Practice facility etiquette (And other questions/comments from a hacker)

I am attempting to advance my game past the "Hacker" stage and know that focused practice is what will get me the furthest, the fastest. I have my first golf lesson scheduled for later this week with range times penciled in each day after until I play again on Saturday. This pattern of lesson, 2 range visits, followed by round of golf will be repeated throughout the summer. I am hoping through focused practice in this manner, I will find some sort of success .

This brings me to my question:

What is the etiquette for using a courses putting or chipping greens. Is it a must that you play a round of golf? Or should the course at least be one that you frequently play? My dilemma is, I am playing less than "full service" facilities (Read: Cheap) while I advance my game above the embarrassing level which it currently resides. These courses do not offer driving ranges or even a putting green. The course that I frequent for its driving range, offers a small chipping/putting area near the clubhouse/1st tee. I would love to use it, but wanted to make sure I wasn't making a horrible faux pas.

Thank you for your insight!

Man, you're fine, the place I go to practice I've never even played the back 9, only the front 9 twice this weekend, but I've practiced multiple times.  If you really feel bad about it, buy a bucket and hack away at the range, then practice chipping and putting, that's what I do.  I know where you're coming from, I'm a fellow hacker, and am taking the lessons route, I figure it's better to shell out the cash on lessons, then on frustrating rounds that do nothing for you but make you angry.  Good luck in the future and I hope all goes well!

I would probably at least occasionally hit a bucket, but otherwise I don't feel odd about showing up and using the practice facilities.

It's probably worth asking first, though, as it's not unheard of for a course to restrict its practice facilities to paying players.  I've not come across that, as around here it's pretty much open at all the public courses, but I've heard of this elsewhere.

I've been wondering this same thing about the course close to my office.  One of the only practice facilities close to me and the route I take to and from work that has a grass range, so I love hitting a small bucket at lunch time.  But my putting has really struggled the last few rounds, so I wanted to hit the practice green 2 or 3 times a week for the next few weeks at lunch instead of hitting a bucket.  But I'm not sure if I can just drive up and walk onto the practice green for free, or if I should buy a small bucket, hit a few, and donate the rest before hitting the green.

I will probably take the above posters recommendation and just ask in the pro shop.  Hopefully there is no charge if I let them know that I often hit the range throughout the week.

Thank you all for the replies.

Hopefully if I am following all other rules/etiquette, I shouldn't be noticed nor cared about. The practice greens that I want to use are at the course that I frequently use for its driving range. So I guess I am not totally mooching off them...

Onto another question...

What are typical slow times of the week/day for golf courses. I want to play as often as possible this summer but hate when I show up during a busy time and end up feeling like I am slowing others down.

Again, thank you for all the insight!!

As long as it's a public course, there shouldn't be any problem using the practice facilities.  As a good gesture, though, it would be nice if you also played there during your non-practice days.  I've been going to the same driving range a few days every week, but I also play there twice a week.  Eventually they know your face and maybe even your name, and they'll just enjoy seeing your continued patronage.  It won't be a problem.

Slow times: Monday through Wednesday afternoons.  Find out the local "twilight" and/or "super twilight" rates at the courses you want to play.  These discounted rates typically begin at anywhere from 12PM to 4PM in the afternoon because that is when business slows down.  If you really want to have a true practice round instead of a scoring round (where you hit multiple shots and don't record the score for your handicap or bragging rights), then go a few hours before closing.  On Friday through Sunday, there may be more people on the course during these hours, but Monday through Wednesday, you may have at least a few holes to yourself.

Brandon

For me within the hour before the rates go down again it is usually pretty empty, I have a membership though so I do not have to worry about paying extra.  I am sure it varies from course to course though.  Twilight (After 5 PM) is usually pretty slow too.

Just an off the cuff follow-on to zeg's comment about asking: flip the situation around in your head, if a person who was trying to learn to play better came in and asked if you minded if they use your practice facilities while they get good enough to be a regular customer at a better course, like yours, what would you do? Realize that a potential customer learning to use your product/service better and more enjoyably is a heck of a thing to invest in and hand him a few free bucket tokens as thanks for asking and maybe even have the local pro stop by and offer a friendly tip, for a really happy, future customer.

In other words, it's in courses' financial interest to help their players get better and new players looking to get good enough to be regulars are gold. So, while I tend to be of the camp that gets it done now asks for forgiveness later, this is a case where I think talking to folks can only help and I'd apply it to your second question as well, i.e., just call the folks at your course and tell them you're learning and looking for the best time to play without impacting their rate of play (which will probably be weekday twilight rates, since there won't be groups behind you to slow down—being the last group can be a great time to learn if you've got light enough.)

Not sure what to tell you for times, but your paying to play golf too and no one should be making you feel like you have to rush. You can always let other play through and maybe learn a thing or two in the process by watching someone better.

if you want to support the course while you use their putting green...patronize the resturant/snack area

I sort of do that with my local course's practice greens. During the on golf season I pay a monthly membership for unlimited range balls, but during the off season (when I wouldn't show up to the range often enough to justify paying the membership) I show up and use the chipping/pitching green and putting green without buying a round or practice balls. From their perspective, it's probably, at least in part, a marketing opportunity since you're more likely to consider playing there if you go there to practice. And the wear you'll put on their greens is completely negligible given the number of people who use it.

Again, thank you all for the insight.

Tomorrow morning I have my first golf lesson. In the days following I will be using a combination of driving range and putting/chipping green to hopefully instill skills learned at lesson. I will then wait until Monday afternoon to play round of golf when the course is much slower.

I think the anxiety I have about golf situations stems from the "unapproachable" feel of golf courses I frequent (Although I am sure this is only blown out of proportion in my mind). Golf is portrayed as such a private game for the elite. Breaking into it has been tough. BUT, when you are a teacher and have 3 months to kill, it sure beats sitting around the house.

Any tips for getting the most out of my lesson? The instructor is video taping it for my review at home...

My wife had her first lesson a few weeks ago. The online review taping is great.  I have her practicing at home and I record her swings with the digital camera. This way we can go back and compare her progress from when she started. Looking at the two different videos is amazing. She sees her progress in slow motion and gets encouraged, not to mention that she sees the improvement in ball flight at the range. Get someone to record you, it's the only way to know if your reenforcing what you've learned.

I have found some courses feel a lot more approachable then others.  If you play in the afternoon after the starter has left and they don't force you to pair up then you should be fine.

it is true that he is a paying customer.  however, that does not mean he should take as much time as he wants and not learn to pick up when necessary.  its this mentality that leads to rounds that last more than 4.5 hrs.

to the OP:

go to a local muny.  dont even think twice about using their putting/chipping green and not asking/paying.  its not needed.

also, you would be shocked to see how bad the average player is on a local muny.  im better than the average guy and im terrible.

Had my first golf lesson today. The golf pro is just taking on his first students this spring, so I am receiving a heckuva discount. 1hr sessions for $30. I know some might say, "you get what you pay for". But I believe the alternative (me hacking the ball mindlessly), is far more negative.

I would say my experience today was very positive though. We started with basics of the short game. After explaining the chain of movement needed for a golf swing, I began to really understand the importance of club head lag. He believed the principals we were going over in regards to the short game, would translate wonderfully to the full swing with obvious and un-obvious modification. After hitting a half bucket of balls towards a few flags on the chipping/putting green, we went over to the driving range. Here we widened my stance, but used same fundamentals from chipping/pitching and did half swings with the sand wedge. Here I recognized the fundamentals of how and why a divot needs to be taken. When I finally looked at my watch, I noticed that he had stayed with me for a full 2 hours (only 1 hour paid for). Very impressed with the guy...

Only thing I wish I would have came away with, was "homework" for my own range work, and the video that I thought was included. Not having gone over full swing mechanics, he definitely left me hungry for more sessions. I am signing up for those immediately...

Anyways, I am off to practice some short game tomorrow. If I get chased off the course because I didn't pay for a round I will be coming back here furious!!