COVID-19 and Its Effect on Practice

[nevets88]

I think COVID may change the way people practice. I posted a thread (look below) awhile back of photos and videos of people practicing using their DIY stations, at home, or someplace they have access to that has nothing to do with golf.

Fast forward to the present and I am seeing so many people practicing at home with makeshift setups on my social feeds, I don't even bother to capture them and post to the thread anymore, it's not a novelty. You see huge beach towels, nets built for other purposes co-opted to catch golf balls, or no net, but a rubber golf ball, etc...

I don't know how exactly how practicing will look like say a year from now, but I think people will realize how much they can get done not at a range, with online lessons, video conferencing lessons and/or they may not have a choice given the economy. Also mass market radar/launch monitors are getting better and cheaper. On the other hand, things might go back to normal because humans are social, there is nothing that can simulate you seeing the complete ball flight, and golf is a culture where things aren't amenable or slow to change.

How social isolation can actually help *improve* your golf game

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You may be stuck inside, but when it comes to your golf swing, that may be a blessing in disguise that could help your game.

 

[boogielicious]

The only thing I like at the range is observing ball flight. I don’t film there anymore. I use my home setup for that.

[billchao]

I was practicing at home before it was cool 😉

[boogielicious]

14 hours ago, billchao said:

I was practicing at home before it was cool 😉

Trend setter!

[Edsland]

Im looking forward to practicing at the range because the chipping green allows my chip to roll. My backyard not so much. 

[Shindig]

I need to get a way to film at home, then I'll only need the range to see ballflight. 

[Edsland]

8 hours ago, Shindig said:

I need to get a way to film at home, then I'll only need the range to see ballflight. 

If you have an iPad it does a pretty good job of videoing golf swings. 

[xrayvizhen]

I have been practicing in my yard(s) since I was a kid. Originally with wiffle balls on our 1/4 acre lot and today with dense foam/sponge rubber balls or "Almost Golf" balls in my 1 acre backyard. To this day I actually blame my father for my flippy swing. Whenever he would see me take a proper divot he would yell at me out the window that I was "digging up the grass". He had slaved away for months trying to create a decent lawn after we moved into our house and he didn't want his kid constantly putting divots into it. He used to make me prop up the wiffle ball on top of the grass and have me sweep it off the ground and that's the way my swing developed.

These days, even before the virus situation, I actually prefer to experiment with swing changes in private in my yard then at a range to see if; (a) the changes actually work and (b) to groove my swing if they do.  I always keep a bucket with a mix of topsoil and grass seed handy and sprinkle some of it down afterwards on the divots I've made.

[snapfade]

I don't know any stats so this is just my opinion but I think at home practice items will have been a big seller after all of this. 

[Patch]

The only effect this virus has had on my daily practice routine is I'm not using any golf course practice areas. Very little grass areas too. 

I am still hitting balls every day off diy mats, in near by open areas. 

Yesterday, my dog, and I took 2 mile walk down a 20 yard (+/-) wide powerline road. I was hitting my 5i, hitting four balls at a time. I'd walk to the balls, find them and hit them down the road again. After a mile or so, we turned around and walked back to the truck. The idea was to keep the ball in the road way. 

Lost a few balls ob, and a lot of those were balls that took a bad bounce off the gravel/rock road surface. Started out with 8 balls, and finished up with 4. 

Putting and chipping I am doing at home. 

 

[Shindig]

14 hours ago, Edsland said:

If you have an iPad it does a pretty good job of videoing golf swings. 

I have a Surface and also an actual camera.  It's more getting far enough away from the mat to get what I need in frame.  

One of my "to do during quarantine" projects is to really document my at-home golf room.  I started when I was setting up a previous one at my previous house and never really finished.  

[FlyingAce]

I accidentally hit a ball out of my yard today and found it on the hiking trail behind my house. I doubt anyone would know what to do if they hear “fore” while hiking, but I yelled “fore” anyway...luckily no one was around.

[boogielicious]

7 hours ago, FlyingAce said:

I accidentally hit a ball out of my yard today and found it on the hiking trail behind my house. I doubt anyone would know what to do if they hear “fore” while hiking, but I yelled “fore” anyway...luckily no one was around.

Did you play it from there!😀

[FlyingAce]

4 hours ago, boogielicious said:

Did you play it from there!😀

I actually did practice chipping on my way back☺️ The bunkers at my club has dirt just like the ones behind my house anyway...

[FlyingAce]

UPS just delivered the mat! Yay!!  I was bored out of my mind so I didn’t wait for my husband to haul it to the backyard for me. Geez was that mat heavy! Already hit a few balls and it feels great to be swinging again!! Just need to figure out the correct tee height and I will be good to go!

Edited April 8, 2020 by FlyingAce

[nevets88]

I see not a few people are finding empty open fields not purposed for golf and bringing their shag bag and a mat. That's not unlike European golf course ranges where you pick up your own balls. This looks like a park of some sort, for example.

[nevets88]

Rukket backlogged on orders. Kind of obvious, you'd guess. Lots of people ordering nets. I bought mine like a year or more ago and it was just sitting there, so I got lucky.