I play good on the range, but when I come on the course...

[GolfLove]

The problem is that I (usually) don't play well on the course, but on the range I play perfectly. Does it happen only to me? How to fix it?

[Titleist_ProV1x]

The problem is that I (usually) don't play well on the course, but on the range I play perfectly. Does it happen only to me? How to fix it?

Do you practice on mats or grass at the range?

[GolfLove]

Do you practice on mats or grass at the range?

I practice on mats.

[deronsizemore]

Yeah, could be the range mats as they are a killer. I'll only hit on them if it's a last resort (during the winter months). They mask bad shots, so if you hit behind the ball at all on a mat, the club bounces off the mat and into the ball still allowing it to get airborne. On grass, if you hit behind it, you'll chunk it.

Could also be that you're adding additional pressure on yourself on the course to play well. On the range, there is no pressure because you can just drag another ball over and swing away. On the course, you have to play your misses.

[GolfLove]

Yeah, could be the range mats as they are a killer. I'll only hit on them if it's a last resort (during the winter months). They mask bad shots, so if you hit behind the ball at all on a mat, the club bounces off the mat and into the ball still allowing it to get airborne. On grass, if you hit behind it, you'll chunk it.

I don't think that's it, I don't feel that I'm hitting the mat before the ball on the range.... On the other hand, I do sometimes on the course hit it fat.... but not often enough to say that's the answer to the problem. It could be, but only partial.... Unfortunately on my driving range I can't play from the grass.

Another questions appears now - why am I hitting fat?

[motteler621]

yea also on the driving range you can play the shot over and over again. On the course you get one shot at it and then you are off to another club in another spot and only get one shot. On the range you can adjust to your shots faster by hitting over and over and you arent really aiming that hard compared to the course.

[GolfLove]

yea also on the driving range you can play the shot over and over again. On the course you get one shot at it and then you are off to another club in another spot and only get one shot. On the range you can adjust to your shots faster by hitting over and over and you arent really aiming that hard compared to the course.

You're saying I should try to hit every ball on the range like it's the only ball I got?

[motteler621]

lol, not unless you really want to. Its just an adjustment that will take time. You will probably hit differently on the range compared to on the course as you have noticed.

[GolfLove]

lol, not unless you really want to. Its just an adjustment that will take time. You will probably hit differently on the range compared to on the course as you have noticed.

Then what the hell should I do?

[motteler621]

practice on both the course and range and be concious they are not the same neccesarly. The range will help you with your shots but its not exactly the same as the course.

[Rexx]

You're saying I should try to hit every ball on the range like it's the only ball I got?

Actually, yeah... that's a good idea. But more like this... don't hit the same club twice in a row. You can either pretend like you're playing a "virtual" hole or just switch clubs randomly between shots. Take your practice swings and preshot routine between each shot. I wouldn't necessarily do this for every ball in the bucket (it would take forever). But there are times when you should practice "grooving" a swing and times when you want to see how well that "grooving" took hold. Maybe make it a 75/25 split or something like that. But, I'm not much of a range guy, so maybe others have better ideas.

[Shorty]

The problem is that I (usually) don't play well on the course, but on the range I play perfectly. Does it happen only to me? How to fix it?

You aren't playing when you are on the range. You are hitting golf balls. You aren't recovering from bad shots or making clutch shots. You might hit 5 shots every couple of minutes rather than one very 5 minutes. You can hit a good one immediately after hitting a poor one and erase the momory straight away. Also, mats make it almost impossible to hit a fat shot. You aren't comparing apples with apples.

[srjorion]

I agree with what Rexx said, try not hitting the same club in a row to simulate the course. Also, pick specific targets on the range and hit to them. Don't just swing away without aiming at something. Distance may be off on the range due to the balls, but directional control should be your main concern. Take your score card from your course if you don't know the course well enough to play from your head and start on hole one. Hit driver (or other club you would hit) and see how your shot goes. If you hit it well, simulate your next shot from the fairway to the green from a distance you would expect if you hit a solid drive on that hole for real. If you hit a bad shot you can simulate a longer shot to the green as if it's a penalty for hitting a first poor shot. If that shot goes well you can move on to the next hole as if you hit the green, otherwise you can play a short pitch to a small target to simulate trying to get up and down. The key is to make it as real as possible, trying to visulize the target and shot.

Also, if you really are a 34 handicap, don't spend a ton of time on the range. Get out and play more if you can, and get some lessons. I used to beat balls on the range, sometimes getting decent results, but all I was doing was solidifying a bad swing that didn't hold up to pressure on the course.

[GolfLove]

I agree with what Rexx said, try not hitting the same club in a row to simulate the course. Also, pick specific targets on the range and hit to them. Don't just swing away without aiming at something. Distance may be off on the range due to the balls, but directional control should be your main concern. Take your score card from your course if you don't know the course well enough to play from your head and start on hole one. Hit driver (or other club you would hit) and see how your shot goes. If you hit it well, simulate your next shot from the fairway to the green from a distance you would expect if you hit a solid drive on that hole for real. If you hit a bad shot you can simulate a longer shot to the green as if it's a penalty for hitting a first poor shot. If that shot goes well you can move on to the next hole as if you hit the green, otherwise you can play a short pitch to a small target to simulate trying to get up and down. The key is to make it as real as possible, trying to visulize the target and shot.

Thanks for the advice, I will try that.

I'm not actually sure what my handicap is, but I know I lowered it to about 34 or something like that. I try to play on a course every weekend

[nuck81]

Could be pressure. A foursome of jerks playing behind you can add a lot of heat. Especially when you hit a bad shot cause you just know they are talking smack about how the dude in front of them sucks and can't hit a ball lol. I hate having guys behind me and rush almost every time just to keep going so they don;t have to wait..

[tws1098]

As some others have said, play a virtual hole. I have started doing this. My fiance tells me a distance and I figure out what club i want to hit first. Then based on how that goes I hit my next shot, right down to my wedge (I always end up at least 40 yards away on those darn virtual holes)

[CUnEll]

I have never thought play “virtual” holes on the range. I try to use it to work on swing mechanics, practice my different shots like a few cuts and draws, and become more consistent. On days I have tournaments (high school) I use it to warm up and for feel. I start by pitching 40 yards to a green then working up through my clubs hitting 3-4 balls with each club. When the season started I was chunking all my iron shots, literally all. I hit buckets of ball with my irons and I eventually got the muscle memory back. Since you can hit on the range, it is all mental out on the course. Probably a stupid question but do you take a few practice swings or do you look at the fairway or flag and just hit? One thing that has really helped me is I step back and when I take practice swings I visualize exactly what I want to do (all about confidence!). Doesn’t always happen, like sticking it 3ft. from the pin, but definitely helped with contact. Probably some of these lower handicap players can speak to that.

Nuck81. Don’t ever, ever let somebody rush you. Let them through if necessary(I hate doing it) but take your time and enjoy some golf. I’m not saying take 10 minutes on a shot but don’t play at somebody else's pace if you can help it, it really pisses me off if I can’t play at a my pace.

[jdjanda]

Today at the range I hit my irons 90% of the time in the air with a nice flight, my drives were at least 50% in the fairway. I know when I play again it won't transition. When I do find the time to play I am excited to be playing and put pressure on myself to have a good match and to finally break 100. The pressure results in a bad round.

I am working on relaxing and enjoying the round, trying to remember that good and bad shots will happen. I either start well then fall apart or start pulling it together after the 12th hole. I just need to play more so I :(