, there is the Vijay Singh mat that is like hitting off a fairway. There is also a mat, I forget the name, that is made of artificial grass. The ball never lies perfect, you can easily get your club stuck, ground it, etc.

No one hits perfect shots on mats. The idea that the clubhead slides through, (not saying you made this statement) producing good shots when it would otherwise not happen is simply not true.

[ShotCaLLa]

This is not true. There are so many different types of mats, today, that actually simulate course conditions. For example, there is the Vijay Singh mat that is like hitting off a fairway. There is also a mat, I forget the name, that is made of artificial grass. The ball never lies perfect, you can easily get your club stuck, ground it, etc.

While there are these types of mats on the market, your standard range will not have these "improved surfaces".

Most mats do not give an accurate impact response (obviously, the surface is different), ESPECIALLY on fat shots. These WILL fly BETTER off a MAT. There is no substitute for the real thing, period. Even the feel on your feet is different. However; once you know your swing well enough, I'm sure you can make use of time on the mats. But, for beginners, there is no substitute for poundin the dirt.

[atltony]

I'm with Shotcalla on this one. For beginners or those that do not have a consistent repeatable swing mats are going to hid how well of contact you are making. However...if you have a repeatable swing I don't think mats are really going to hurt you, seeing as you should be making solid contact most of the time anyway. However, I always prefer grass practice tees...the closer to perfect practice the better.

[LottaBalata]

I def. think it helps me to go to the range. In fact, I don't like playing a round of golf without hitting some balls on the range. Now don't get me wrong, I don't always have time to get to the course in time to hit balls on the range. But it helps.

As far as general practice, I absolutely think people should go to the range. I can usually repair problems on the range, that I found I had on the course the day before. At least I hope I can.

If I go to the range at the course, I'll hit off of dirt, if I go out to I.U.'s driving range, I'll hit off the mats--honestly just for safety reasons. I've been on the grass at I.U. and been hit by people hitting of the mats. I hate dodging balls while I'm hitting balls

[twomey7]

After going to the range almost every day last week, and playing the way I did yesturday, Im starting to think it doesn't help at all. I played my worst round of the year, lol. But I am going back to the range today

[sirshanksalot]

Practice at the range does help for me. I usually go to the range for target and tempo/rhythm shots and occasionally to tweak something that might be off or something that I might have read/heard as a tip to see if it's for me. Once in a while I go just for pure stress relieving satisfaction and imagine the ball as someone's head and drive away.

[ShotCaLLa]

no, not really. I may hit 10 balls before a round in the nets. Golf is about scoring and shot making- you can't learn that on the range.

True about scoring. But, you can not become a shot-maker until you are a good ball striker. You must learn your tempo and alignment cues in order to become really effective on the course. And with a little imagination, each shot you hit on the range can be a "scoring" shot.

Plus, when I think "range", I am also including the practice bunker, chipping and putting green. This is where I spend the majority of my time, because that is how you score. But, to each their own. Thats the great thing about this game.

[Kltdefer]

For me, I prefer to be on the course hitting different shots.

Lately I have been going to the range alot more with the family. The range time is mostly for the family but I do bring 1 or 2 clubs to work on. This focused work seems to be helpful and fun.

[kekoa]

I absolutely love the range and hit it like a pro there. I usually go out to play the next day and the irons i was hitting the previous day look like shit now.

To be honest, I don't think the range helps that much. I think it only helps in being comfortabe over the ball. Maybe working on stance/posture/grip. Other than that, the range is too controlled to help you out in the field. IMHO.

[mkrolewski]

As a high handicapper, the range is definitely worth it. I have not really developed a consistent swing for all of my clubs.

My personal observation is that one has to evaluate your hitting. Are you really on line, distance, etc? I cannot play any better on the course than I can on the driving range. 50% straight for drives on the driving range, then at best 50% straight on the golf course. Any problems on the range shows up on the course.

The range allows you to repeat and hone a swing, allows to make minor adjustments, try things out, and build up your confidence.

A round -- even for me, I only get 40 or so swings, maybe 14 drives, and maybe not any hits or any good hits with some clubs. Two 85-ball-buckets ($8), I have played 4 rounds (16-20 hours)($$$) in a little over 90 minutes. And I can do this 2-3 times a week. I often cannot get out on the course every week.

I think the comments on the surface being synthetic and mis-assess your strikes to some extent are valid. The range is definitely synthetic. But there is sufficient feedback to improve your swing.

[gsu_paintballer]

I see people trot out to the range with 2 large buckets of balls and a grim look on their faces, as though they are determined that *this* time, they will figure out how to correct that nasty slice.

This is genius advice. I might try this out next week.

[stuartaustin]

It seems to me the best way to get better at golf is to play golf and play a lot of it. Going to the range doesn't seem to stick with me. It's a different game when you are out walking around. To me playing 2-3 rounds a week is much better than going to the range for subsitution.

I got a question. If you cant seeme to hit good shots consistentally on the range where there is no pressure, how do you think you can just play better by playing hole after hole, I mean yea eventually you may get better but repitition and hitting shots is the key to consistency.

I warm up, before every round, by going out to the range and not only hitting balls but doing drills and routiens. It really gets you loose and warmed up before you play and is a must do before every tournament round that I play. I used to be the same way when I was 10 but, I later learned to love the range because practice makes perfect.

[thedub]

YES, i believe it does help my game...practice makes perfect!!

[txsouthpaw]

yes, absolutley

[wrx_junki]

I hit my irons fairly well at the range but on the field is a whole different story. ESPECIALLY being in the rough. I wish I had some grass at the local driving ranges.

[Jack_2251]

I prefer to go to the course and just play social, and hit 3 or 4 balls off the tee.
Of course this is after school when no one is out just me and my mates.

[aidanmcg33]

Why dont you guys put your heads together and come up with a decent routine that everyone could follow to get the most out of the range.