Range v Course

[Billiam7]

Seems to be that I can crush the ball really well at the range. However when I get to the course it's a huge difference. I'm topping the ball, slicing like non other, just hitting terrible shots. Is it all in my head? I know it is. How or what can I do to solve that issue? Any help is gladly appreciated. 

[David in FL]

Yep, it’s in your head.  On the course, there’s a consequence to a bad shot.  There isn’t on the range.

Play more.   

[Vinsk]

3 minutes ago, Billiam7 said:

Seems to be that I can crush the ball really well at the range. However when I get to the course it's a huge difference. I'm topping the ball, slicing like non other, just hitting terrible shots. Is it all in my head? I know it is. How or what can I do to solve that issue? Any help is gladly appreciated. 

Nothing really compares to playing on a course. It’s whole different animal. Pressure, uneven lies, rough and of course you’re hitting a different shot constantly. What you can do is warm up on the range. Then envision your course. First hole. If it’s a driver then mark imaginary OB lines and play the hole. Keep changing your clubs as you would on the course.

[Piz]

It's the difference between practice and play.  The conditions are not the same.  It takes a while to figure that out.

[DrvFrShow]

You always have a do-over on the range. Not on the course.

[GOATee]

Turf interaction and slope are a big deal.  This is not present at the range.

[boogielicious]

56 minutes ago, GOATee said:

Turf interaction and slope are a big deal.  This is not present at the range.

Agree. The range can have perfect lies. Sometimes I sneak off to the side and try to find bad lies to work from or heavy rough.

[PerfectStriking]

No unfortunately, it's not in your head, and it sort of is, your ball striking is not consistent on the course because your swing is not perfect and simple and on the range your mind can compensate for this as you hit it again and again incorrectly in quick succession with your mind and body compensating with control. I was exactly the same for 20 years, I'm on the same journey, I'm starting to see how to get there. I will let you know if and how I ever get to achieve being a plus marker hitting nearly every shot the same swing and hitting nearly every green. I'm 49 (7 handicap now having averaged about 20 rounds a year for life) just stopped working a month ago forever (finally got the money together) and this is the first year of my life since school I have had time to do sports every day, and darn I'll die trying, because it's not about whether I can score in the low 60's or be a plus 5 marker, it's about hitting the darn ball perfectly every time, I'd walk off every green on the course without putting if I could hit every shot perfectly with the same pure swing and ball strike.

[Cantankerish]

12 hours ago, David in FL said:

Yep, it’s in your head.  On the course, there’s a consequence to a bad shot.  There isn’t on the range.

Play more.   

I am just now starting to see some tiny results of the advice I have been getting around here combined with 12 months of practice at the range and on the course.

Play more, lots more - and practice smart.

Edited April 26, 2019 by Cantankerish
Clarity

[LMoore]

If possible play with better players. The range doesn't tell you what to do with the ball above/below your feet. You probably won't use a divot on the range to gain confidence executing that shot. You aren't looking for rough on the range to see how the ball comes out.

I was very fortunate to play with very good players when I was in the 8-12 range. Their help was priceless.

[Chasing_Bogeys]

Caveat - take all this with a huge grain of salt (or many regular sized grains of salt), I suck and I'm fighting the same problem.

What I have done to try and improve this:

• I'm breaking my practice up into different parts. A - Slowed down swing mechanics. B - Full speed swing mechanics. In both of these I'm using the same club repeatedly. C1 - Then I do either hole simulation as someone above noted - there are several gps apps that you can look at a hole layout and tap around the screen to see different yardages to give you scenarios and track progress on the hole - my "game" for this part is that I've been taking 20 balls and seeing how many holes I can get onto the green with. I include recovery shots, pitching, chipping in this. OR C2 - I start with my 54Wedge and see how many clubs in a row I can hit "well" (your skill level defines well). Can I hit a good shot going up the bag from 54W to D? My best so far is getting to 6I (I suck). Pick targets to hit at. Change your orientation on the mat. Go through Pre Shot Routine for all the "C" practice. I often do it for all the "B" practice as well.
• Play more as mentioned above. I've already played more rounds in '19 than in '18. I put together a really nice round 2 weeks ago with some really solid ball striking. I try to take some notes after each round on what I did well and what I need to work on. It has also pushed me to really work on distance control inside 100yds (I'm MUCH better than I was in January - the LSW guide for this is GREAT!). It has pushed me to work on recovery shots (I now practice low punches with several clubs on the range to mimic having to hit under trees back into the fairway).
• Lastly, be honest with yourself. I hit a ton of balls on Wednesday night. The one that I keep thinking about is the flushed 5I that started just barely right and had the babiest of baby draws to it and carried barely over the top of the yardage marker that I wanted to carry barely over. God it was sweet!!!!!! There were 20+ AWFUL 5I throughout the practice session. I need to make sure that when I play and hit a bad 5I (and I'm going to) that I don't think "but I crushed it on the range!" No, I didn't. I pured ONE on the range. Just one. My game from the range to the course is actually fairly consistent given all the other variables (mentioned above, especially imperfect lies). 

Anyhow... this is too long, and there are much better players with much better plans around these boards. But this is what I'm using to try and practice better, get better, and bring the better to the course.

Cheers!

[Patch]

Make part of the range a skinny, make shift fairway. Use the flags, fencing, or anything else thats available. Make a corridor to keep your shots in . The narrower the better. 

Never use the whole width of the driving range as a satisfactory landing are

[NJpatbee]

I am a 16 HCP and was never a great golfer but I do go to the range 1 or 2 times per week to work on mechanics.  However, the best practice I get is by playing a couple of practice rounds solo.  I take multiple shots and intentionally will drop on sloped fairways and deep rough or try hero shots.  I lose quite a few balls but at my level I do not play expensive balls.  Of course when it counts for my handicap there is a bit more pressure but if I have been on the golf course my confidence level is way up.  

[Groucho Valentine]

5 hours ago, LMoore said:

If possible play with better players. The range doesn't tell you what to do with the ball above/below your feet. You probably won't use a divot on the range to gain confidence executing that shot. You aren't looking for rough on the range to see how the ball comes out.

I was very fortunate to play with very good players when I was in the 8-12 range. Their help was priceless.

I would also agree with this. Watching the habits and rhythm of better players improved my game alot when i was learning.  In some ways, just as much as focusing on swing mechanics. I learned how to play the game from some of those guys. Kinda like the "play golf instead of golf swing idea."

Whether I'm working on something or just warming up before a round, i dont care where the ball goes on the range. When im working on something, i usually exaggerate it, so you cant really gauge anything on that. Im looking for the feels as my feedback there. When im warming up, thats exactly what im doing. I sometimes dont even look up after i hit a ball. Just trying to get loose. Sometimes ill put some concentration into my last 5 balls or so to get a more precise feel of what my body is doing on that particular day. But thats about it. I usually hit the ball much better when i play than i do on the range. 😂

[mellison24]

I find that on the course, although I hit wayward shots, they are generally far fewer, or less drastic, than on the range. I usually hit it roughly where I want it to go or somewhere I can hit another shot.

I expect it’s an unconscious effect of changing club nearly every stroke and not getting the chance to do-over a shot, whereas on the range you end up changing swing subtly with every shot depending on your previous hit.

Hence it’s so important to focus on very particular aspects on the range, rather than simply hitting ball after ball.

But do I follow my own advice? Do I bollocks 😂

Edited April 26, 2019 by mellison24

[NZ Golfer]

I seem to do the polar opposite of my range pre-game play ... hit it poorly at the range then go out and hit the ball well(many times)  ... hit 90% of my range balls perfectly then like Billiam struggle on course esp at the start ... (so 100% mental)

For me, there are three major different parts of playing golf ...

Range/practice -No pressure ...so these days I'm trying to put more pressure mental ready trying to get into the mindset that each practice shot counts (after warm up blasting)

Solo Golf on the home course (or playing with mate that doesn't play much) >>> On average get my best scores ... eagles birdies etc here is where I get them first 90% of the time

Competition - play with 3x serious golfers on average least 2 will be lower HC players (for me currently--Mental much harder for me sometimes It takes me 4-6 holes just to get the nerves under control...playing much more hoping to get better but sadly seems to be going the other way currently 100% Mental !!!! .. must keep to my PSR basics forget the score just enjoy the game more

[mellison24]

4 minutes ago, NZ Golfer said:

I seem to do the polar opposite of my range pre-game play ... hit it poorly at the range then go out and hit the ball well(many times)  ... hit 90% of my range balls perfectly then like Billiam struggle on course esp at the start ... (so 100% mental)

For me, there are three major different parts of playing golf ...

Range/practice -No pressure ...so these days I'm trying to put more pressure mental ready trying to get into the mindset that each practice shot counts (after warm up blasting)

Solo Golf on the home course (or playing with mate that doesn't play much) >>> On average get my best scores ... eagles birdies etc here is where I get them first 90% of the time

Competition - play with 3x serious golfers on average least 2 will be lower HC players (for me currently--Mental much harder for me sometimes It takes me 4-6 holes just to get the nerves under control...playing much more hoping to get better but sadly seems to be going the other way currently 100% Mental !!!! .. must keep to my PSR basics forget the score just enjoy the game more

Bloody typical ain’t it?

[NZ Golfer]

25 minutes ago, mellison24 said:

Bloody typical ain’t it?

Yes .... I'm thinking I need to start a Golf diary .. after each round write down the good & bad what is working for me what I've done practice-wise etc...etc  I need to sort my issues quick smart or I'll never get to LOW HC 

 Been Golf MAD these last 6 weeks ...but now think it's just been too much and I need a break 

since 19th march after 6months of NIL Golf outside watching maybe a few rounds on TV (because of arm surgery) First game at my local after couple hours practice -93  (shouldn't have really played arm was still pretty sore)

then 18 hole rounds at PAR-72 course in order last 6wk - 84,84,83,85,90,93,100,89,77,89,79,84,95,95 

 

Edited April 27, 2019 by NZ Golfer