Driving Range Distances

[wernerd46]

So I hit the driving range frequently in between outings to help improve my game. Im getting much better off the tee with my driver, fairway woods are improving drastically, and my irons are starting to come around. Now Im trying to get distances down, on which club I need for each. So how much different is the distances on the range, vs on the course with a ball thats not "dead"? My dad tells me could probably tack on an additional 25-50 yards of distance. Would this be about accurate?

[Amofada]

Depends on the range balls, but with your average no brand range balls it's about a 10% difference

[shortys408]

maybe 25-50 with your driver. I wouldnt assume 25-50 for any club.

[alf174]

How deep is your range? Some of the shallow range's balls really knock down the yardages. With that said I don't even try look at the distance, I just try to work on accuracy and shape.

[goblue107501]

I wouldn't ever trust distances on a range. The balls are inconsistent and the distances are off. Unless you have a laser and can mark off distances and know the range uses real balls, go to the course to figure it out. It doesn't take much more than a calm wind, level ground, and no one around. Find a late afternoon when no one is playing and just drop some balls at different spots in the fairway and hit into a green (please repair any ballmarks) to track your distance. Once you get a few clubs dialed in, the rest will fill in the gaps.

[burnabao]

I know for a fact that a range I used to use had the distance markers at about 80% of their marked distance (i.e. the 100 yards sign was only 80 yards away) to try to neutralise the effect of the range balls, so it is bloody difficult to know what's happening. Also if I'm hitting at, say, a 150yd marker I can't honestly tell if I pitch at the sign, 10 yards before or ten yards after it. If you dial in your yardages on the course you're a) hitting off grass, which isn't always possible at a range, and b) doing it in a "real world" situation with your own balls, both of which have an effect on distance (IMHO).

[clearwaterms]

at the range that I frequent most i have noticed it pretty consistantly about 1 club short. My driver goes about 220 (3 wood distance) my 7 iron around 140~145 (8 iron distance)

[Rexx]

There are several considerations:

1. Properly marked distances
2. Non-"Reduced Flight" range balls
3. Condition of range balls (new(ish), clean, dry, etc)

If all of those are a check, then distances (carry distance) will be similar to using a "real" ball -- I would say no more than 5% either way.

[Randy4h]

Driving range distances are irrelevant. The only way to know your true distances is on the course, using your usual ball. A GPS or laser is invaluable for measuring your distances, but you can just as easily use sprinkler heads, which generally are measured to the center of the green.

Another thing to keep in mind is that, on a range, it is all too easy to overswing, because there is no penaly for a bad shot.

[Gebus]

May sound like a bit of an odd suggestion but I once bought one of those bargain bags of balls at Wal-Mart picked out the good ones and went to hit them at a range with my rangefinder. Its a bit on the expensive side but it works. I am lucky I have access to a driving range that uses PROV1s to get my distances.