Stay away from the range

[Doctorfro]

Played great Sunday. Went to the driving range today and couldn't find that swing. I hit it OK but balls were fading on me. Figured it out by the end (I think) but I couldn't hit driver to save my life. Fades and even a slice. Then I would over correct (or cast) and hit a pull hook. I'm starting to think that I just need to stay away from the range because mentally it's screwing me up. I play better when I just jump out on the course and play. Anybody else like that??

[Hustle]

Played great Sunday. Went to the driving range today and couldn't find that swing. I hit it OK but balls were fading on me. Figured it out by the end (I think) but I couldn't hit driver to save my life. Fades and even a slice. Then I would over correct (or cast) and hit a pull hook. I'm starting to think that I just need to stay away from the range because mentally it's screwing me up. I play better when I just jump out on the course and play. Anybody else like that??

I think alot of it has to do with the simple fact that there is just way too much green in front of you. Alot of people I notice go to a range and just swing at balls. Remember to always zone in on a target and take 75% of the range out of play.

[r7 425]

I avoid hitting off of mats...Mats kill your irons game..especially me because i am a digger

[tm22721]

Golf range a total waste of time and I have my own 300 yard range in the backyard.

I play 9 every day so why would I want to beat golf balls.

[x-forged]

the only reason i go to the range is to lay down clubs toward the target line and practice my alignment, thats it and thats all.

[Craig Mac]

I like to range it up every now and then. I see a lot of people out there just beating balls and getting nowhere. The other day the guy next to me rolls up 10 mins after me, imediately pulls out driver and hits about 30 of them maybe catching 2 or 3 good ones. He didn't hit any 3/4 or 1/2 shots and maybe hit 3 different clubs(driver, 5 iron, 8 iron, then more drivers). When he finished 15 mins before me he was breathin' heavy and sweatin'. I couldn't get anything out of doing something like that, if I am pressed for time, I would rather just hit fewer balls.

[MrKadash]

Sole purpose is to enhance my ball striking, especially if I've been off two rounds in a row. I put a 2 ft. line of turf paint and put the range balls on the line and concentrate on hitting the ball first, making sure my divots are to the left of the line (after the strike). Otherwise, I hit 20 balls to loosen up.

[atrapasuenos]

Played great Sunday. Went to the driving range today and couldn't find that swing. I hit it OK but balls were fading on me. Figured it out by the end (I think) but I couldn't hit driver to save my life. Fades and even a slice. Then I would over correct (or cast) and hit a pull hook. I'm starting to think that I just need to stay away from the range because mentally it's screwing me up. I play better when I just jump out on the course and play. Anybody else like that??

I agree with you. I avoid going to the range. Because the matts are so hard that with my irons I hook all my shots but with long irons, wood and driver its a slice and this as you say it affects me mentally.

When I go to the course I only hit 30 balls to warm up and then I go to play. Regards.

[nykfan4life]

I am getting and izzo net in my house- no more wasting money...

[joseywales]

I have found that if I hit the range too much early in the year, I tend to get bored and my swing starts to get worse. I like to go out when nobody is out there and play about 4 or 5 balls and try all kinds of shots until I get my feel back. Especially for my short game. I like to find the hardest up and down with the current pin placement and see how close I can get it with several balls.

[larlev]

I pretend I am playing a round, just w/o the putts. Keeps some of the pressure on.

I even keep track of fairways hit, GIR....it keeps it fun and challenging

[Doctorfro]

OK. Got my head back together. I went back to the range after dinner to try a couple things and I was hitting it better though not great. We don't have mats and I don't mindlessly beat balls into big open space. I pick targets and lines and work on tempo, stuff like that. Hit driver well which was a surprise. Made one small adjustment by standing farther away from the ball and it was amazing. My wedge shots were poor though which is frustrating because that used to be my strong suit.

A couple of things are coming into play that I can see. First, my back gets tired and I think that is a huge factor into why my range game suffers. On the course there are a few minutes between shots. On the range there are multiple shots per minute sometimes. Second, if I hit a poor shot with a particular club, I keep hitting it trying to get it right. That's not how I play on the course either. After hitting a few poor shots then I start making too many adjustments (mental) and things get worse.

So I think, anymore, I will use the range to simply get warm before a round or fill the gap between rounds with just a few shots. At my age, I'm probably not going to get much better but I could get worse. Status quo is good.

[marpr]

The range is a great way to practice certain things. Drivers and tee'd up woods are great at on mats. But with irons, stay away from the mats!

In my opinion (as is many others) you need to be able to take a divot in order to hit some/most irons shots (at least mid to short).

[andre112]

mats are too hard.
my elbows hurt after a few range sessions.
i might only practice tee shots from now on.
practice on putting/chipping green are way more beneficial, i believe.

[Brooklyn]

I always feel pretty good about myself after the range... then i go play and do nothing like i did on the range for the first few holes...

I think the best thing is to hit half a bucket before you play and then spend 10 mins or so chipping... But unless im working on something i stray from just going to the range.

[sonicblue]

The Vision54 authors constantly refer to the "scrape and hit" range session. Completely worthless, and what most golfers so when they go. I rarely go to the range b/c I will often do the same thing, though I do tend to concentrate better than I used to. In the end, it's just still way too hard to get "whole shot" feedback at the range because of the expanse. You can pull all your drives 30 yards left but convince yourself it's not that bad, until you get to the course, and 30 yards left leaves you a dozen balls short when you get back to your car!

[DavidFehertysBike]

Im much different. I take every oppertunity I can to go to the range or chipping green. The range is a great place to experiment with different things and to practice particular shots that you may want to use. Ive been trying to hit a low hook/draw for getting out of trouble, or for a left pin with strong winds, for the last few weeks now. Its much harder when you try to do it..lol.

[ThereIsNoBall]

I've noticed that a lot of the folks recommending avoiding the range are (IMHO) much more accomplished golfers. From a newer golfer's perspective, for someone who still trying to build a consistent golf swing and make clean contact with the ball, there's no better place to go than the range. The consistent conditions (notice I don't say "perfect"...) can take away many of the variables that can confuse and confound someone still exploring their mechanics.

That said, how you practice is important and many tips have been posted. Don't just "beat balls". Mix up the clubs, always hit to a target, and swing with a peace of mind knowing that you're not holding up the guys (or gals) behind you!

-TiNB

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"Do not try to hit the ball; that's impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth."
"What truth?"
"There Is No Ball."
- Zen Golf Master to Disciple