Anyone Else Get Self-Conscious About Hitting at the Range?

[rehmwa]

No - I like the range.  And no matter how good or how bad I am, there will always forever be someone better or worse than I am.

Find a way to use it, or start wearing a headset.  Or a Speedo.....

either way

[CarlSpackler]

I can't say that I relate. At the range or the course, I tend to be in my own little world and impervious to things going on around me. I could care less if someone is watching me or picking their nose.If I notice that someone is beating themselves up over every  shot, I kinda feel sorry for them. First off, If they had a coach or trainer yelling at them like that, they would likely fire them on the spot. Secondly, I am not so concerned with the quality of shots on the range. I am focused on changing something or simply warming up.

Come to think of it, I in my own little world most of the time. 🤣

[tehuti]

On the range I am there to work out the kinks, so it doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing. Besides, I still hit the ball better on the range than on the course. I would rather have it the other way around.

[xrayvizhen]

Don't be intimidated! You paid for your bucket of balls and you have every right to work on whatever you want without feeling harassed or made to feel that you're involved in a competition.

I have found there are two different types of ranges that depending on the time of day attract two different types of people. First there are....ranges. Individual booths with hitting mats and rubber tees that tend to attract the less skilled during the day and guys with dates at night. It's the guys with the dates who are trying to impress the girls that tend to try to turn things into a competition with whoever's nearby and behave more or less like jerks. I try to avoid those places and times. Then there are practice ranges. These might be part of a driving range complex set off to the side where there's real grass you can hit off of or it's the kind of place that is a real practice facility -  with a large close cut fairway grass area that gets continuously reseeded. That's where I go whenever I need to really work on something. You won't find jerks there generally. It's for real golfers who need to practice.

True Story: I was at the local driving range in my town at night last summer and there were a bunch of high school or college age guys (I couldn't really tell) trying to impress their dates. They all sucked, mostly smacking wicked 150 yard slices. They were laughing and hooting at themselves as well as others on the line being generally obnoxious and I was stuck in the middle of these clowns. I'm 70 years old so I made like Uncle Drew (the Kyrie Irving movie). I hobbled up to the tee wheezing and coughing, bent over real slowly with my hand shaking to tee up the ball, used my driver as leverage to pull myself upright, took a couple of feeble old man type practice swings then proceeded to take a normal swing and started ripping 260 yard drives straight out, with a loud crack, the ball disappearing into the darkness, one right after another. (That's about as far as I can drive the ball these days.) I paid them no attention but I knew they were watching me because it got real quiet. After about 15 minutes of this they left, leaving a half a bucket of balls behind. That was the best time I ever had a driving range!

Edited May 24, 2019 by xrayvizhen

[billchao]

Why be self-conscious at the range? I'm not there to impress anyone. I'm there to warm up or practice, and occasionally hit some funky shots to have them in the bag in case I need them.

I don't pay any attention to others on the range and by extension I have no idea if they're paying attention to me.

[DrMJG]

While I normally can really tune out others at the range, today was quite impossible.  A man in his early 50s was trying to teach a young man, his son, how to swing a club.  Not only were his helpful hints not at all helpful (You name bad advice, it was given!), he told the young man he must follow it.  When he decided to demonstrate how to swing, the older gentleman hit the side right wall of his hitting bay, hit a ball 60' up and 10 yards out, or simply hit a ball 50' with wide slice (all using a driver). I cannot recall if the dad ever hit it well. The afore mentioned were but examples.

The profanity from dad's lips was something else. 

I had my son take professional lessons when he wanted to really learn to play.  Some things fathers should never teach their sons. 

Perhaps if this father were a bit more self-conscious (or self-aware), he should have done the same as I did.

It was so annoying (as he was loud and adamant), I ended up moving 7 hitting bays away.

Edited May 28, 2019 by DrMJG
spelling

[WillieT]

I find my range time not at all intimidating. My son typically goes with me and can easily drive the ball a good 30 yards farther.  Does not pain me, but rather we talk about life, how a particular shot went, where to maybe make a slight change.  I have gone by myself and spoken with other local golfers who are doing as i, just working on a part of their swing.  Often they will shank one and make a comment along the lines of how they screwed that one up and then just swing again. The other day I was at the end of my bucket of balls when a guy walks up to take a few swings.  He had bought a large bucket and politely offered me half the bucket as he said he would not need them.  I accepted the "free" balls and we struck up a polite conversation about our games, where we live and our lives in general.  He was about 15 years my junior and could smoke the ball. I would pause to watch his swing, admiring the rhythm of his drives and realized that he was just like me...an average Joe hitting a few balls.  In the end I made a friend, had some good conversation about golf and got to hit about 30 extra balls!  Oh and I love where I hit because it is real turf where you have to sand in the divots....

[phedrick]

I used to, yes.  However I now go with the attitude this is for me.  I do with the understanding I am going to the range for my own self improvement.  I do not watch what others are doing, and I assume the other people are concentrating on their own game.

[WillieT]

7 hours ago, WillieT said:

I find my range time not at all intimidating. My son typically goes with me and can easily drive the ball a good 30 yards farther.  Does not pain me, but rather we talk about life, how a particular shot went, where to maybe make a slight change.  I have gone by myself and spoken with other local golfers who are doing as i, just working on a part of their swing.  Often they will shank one and make a comment along the lines of how they screwed that one up and then just swing again. The other day I was at the end of my bucket of balls when a guy walks up to take a few swings.  He had bought a large bucket and politely offered me half the bucket as he said he would not need them.  I accepted the "free" balls and we struck up a polite conversation about our games, where we live and our lives in general.  He was about 15 years my junior and could smoke the ball. I would pause to watch his swing, admiring the rhythm of his drives and realized that he was just like me...an average Joe hitting a few balls.  In the end I made a friend, had some good conversation about golf and got to hit about 30 extra balls!  Oh and I love where I hit because it is real turf where you have to sand in the divots....

To add to my story - about a month back, I was at the range when the local high school team arrived.  Talk about wanting to feel intimidated, as I personally know a couple of the kids - who are very good in their own right.  I kept swinging, taking a moment or two to watch youth in action.  Toward the end I managed a few good drives to which they complimented me with "nice drive". It was a boost to my ego for sure, to which i promptly followed up that with a marvelous slice into the sideline trees.....which we all laughed about. 

[The Flush]

For some reason I am a little self conscious about slow and specific practicing at the range and taking video, but not about just hitting balls.

[Bonvivant]

As a hack that plays with blade irons, I know everyone is looking at me going "WTF does that guy think hes doing?". You know what I do? Put in earbuds, and keep hitting shots the way I always do. If someone approaches me about my clubs, I just tell them that I have been playing with them my whole life, and if they don't like it they can go somewhere else/don't watch. I have thought of asking if they would pay for a full fitting for me when it is really bad, but I bite my tongue on that one.🤣

If people watching is that much of a problem on the range, I can't imagine how much pressure you feel on the first tee with people behind you.

[downbylaw11]

if you're working on drills, i know it's hard, but you shouldn't really care about the results of the shot because it's more about getting the movements down.  so it's a good excuse to hit bad shots, but I get where youre coming from.  That being said, I'm the type of person that will walk in and pick the first mat I see in the middle of the range just so i can force myself to get over the anxiety of hitting in front of a bunch of people which will make you a better golfer. 

[freshmanUTA]

I used to, then my pro told me this quote: “The master has failed more times than the student has even tried” and reminded me of how many horrible shots players like tiger woods had to hit in able to fine tune his swing.

Besides, the range is for practice yes but it’s also about having fun. If you’re not having fun, you’re going about it the wrong way. Try some shots you’ve always wanted to master. Try stinging the ball 5 feet off the ground but it flies like 160 in the air. Try hitting massive hooks and slices but also hitting high and low ones as well. Just have fun man, soon enough you’ll forget anyone else is even around.

[chilepepper]

At one time, early on, I was a bit self conscious at the range or 1st Tee. It went away with time. Go enough and you will get over yourself.