I hit it so much better at the range..

[kekoa]

Anybody else in the same boat? I can stripe the ball 9/10 times at the range. At the course, I'm much less consistent. It is very frustrating. I truly believe the only way to get better is to play. The range really only helps with getting comfy over the ball and working on contact....

Am I totally off here?

[Saks]

I agree. Another theory I have come up with is how different the range balls fly compared to normal. At the range with crappy range balls and driver I hit anything from dead straight to a nice fade with my normal swing. As soon as I hit a titleist on the course, It is a fade bordering on a slice. Is this due to the extra spin qualities of the pro v compared to the range balls?

[Steaksauce]

I usually only go to the range when there's really something I need to work on or else I'm just beating balls and most likely making my swing worse due to lack of focus. Playing and competeing against people (even if it's only for $1 a round) tends to help me to execute the best shots I can. Unfortunately playing can often cost a lot more than the range

[Rusterson]

Who doesn't hit better off matts?

[Saks]

  Rusterson said:

Who doesn't hit better off matts?

There is that too! Doesn't effect the driver though...

Luckily the mats we have here have like a longer softer material in the hitting zone. If you hit behind the ball it takes so much out of your shots. Tends to make me "pick" the ball a bit more than I do on grass, instead of hitting down more.

[mrobbie]

I actually like the suggestion above - play for $$$. That is a sure way of making you focus!

At a course I used to play regularly there were always these group of guys on the practice putting green on a Saturday afternoon (presumably after there morning 18 holes) who would spend hours having a putting contest to decide who bought the next round in the clubhouse - that is a def way to focus the mind on making crucial shots!

[cottonseed]

I find that when I am at the range I take aim for dead straight straight ahead of me. For me alignment for straight shots is easier than angled shots. So when I get out on the course if I am hitting a shot that feels 'angled' (especially off the tee) I make sure I take my time and really line up correctly in order to hit the best shot. Same goes for sidehill lies. the range is conducive for aiming straight and flat lies. Not so on the course.

[Borf]

kekoa, i guarentee this will help you!
heres what you need to do and heres what you need:
a notebook and pencil

while at the range sometime, be aware of your thoughts!

armed with the notebook and pencil in your pocket, when you hit a few good shots, take out the pencil and write down what you were feeling/thinking

then put the book back in your pocket

Step on the first tee, take out your book, read those thoughts and then hit

Try this, you will not be dissapointed!

post again if you have tryed this and how it worked out please!

[kekoa]

  Borf said:

kekoa, i guarentee this will help you!

Hmm.. that may just work. To be honest, at the range, sometimes I'm not thinking of much at all and maybe thats why i hit it so well. last night at the range, i put a cardboard box down with the ball about 5 inches away and tried hitting the ball w/out hitting the cardboard. WOW, that worked amazing.

I'm playing this weekend so i'll try to give your advice a shot. thanks

[wolverine318]

I firmly beleive 90% of it is in your head. There is no pressure on a range. There is no water hazard on the right, there is no O.B. left. You dont need to thread the 3 wood through some trees to get it to the green. Its nothing. Its open space. There is no score. There are no penalties. You hit a bad shot, you get another ball. A bad range shot doesnt effect anything.

[Borf]

One more thing to add....try reading what you have written everytime you feel down or everytime you remember, or once a hole, or everyshot

take your pick, try one and see what happens!!

If you really think about it, the range is no different that the course, all YOU can control is hitting your golf ball, something you are doing on the range, and then you will go to the course to do the same thing

all the best!

[x-forged]

  wolverine318 said:

I firmly beleive 90% of it is in your head. There is no pressure on a range. There is no water hazard on the right, there is no O.B. left. You dont need to thread the 3 wood through some trees to get it to the green. Its nothing. Its open space. There is no score. There are no penalties. You hit a bad shot, you get another ball. A bad range shot doesnt effect anything.

completely agree. Its like playing a practice round for fun one day and then having a tournament the next day, two totally different situations mentally. "Theres golf, and then theres championship golf". The range has no dangers, no risks, and no rewards. Whereas the course has the dangers, the risks, and the rewards all at stake. Its all mental, buddy, you'll learn to handle it eventually. overtime you will get better at controlling your mental game. Im still working on it, and I have been since the first time I swung a club.

[SubPar]

  wolverine318 said:

I firmly beleive 90% of it is in your head.

Quite true.

It has been said (by Mo Norman I think) that the longest distance in golf is between the practice tee and the first tee. Several reasons why most people hit better at the range... 1) there is nothing at stake, so you are relaxed and swinging more freely. 2) you spend a lot of time hitting the same club over and over. You get in a 'groove'. 3) if you hit off mats they can give you a false reading on your ball striking. To improve your practice sessions, imagine you are playing a known course. Hit your "tee shot" then pick a target that would be the green, estimate what club you would hit and hit that one. Work your way around all 18 holes. Take a little time between shots. Don't just drag and hit, drag and hit. Develop a pre-shot routine... stand behind the ball, check alignment, address the ball...etc. When hitting off mats pay attention to your ball striking. Be aware of hitting a little fat or thin, regardless of how well the shot works out. Know the exact distances at the range. A lot of ranges have markers that are 10-20 yards off. If you hit good shots to various yardages at the range, recall that image when on the course. I practice a lot to 40, 60, 75, 100 and 120 markers with great sucess at the range. When faced with a similar yardage on the course, it sometimes helps to calm me down to visualize myself hitting to one of those. SubPar

[ArjunGFX]

I'm the other way... for me being on the course is a lot more motivating and I tend to hit the ball better when I'm more focused on getting around the course.

On the range I don't feel enough focus, and I tire myself out.

I do always hit the range playing, more to get stretched out though. If I hit a few solid shots, I'm out... don't want to tire my swing out.

[DDBowdoin]

I'd have to agree with arjun, I lose focus at the range because there's just a lack of targets and the wide open field doesnt put me in the mindset of threading a shot under a tree or whatever is needed.

It's great to just work on my driver but I'll rarely hit many irons, esp considering my range is artificial

[nykfan4life]

we all do my friend, we all do.

[Bogey_Boy44]

Luckily, my range here in CT. has real grass tee boxes when the weather is nice, so it is much more realistic.......But we all (hackers) have the same issue, we all hit well off the mats.

[x-forged]

  ArjunGFX said:

I'm the other way... for me being on the course is a lot more motivating and I tend to hit the ball better when I'm more focused on getting around the course.

good point, i think many golfers do lose focus at the range, I know I do. I can relate to the course being a lot more motivating as well. sometimes Ill hit the ball better on the course, but when im

focused at the range and know what I have to work on, then I will benefit from it and not just beat the ball till im tired.