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Taking it to the course


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I have been playing golf now for about 2 years but only very seriously until about 5 months ago. I go to the driving/practice range about 4 times a week and play about twice per month on average.

My problem/challenge is that I have little to no consistency in my shots and thus my scores. I have been told that I have a nice swing and when at the range I hit a slight fade. I go through a basket of about a 150 balls, feel great afterwards and can't wait to go to the golf course and put it to use. Yet when I get there I still top the ball occasionally, I start pulling my drives, and I generally hit some pretty sh*#y shots.

I usually shoot around a 100 and haven't been able to break 95 ever. My lowest score to date is a 99.

The thing is I have a great driving range game, I just can't take it to the course. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can play a better round of golf?

Cheers and thanks for any advice
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Please describe your range routine. Are you just hitting driver after driver? Do you mix it up? Are you thinking of mechanics at the range or just trusting your swing?

Without knowing your range routine, I can suggest the following:
* Use a pre-shot routine every few shots, or even every shot, at the range. You might hit fewer balls, but this way, when you do a pre-shot routine on the course, it feels natural.
* "Play" the course at the range. Picture the first hole, hit a drive. Hit second shot, etc, until you're on the green. Repeat for the next few holes.

-- Michael | My swing! 

"You think you're Jim Furyk. That's why your phone is never charged." - message from my mother

Driver:  Titleist 915D2.  4-wood:  Titleist 917F2.  Titleist TS2 19 degree hybrid.  Another hybrid in here too.  Irons 5-U, Ping G400.  Wedges negotiable (currently 54 degree Cleveland, 58 degree Titleist) Edel putter. 

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Play "a round of golf" on the range. Pick a course and imagine that you are on the first tee and hit a drive. Then decide what your next shot would be and hit that. If it looks like you would have been 25 yards short then hit a pitch shot.

Of course there are no trees, no rough, no bunkers, you can't putt, etc. But pay close attention to what those results are vs. what you typically experience on the course. This can then be your guide as you decide where the problem really is. Maybe you do hit the ball worse on the course. Or maybe it is course management or maybe even short game.

But first find out if you really do hit the ball better on the range (but in this case you won't be hitting your 35th straight driver).

dave

In The Bag:
- Wishon 949MC 10.5* Driver
- Wishon 525 F/D 3W
- Wishon 515 949MC 5W
- Wishon 60* Cx Micro LW- Wishon 550M SW (55*)- Wishon 550M GW bent to 50* - Wishon 550C 6i - 9i (9i bent to 45*)- Wishon 321Li 3i/4i/5i hybrids- Odyssey Two Ball Putter

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I have the same problem. The range gave diminishing returns once I got past the basics. Now I go to the course every afternoon after work and play 9 holes for practice. The exercise doesn't hurt either.
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When you are at the range, are you picking targets or just wacking away? I found that I'm much more consistent on the course when I practice like I'm playing a full 18. Sometimes I grab a scorecard and pretend I'm playing each hole. Driver, then long iron/hybrid and depending on the hole, mid iron and/or wedge. Rinse and repeat.


I also stopped hitting off the mats and started practicing on grass only. That's my practice routine, it makes it fun and I've definately seen an improvement in my scores. I also have been working on my short game a lot lately too.
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Also, are you hitting off the matts? Hitting off of Turf Matts is much much easier then hitting it off grass. Going off the matts takes a simple easy sweep, but on the course it takes a bit more than that to hit it off the grass.
In My Bag

Driver: Sasquatch 460 9.5°
3 Wood: Laser 3 Wood 15°
5 Wood: r7 19° (Stiff)Irons: S58 Irons 4-PW Orange DotWedge: Harmonized 60°Wedge: Z TP 54°Putter: Tiffany 34"Balls: Pro V1 Shoes: Adidas Tour 360 IIThe Meadows Golf Coursewww.themeadowsgc.comAge: 16
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My typical range routine as of lately:

Start of with a PW and hit a few just to loosen up. The I tell myself hit three with the wedge and aim for the same spot every time with the same swing. I then move up through all of my clubs this way hitting three to the same place with the same swing. If I miss hit a ball I start over again with that club and make sure I have hit three good shots. Obviously I hit them further as the club gets longer, I'm not hitting my 4 iron 85 yards. After I have done this I then get into my longer clubs Driver and rescue/hybrid. I do the same with these clubs but I tend to hit a few more than three somewhere in the area of 7 to 10 good drives. After that is complete I finish off with my wedges PW, Gap W, SW, and LW.

As for playing a course at the range I have tried to do this but I do find it a little difficult. I live in Taiwan and most if not all of the courses here are on the side of a mountain. The courses are rarely if ever flat. This makes things much more difficult when it comes to practicing. Many of the players here tend to get a lot of side hill lies, ball below the feet, and above the feet.

Cheers thanks again for any replies
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My typical range routine as of lately:

Try to focus on feel when warming up, don't spend signifcant time on whatever technical issues you have been addressing. That and on course practice if feasible for the non flat lies.

1W Cleveland LauncherComp 10.5, 3W Touredge Exotics 15 deg.,FY Wilson 19.5 degree
4 and 5H, 6I-GW Callaway Razr, SW, LW Cleveland Cg-14, Putter Taylor Made Suzuka, Ball, Srixon XV Yellow

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Is there a way to practice for non flat lies at driving ranges that are all flat? If anyone knows of ways to practice for this please let me know.

Cheers
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It sounds stupid, but the fact is that you are taking the game way too seriously. Unless you make your living playing (or play at a very high amatuer level), just forget about your score and enjoy the experience.

Don't get me wrong, I work on improving my game b/c of the fact that I love the challenge -- but I really don't beat myself up anymore if I make a double bogey here and there.

"Getting paired with you is the equivalent to a two-stroke penalty to your playing competitors"  -- Sean O'Hair to Rory Sabbatini (Zurich Classic, 2011)

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....you can't putt....

I need to "play 18" on my range, and every 3rd or 4th shot just pull out the putter and tap one off the edge of the tee area and see how long it takes someone to say something

...the world is full of people happy to tell you that your dreams are unrealistic, that you don't have the talent to realize them. - Bob Rotella

Driver - Taylormade R1.
Fairway - Taylormade R9 15º.
Hybrid - A3OS 3 Hybrid.

Irons - Cast CCI 4-AW.

Wedge - SV Tour 56º wedge.

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I'd bet the bank that your short game is horrendous. Work on that more.

Most players of your caliber are too busy hitting 3 irons on the range rather than working on pitching/chipping/putting where you spend the majority of your shots.

In my bag:

Driver: SQ 9.5, Graphite Stiff Shaft
3 Wood: Diablo 13 degree, Stiff Shaft
2 Hybrid: SQ 18 degree, Steel Stiff ShaftIrons: MP-30, 3-PWSW: 56* Vokey Copper spin-milledFW 52* VokeyFlat Stick Zing 2Ball: Pro V1x

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Roalex, if you are serious don't hit off turf matts.

I would suggest hitting a 8 iron only off grass...not just full swings either, try to hit 1/2 shots and 3/4 shots.

learn solid contact

also on chips and pitches swing at 50% to learn feel and solid contact.

obviously putting is the other HALF of the game, i can't offer any good tips since my putting is average. My hcap is strickly ball striking and very good driving. i work on putting but can't seem to be consistent.

In the Bag...Ping Hoofer

3dx Tour Square - UST V2 HMOI X Flex
3dx 15* - X flex
Baffler DWS 20* Aldila NV Stiff 4-GW 600XC Forged Irons- S Flex 55* SW - Burner XD 60* LW - Burner XD Craz E Putter <----ProV1x---> Pellet

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Roalex, if you are serious don't hit off turf matts.

Thanks for this advice. This sounds like something I can actually do and make it work.

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Hi Alex

This may sound stupid but can you move the mats?

Perhaps putting a block of wood or even your golf bag under the mats to produce a hill-side lie might be feasible?

Just a thought

Dominic
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Is there a way to practice for non flat lies at driving ranges that are all flat? If anyone knows of ways to practice for this please let me know.

http://www.hillshotgolf.com/ I have no idea if they will ship to Taiwan, but they were on The Golf Channel Show "Fore Inventors Only" and the product received rave reviews.
Callaway FT-9 Tour I-mix 9.5° Driver (Fujikura Zcom Pro 65 stiff)
Mizuno F-50 15° 3w (Exsar FS2 stiff)
Bridgestone J36 19° Hybrid (Aldila VS Proto 80 stiff)
Adams Idea Pro 23° Hybrid (Aldila VS Proto 80 stiff)
Adams Idea Pro Forged 5-pw Irons (DG Black Gold stiff)Nike SV Tour Black Satin...
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Just relax and have fun out there.

In my bag:

Driver: SQ 9.5, Graphite Stiff Shaft
3 Wood: Diablo 13 degree, Stiff Shaft
2 Hybrid: SQ 18 degree, Steel Stiff ShaftIrons: MP-30, 3-PWSW: 56* Vokey Copper spin-milledFW 52* VokeyFlat Stick Zing 2Ball: Pro V1x

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Note: This thread is 5865 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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