ever have a break through at the range?

[clearwaterms]

Yesterday while I was at the range, I was working mostly with my driver (which is the largest of several weaknesses in my game) and I was having trouble making solid contact, often times sending the ball way right (because it was hit off the heel) I tried lots of different things, and then I actively tried to quiet down my lower body during my back swing. After that it just worked. Granted, all of the shots were not great ones with the occasional slice in the mix, but i was making solid contact, and I was finishing with a proper pose, my finishing pose was perfect, I was able to finish the club behind my head, and could gently lift up my rear foot off the toe to indicate I had transfered all of my weight to the front foot. I am leaving the office early today and heading out to play in about an hour. I hope my range time transfers into better drives on the course. Stay tuned and I will report back.

[chilly]

I think every time I've gone to the range as a dedicated practice session, versus just pounding balls, I've had a "breakthrough". I'm early enough into the process that I can fix something every time I go. It's good to write it down so you can reference later.

Last time out, I realized that my right elbow has to stay connected or I'll get inconsistent with the driver especially. Tucked a glove under my right arm and instantly hit better shots, and consistent baby draws.

[Teklabz]

Does it count as a breakthrough is someone else gave me the tip? I was in California last week, Silicon Valley area in Santa Clara to be exact, for work. Thursday night, last night there, I had some early evening time to kill, and looked up the nearest driving range. Pruneridge or something. I hadn't brought my sticks, so was using their trashed ones out of the "loaner" barrel, which probably didn't help me at all, as the grips were worn away or cracked on most of them.

About half way through a large bucket, the guys in the stall next to me came over and one of them introduced himselfas Rob, a highschool golf coach near Yosemite. "You know, you'll hit a lost straighter if you tuck your right elbow and keep it as near your side as you can during your backswing." Turns out I have been "chicken-winging" it, probably the whole time I've been playing (almost a year). Sure enough, as soon as I started focusing on keeping that right elbow close to my body, my contact was clean and the flight path mostly straight or witha slight draw (I had been pushing them all right or slicing right as usual). Eureka!

These nice guys let me hit their clubs, and I fell in love with a Ping G5 23 deg. hybrid (my first time with one). Came home to Chicago and immediately bought a hybrid of my own! I guess that makes two breaktrhough moments!

[ApocG10]

This morning. First time on the range this year, after taking indoor lessons all winter. I already made a thread about it, but im super happy about my progress so far, and cant wait to hit my irons and wedges saturday to see how my swing carries over from my driver.

It was one of those moments where I realized that all the hard work and money I put into my game was paying off, making it all worth it. My swing is looking good, im not coming over the top anymore, and video shows im hitting the ball with a flat left wrist. I hit over 60 ProV1x's, and both my swing and carry distances were repeatable and satisfying.

[Mjohn]

I try new things every time I go. I always forget what I did the last time to make good shots!

[alf174]

Yes I have but I could use another one about now

[enis750]

i dont hit the range a whole bunch to be honest - find it boring .....
BUT i dot hit the practice green almost everyday and somedays, things just "click"
like chipping in from 60 yds (multiple times), or draining 20ft putts etc... - I like these days alot
it gives me huge confidence on my next round and i usually shoot super low

[clearwaterms]

i dont hit the range a whole bunch to be honest - find it boring .....

so yesterday I went out to the course with a ton of confidence. I was hitting the ball great at the range the day prior. So here is my round in a nuthsell.

It was by far the nicest day of the year in Chicago, the weather broke 80, and for the first time since Oct. I was playing golf in shorts. It was however very windy. The first hole is a tough hole to start on, 420 yard par 4, it is straight as an arrow and fairly wide, but it is also very long for a course that has no driving range to warm up on. However, I took all the swing thoughts that I had garnered the day before at the range and took a might crack at the ball. bad slice way left, the wind grabbed it and it ended up in the trees. I hit a provisional and that was at least in play (way left again and behind a tree, but playable all the same. My second shot was approx 190 yards from the green and behind a line of trees taking any hybrid and chance of making the green in 2 out of the equation. I decided to play it safe and lay up. I pulled from my bag my favorite club (the club with which I have the most confidence, my 6 iron) and I hit it left again. This time, I ended up about 70 yards away and behind a massive tree. I then missed the green with my wedge, chunked the following chip and proceeded to get up and down for an 8. The rest of the round got better, but I did not par a single hole. my driving became respectable towards the end of the round, on the 7th hole with a fierce wind at my back I hit a drive on a 350 yard hole that left me about 65 or 70 yards from the pin. On the 9th hole, I hit another big drive on a 340 yard hole that left me about 80 yards from the pin. I didn't keep score for the round, but had I done so, I imagine that I would have shot something like 52 or 53 on a course that I normally shot 45~48. I was really hoping with the warm weather and the new swing thoughts to go out and break the bogey golf score (I have shot several 45's, but never broken the 44 (+8) for the nine at that course. I also shot a 46 for my first round of the season two weeks ago, and felt that I was in position to shoot a better score because my driver was finally working (the club that I have always struggled quite a bit with)

[sean_miller]

I had two breakthroughs at the range yesterday. My Nickent driver and Nickent 4dx 2h (driver from the Sport Chek discount bin and hybrid from Play it Again Sports) are completely useless. I have to swing those mofos so slow to keep them straight it isn't even funny. Plus, when I do hit them okay, they sound and feel like garbage. No wonder they went belly up. I know it's probably the V2 shafts ("95+" in the driver and "Stiff" in the 2h) that were causing the snap hooks, but I'm really not a hybrid person anyway. I kept running through possible bag setups scenarios and none seemed likely. I liked the grips though.

[shortys408]

I had a breakthrough where I realized if I open my driver wayyy up at address and put my back foot's toe aligned with my front foots heal that I could hit a good drive. I know it is not fundamentally sound but I can reproduce it every time and carry 250 and go straight. Was considering getting a lesson so I wouldn't have to set up like this but than thought I shouldn't mess with a good thing.

[JetFan1983]

I've had breakthroughs at the range, but none that have ever stuck. My lasting breakthroughs have come on the course around and on the green. And from about 150ish yards out. I'm hoping for a driver breakthrough soon! I've got so much info rolling around in my head just reading about golf and not doing much playing- its time to put the books and pencils away and to just play the game now, working on the stuff I have been studying all winter.

[sean_miller]

. . . Nickent 4dx 2h . . . completely useless

I gave it another chance today - after hitting a few drivers off the deck (my old S2H2) - I think that helped. I don't hate it.

[ET-Taylor]

yes i first managed to hit a blade half decent at range but i also learned to hit players cavities well.

[jrobins86]

Is a breakthrough realizing you need a new driver? I've had major issues controlling a snap hook with my driver, so just for kicks I went inside and grabbed a couple new drivers to try out. Problem solved, I've never hit so many consistent, solid drives in my life. I feel bad "giving up" on my old driver, but if it means I don't have to tee off with a 3 iron all the time, I'm sold.

[The Recreational Golfer]

Almost every time I go out. They rarely last, though. For example, I'm a right to left player, but one day I was hitting the prettiest fades you ever saw, all through the bag. That was the first time I ever did it, and as it turned out, the last time.

[ericstamper]

breakthrough?? just about had a break down when I break checked Peyton Manning on I-465 on the way to the range.........I would have been the guy that caught the ball at the cubs game a few years back.....hahaha

[clearwaterms]

breakthrough?? just about had a break down when I break checked Peyton Manning on I-465 on the way to the range.........I would have been the guy that caught the ball at the cubs game a few years back.....hahaha

I am VERY lost, this post makes NO sense to me. Break and brake are not the same word, but past that, the content in this post makes NO sense. Sorry, I realize at times I have trouble selecting words to explain my thoughts thoroughly and completely, but this isn't even coherent.

[clearwaterms]

Almost every time I go out. They rarely last, though. For example, I'm a right to left player, but one day I was hitting the prettiest fades you ever saw, all through the bag. That was the first time I ever did it, and as it turned out, the last time.

I noticed this yesterday. Last wednesday i was at the range and was hitting the ball very well. I went to the course the next day very excited to have an excellent round. I was unfortinatly very dissappointed with my play. I wasn't able to hit the ball consistently at all, and as a result shot a round far worse that I am capable of (and have shot in the past at the very same course)

Yesterday I went back to the range for a review, and much to my excitement I was on point. I was striking the ball fantastically, I had good tempo, my drives were straight at my target line, my wedges were struck purely, and I was hitting my target accurately with everything from an 8 iron and in (approx. 130 yards) I felt as though I had another breakthrough. We will see this weekend if that breakthrough turns into anything solid on the golf course. Last year I played the same course that I am playing on saturday and shot my best round every (87 if memory serves, have to go find the score card) Typically I shoot around 93-97 on the same course. I feel as though with the few swing thoughts that I have from these last two range sessions I should be able to consistantly shoot in that high 80's golf. Stay tuned.