No fan of the driving range...

[Chief Broom]

Last year I made an effort to work on my game consistantly at the driving range. I got a range membership and was easily hitting 5-10 buckets of balls a week. I have a decent routine and a small bucket of ~45 balls takes me a good hour to hit, so I wasn't just pounding balls. The thing was doing this never really seemed to help my game. Some times at the range my swing would click and I'd be hitting great shots, other times it wouldn't and I'd struggle. And while overall my game did progress last year my time at the range was pretty much hit or miss. In October I started playing in a local league that plays 18 holes twice a week using individual and team play in a stableford format. I've committed to playing both days (as much as possible) and as the weather has warmed and course conditions have improved I've seen the best gains in my game ever. I've found that playing regularly in a competative format has made the biggest difference in improving my game. I've never made any kind of a breakthrough on the range but on the course I've come to begin to understand my swing and what it is I'm doing, and more importantly how to make minor adjustments in my swing that bring about desired outcomes. I'm sure plenty of people are able to use the range to benefit their game/swing, but for me the range does me as much harm as good. I don't even worry about hitting the range prior to teeing off. I'd rather just stretch and loosen up beforehand and then hit the course fresh and with only my usual swing thoughts in mind and work out how I'm swinging that day on the course.

[sean_miller]

Last year I made an effort to work on my game consistantly at the driving range. I got a range membership and was easily hitting 5-10 buckets of balls a week. I have a decent routine and a small bucket of ~45 balls takes me a good hour to hit, so I wasn't just pounding balls. The thing was doing this never really seemed to help my game. Some times at the range my swing would click and I'd be hitting great shots, other times it wouldn't and I'd struggle. And while overall my game did progress last year my time at the range was pretty much hit or miss. In October I started playing in a local league that plays 18 holes twice a week using individual and team play in a stableford format. I've committed to playing both days (as much as possible) and as the weather has warmed and course conditions have improved I've seen the best gains in my game ever. I've found that playing regularly in a competative format has made the biggest difference in improving my game. I've never made any kind of a breakthrough on the range but on the course I've come to begin to understand my swing and what it is I'm doing, and more importantly how to make minor adjustments in my swing that bring about desired outcomes. I'm sure plenty of people are able to use the range to benefit their game/swing, but for me the range does me as much harm as good. I don't even worry about hitting the range prior to teeing off. I'd rather just stretch and loosen up beforehand and then hit the course fresh and with only my usual swing thoughts in mind and work out how I'm swinging that day on the course.

I have range sessions (as I've often heard hitting balls refered to) that are almost entirely mechanical, but the best ones are when I'm trying to score. I visualize playing a favourite course and some tricky holes. Tee shots are from memory, and depending on the quality of the shot, play whatever shot I'd likely have into the green, and so on.

At the chipping area, I'll hit balls from a variety of lies (plus a few from the bunker - even from foot prints) and try to get them all up and down. I go to the putting green by the clubhouse to work on putting on a different day.

[Kieran123]

I hate the range. I often hit the ball badly off mats, but on the course I have no contact issues. I like the range only for teeing up. If no one is around i will practice my irons from the grass just in front of the mat and practice distance control mainly and drawing/fading the ball.

If I could afford it, I would play 9 holes instead of hitting the range.

[Keep It Simple]

You are on the right track. The range can only take you so far. There is still so much that can only be learned on the course. Especially the mental aspect of the game.

[The Recreational Golfer]

How well do you know your golf swing? A lesson or two could give you the information you need to be practicing the things that truly do work for you. I have to say before I did that I was just guessing at the range. Now I have two swing keys that keep everything in line and I just practice them because I know they're what make my swing work.

[jamo]

I think what has really helped me this year has been having set goals each range session for what to work on, that way if i am having a poor range session I know why, and how to fix it.

[Jay-Bird]

Less time on the range, more time on the putting green.

[motteler621]

i think you need both to improve. Driving range will help but you need a plan when you are hitting balls and not from mats. I have a range that has grass just like a fairway.

[Fatphil]

People all learn at different paces and different ways. The old sports trueism "slowing down the game" applies to golf. Whether you practice or play you are developing knowlege of your body and what a good (or bad) swing "feels" like. While the swing doesn't actually slow down when you play or practice your brain and your body do sync up...and that only comes from repetition.

[Greg]

If I dont go to the range at least a couple times a week, my swing(which isnt the best anyway) gets noticeably worse. I need the reps on the range to maintain it, I could tell this week as work didnt allow me as much practice time this week and didnt play well sat. Im not sure how productive it is at times, but i havent gotten good enough to go out and simply play once a week without practice and do well, sometimes working on specific things im struggling with, sometimes experimenting with subtle changes like ball position or making sure i have good footwork and balance. All things you really cant do when you're playing, you need to have some confidence in what you're doing before you go to the course. I usually will hit 3 buckets of balls, about 120 or so in about 45 min to an hour, going through every club starting with wedges and working my way to the longer clubs and hitting driver last. I actually enjoy going to the range though if i hit it poorly, I do leave discouraged at times. Its like any other sport, you need to practice to play better or at least play well enough to enjoy it, thats basically my goal at this point in this game.

[ronaldkuntoro]

Driving range are for beginners who still trying to learn their swings. It's also the place to WARM UP your swing before a round. Personally, I have been golfing for 6 years. I still use driving range as a place to get used to a NEW golf club.

If you shoot horribly on the driving range, you'll do worse on the course. You cannot replace the experience you get for playing 18 holes. You'll learn how to shoot from different lies.

[Stretch]

Driving range are for beginners who still trying to learn their swings.

I guess that's why no pro golfer would ever be caught dead on one, right?

[jamo]

Driving range are for beginners who still trying to learn their swings. It's also the place to WARM UP your swing before a round. Personally, I have been golfing for 6 years. I still use driving range as a place to get used to a NEW golf club.

?!?! Are you serious? I actually use the range more than I play. Partly because rounds are expensive, but mostly because repeated swings on a driving range is haw you commit your swing to muscle memory. You just can't do that on the course, if you make a bad swing you always revert back.

[ronaldkuntoro]

?!?! Are you serious? I actually use the range more than I play. Partly because rounds are expensive, but mostly because repeated swings on a driving range is haw you commit your swing to muscle memory. You just can't do that on the course, if you make a bad swing you always revert back.

Jamo, I'm dead serious. Ask any Pros or Low handicapers, they would rather spend time practicing on the course rather than pounding balls at the driving range. My friends who play golf more than 5 years only go to a driving range 3 or 4 times a year.

IF you can hit a consistenly at driving range, it won't guarantee you to play well on the course. You'll need what they call, Course management to play well on the course. I think Ben Hogan mentioned this on his book.... Trust me, you'll do well if you play more often on the course....

[sean_miller]

Jamo, I'm dead serious. Ask any Pros or Low handicapers, they would rather spend time practicing on the course rather than pounding balls at the driving range. My friends who play golf more than 5 years only go to a driving range 3 or 4 times a year.

Hmm . . . it might work. The way I see it, if you CAN'T hit consistently good shots on the range, then you really can't expect to do it on the course. The range can also be a place for keeping your swing grooved, working on your touch around the greens and out of the sand, and of course on putting. You can work on all the shots and lies you get on the course, in a lot less time, for a lot less money.

There's so much more to the driving range than hitting buckets of balls with the driver.

[Greg]

Many times i dont have the 2 hours free time neccesary to go play 9 at the course and hit a lot of practice shots, but ive got 45 minutes to go hit balls at the range to keep my swing somewhat sharp and consistent, at least to my 20+ handicap level anyway. Theres a local course around here that is ok but is seldom crowded and very cheap to play 9, $10 for 9 with a cart, good place to practice a lot of shots as there are hardly anyone else out there when i go in the afternoon and although its not long, has some challenging holes that require some shot making, probably the hardest 280 yard par 4 anyone will ever play. I would rather go play there 3 times during the week than go to the range and spend almost as much on range balls but I just dont have the time unless I want to sacrifice sleep(I work at night) as we have been working lots of overtime lately to get out of working on Memorial Day weekend. I plan to play quite a bit this coming weekend and want to be playing good so practice helps a lot.

[Stretch]

Jamo, I'm dead serious. Ask any Pros or Low handicapers, they would rather spend time practicing on the course rather than pounding balls at the driving range.

This is simply not true. Most pros spend many, many hours on the range working on the basic mechanics of their game. For an average mid-handicapper, if you just want to learn to play your home course better with your current shitty swing, then by all means just go play more rounds. If you want to actually become a better golfer, with a better swing, and a better short game, and a better putting stroke, you're going to have to practice all those things over and over again. Generally, at the range.

[jamo]

Jamo, I'm dead serious. Ask any Pros or Low handicapers, they would rather spend time practicing on the course rather than pounding balls at the driving range. My friends who play golf more than 5 years only go to a driving range 3 or 4 times a year.

I'm going to say this, take it as you will but I think it's pretty accurate:

The driving range is the place where you learn how to swing a golf club, and the course is the place where you learn how to play golf. You need a balance.