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

[The Road Dog]

srjorion, had it correct I think. Practice playing a course. Right down to the different club for each shot. I will add one thing, step away from the mat after every shot. I realize some will say this makes the practice a lot longer. But what are you trying to do hit a lot of balls in a short time or get better? It may take you two hours simulating an 18 hole round or you may only get thru 9. The thing is you will get experience lining up to hit a ball at a specifc target a set distance away. using a selected club. If you can do this at the range it will translate to the course. After all on the course you walk up to the ball evaluate the lie and the distance needed, select a club, line up and hit it. Practice doing it over and over at a target on the range. If you find it difficult to hit good shots you may need more practice just stroking the ball, so maybe every other range session is devoted to hitting specific clubs a set distance. The key is to practice what you want to be good at doing.

[Titleist_ProV1x]

I practice on mats.

ok no problem, but if you can pratice on grass it will help make you more confident on the course, in the mean time on the course " RELAX " take your time, slow smooth swing and beat the living

outta that ball

[kennay92]

its because on the range, the ball your hitting means absolutly nothing, your just hitting it to hit it. On the course, every single shot means something. Ive learned it, kinda the hard way. So when your on the range play a game with your self, or someone next to you. Pick a flag, a tree, a spot on the range, anythin to hit to and have a contest with yourself or somebody to hit the closest to it. Set up every shot with a routine youd use on the course. This contest puts the pressure on you just the same as you would have on the course. Also dont always have the aim spot right straight in front of you. Move around totally across the range. Give yourself the same angles youd have to use on the course. You cant practice good to get good without practicing howd you play on the course. Practice with pressure, play with pressure.

[avguy]

This thread proves that golf is more mental than physical. If one can actually make solid contact, get good aerial ball flight off grass at a range (that's me! ), and then proceed to course play and hit wimpy thin shots with the same clubs - it's a psych case!

For myself, I play the game seeking a decent day outdoors, an alternative to my less accessible (but more liked ) hobbies of fishing, hiking, and mtn.biking. For the golf day to be good, I don't need to beat anyone on the scorecard or shoot par, my day is greater with more solidly hit shots. I'm certain my esteem in golf rides on the proportion of squared hit shots. Landing the ball correctly and scoring would just be gravy on this all, a surprisingly positive side effect.

With that, I join the thread author in range-to-course play frustration. I am a literal "bucket of nerves" on most any course, especially around others. If I could hit the same percentage of solid shots range vs. course ( it might be inverse 4 me, 75 to 25 percent!), I'd think of golfing more with others. Now, I need to go out in the summer heat here in the desert when nobody else is around. No pressures, no one watching my drives. Better chance to not fall apart. When I play a round, my nerves shake me so severely, It shoots up my metabolism into the clouds and I need to start eating energy bars and the like to prevent physical collapse.

I am hugely more tense on a course compared to the range. I tend to hit thin fades and pushes, and my chronic back pain issues are common there. I think the higher percentage of nicely hit range balls are what keep me in this game. They keep me reading (mostly) and sometimes posting here. That shouldn't be what the game of golf is about, but at least I get some satisfaction in part of it. I could not phantom playing weekly w/o any range practice, should that advice follow. cheers to range junkies!

[GolfLove]

Thanks everyone for the tips, I hope I'll get better on the course now...

[soloredd]

What has helped me is that when I go to the range, I find a specific target (usually a marker or flag) and I try like hell to make perfect swings and get the ball next to those flags. For me, it's fun, especially when it is 150 on in. I absolutely love hitting my scoring irons and wedges.

[Stu.C]

Then what the hell should I do?

I am the same, I hit the ball sweet when I'm off the mats then have trouble on the course. I saw a suggestion for playing off mats that may help you, especially as you said that you sometimes hit the ball fat. Lay a towel down on the mat a couple of inches behind the ball. I guess the theory is that if you catch the towel first then, on the course this would be a fat shot. Taking this one step further I wonder if you could try sticking a line of masking tape on the mat and playing your balls in front of it?

[Zeph]

Start taking lessons.

[Stu.C]

I am the same, I hit the ball sweet when I'm off the mats then have trouble on the course. I saw a suggestion for playing off mats that may help you, especially as you said that you sometimes hit the ball fat. Lay a towel down on the mat a couple of inches behind the ball. I guess the theory is that if you catch the towel first then, on the course this would be a fat shot. Taking this one step further I wonder if you could try sticking a line of masking tape on the mat and playing your balls in front of it?

Taking it one step even further; Stick a line of tape down at right-angles to your target line, place your ball down next to the forward edge. Now hit your ball with an iron, if you can get the ball away cleanly and without tearing the tape, then you are hitting down on the ball before you are hitting the mat. The perfect shot!

[PingGKEN]

I spent all winter taking lessons and practicing on mats. Went out to play a round yesterday and the grass was playing mind tricks with me. I was not comfortable at all. I think its time to find a grass range and stick to that. It was not pretty at all yesterday, lol

[rfan2]

srjorion, had it correct I think. Practice playing a course. Right down to the different club for each shot. I will add one thing, step away from the mat after every shot. I realize some will say this makes the practice a lot longer. But what are you trying to do hit a lot of balls in a short time or get better? It may take you two hours simulating an 18 hole round or you may only get thru 9. The thing is you will get experience lining up to hit a ball at a specifc target a set distance away. using a selected club. If you can do this at the range it will translate to the course. After all on the course you walk up to the ball evaluate the lie and the distance needed, select a club, line up and hit it. Practice doing it over and over at a target on the range. If you find it difficult to hit good shots you may need more practice just stroking the ball, so maybe every other range session is devoted to hitting specific clubs a set distance.

DITTO! People tend to play in their comfort zone and not work on their weaknesses. People need to learn how to breathe when their on the course. Getting tense is a swing killer.