Taking the range to the course

[bigbear43]

I just want to know what everyone's method or secret is to to taking what they do at the range to the course. I can hit great at the range but on the course I stink. is it the pressure of being on a course, maybe the grass as aposed to a matt, although even off a tee i'm horrible and at the range i'm far less horrible lol. Just want to know some tricks or advice.

Thank You

[Puttsalott]

if you are like me, you are hitting it fat on the course?  you are probably hitting it fat on the range mats too but you can still get some good shots when the clubs bounce off the mats.  As many here have suggested, put a tee or a towel just behind your ball while at the range to promote ball first contact.  divits are fine, as long as they come after you hit the ball.

[The Road Dog]

My advice is no practicing on mats with irons ever!

I will use my woods or irons on a tee if possible when confined to a mat for practice. But I never hit irons off the mat itself. I find it hides flaws in my swing allowing me to practice shots that won't work on the course.

Second tip is to practice being on the course. Unless you are trying to learn to hit a certain shot don't use the same club for consecutive shots. You don't do it on the course so don't practice that way. If you visualize a hole you recently played, use the clubs you would use on the course in that order and aim for specific targets or yardage at the range.

[kennay92]

What it was for me was that i realized I didnt play how I practiced. I would play in to broad of a spectrum per se. To explain, when i practice i have extremely narrow aiming points. With my wedges and short irons i aim at a flag and expect it to be within a couple yards of that aim point, mid-long irons expect it to be with about 5-7 yds, and driver expect it to be within about 10-15 yards. If the shot doesnt meet that expectation on the range, i keep going untill i get it down with that club... I realized on the course, my aim point with my driver (for example) was not a very specific spot,yet my aim point was the whole fairway and so on with other clubs. Hope this all made since, play how you practice.

[jdg91878]

I think a good PreShot Mental Routine helps. Eliminate mechanical thoughts over the ball and have feel thought like tempo, timing, relax, etc.

[tanktwo2]

I used to be in the same boat as you.

It is not mental, it is about not having the fundamentals of a good swing ingrained in your brain that you can trust.  Once you have those fundamentals in your brain and know exactly what you need to do to hit a good shot and you will have more confidence.

Go get a lesson from a PGA pro.  They are relatively expensive, but after 1 or 2 lessons, they can teach you the fundamentals you need to know so you know exactly how to hit a good shot.

I took one lesson, shot a 78 today after not being able to break 90

[bigbear43]

I have taken a couple of lessons and I acctually bought the momentus weighted swing trainer and it has helped me to swing better. went to the range with it hit great less slices was able to even draw some shots. it seems that on the course everything breaks down and what I have learned is lost

[The Recreational Golfer]

Don't take your range game to the course. Do it the other way around. The difference between the range and the course isn't your technique, but your mind.

Every time you hit a golf ball you're practicing your approach to golf. If you think this ball came out of a bucket of 75, you will be practicing an approach to hitting a golf ball that will not help you at all when you're in the fairway and you're hitting out of a bucket of one.

Give every ball on the green, around the green, on the range, your full intention and have something specific you want to do with it. Very specific. Develop your mental technique along with your physical technique.

[andymane]

right on Recreational Golfer! that was well said.

[gmbtempe]

A good read about taking it from the range to the course, pre shot routine, and just basic mental approach to the game is the book by Annika's teachers Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriot, Every Shot Must Have a Purpose.

[TheGoIfer]

Just get warmed up on the range.  If you work on something on the range, before the round, it needs to be something very basic like grip, alignment, et cetera.

If you are drawing the ball on the range, play your draw on the course....fading it on the range, play your fade.

Just get loose and try and be excited about playing!!

[phillyk]

I agree with never hitting off mats.  If you have the choice of hitting from grass, DO IT!  You want the range to be as similar to the course as possible, and hitting off mats gives you a false hope, as was stated above, it turns fat shots into good shots, and what really screws me up on mats is that they are usually in stalls that point somewhere.  I can't correctly aim at something when everything in my sight is pointing in a certain direction that isn't where I want. When I hit the grass, it is as close as possible to being on the course. Whenever I go to the range, it isn't just for 45 minutes, I'll be out there for a couple hours to make sure that every club and shot is what I want it to be.  Doing that will build a few good swing thoughts, in which I can then transfer to the course.

[Vinsk]

@mvmac Hey Mike. Sorry to wear you out with this but just wanted your input. I'm at the range, warmed up with 50-80yd wedges then a couple of 7i shots, 5i, then hit my 54* to a 105yd mark about 10 times....8/10 were good. So then I lay out Driver, 5,7,PW, 54* and play "imaginary holes" on the range with OB markers, hazards, etc. I play every shot except for putting of course. I change boundaries and targets as well. I proceed to go through 150 balls doing this. I hit a few drives that faded a bit more than I planned but stayed in bounds. I missed maybe 5 wedges that were more than 20yds off target..usually short. I'm feeling great. I go home for lunch then return in about an 1 1/2 to walk 9 holes..(rain was lurking). My first tee shot was a weak pull slice but came out safe. Next shot I shank a 4i. 2nd tee shot is solid but I didn't get the draw I intended to get so was in left rough. 104yd 54* shot hits about 8' right of pin..2 putt for par. 3rd tee shot par 5 I banana slice it OB. 2nd tee shot I hook and have poor contact. Then I cold top a 5w. I just hang my head down and wonder what the hell is wrong with me. I pick up and go to next hole par 3 157. I completely push an 8i into a housing addition. An 8i that I can hit 50 for 50 spot on on the range. The rest of the holes went like this until #9 par 5, big straight drive, nice 5w, then my 54* Edel wedge to 5' and make the birdie putt. I've read through the "range to course" threads but are you familiar with such an awful discrepancy as mine? Really appreciate your input. Thank you.

[Patch]

I never practice hitting off mats. Maybe my driver through 5W where I can use a tee stuck in the mat, but that's about it.  Mats can hide to many swing problems. For me, to take my practice regimen to the course, I need to practice off the same turf used on the course. The only time I might see a problem is when the practice putting greens are not the same as the on course greens. I am a practice like you play kind of guy. Or, is that a play like I practice kind of guy?

[Vinsk]

Yeah I never use mats. I had to in Washington but as of last October I haven't used them.

[vangator]

Don't swing for the fences on every shot.

[mvmac]

@mvmac

Hey Mike. Sorry to wear you out with this but just wanted your input. I'm at the range, warmed up with 50-80yd wedges then a couple of 7i shots, 5i, then hit my 54* to a 105yd mark about 10 times....8/10 were good. So then I lay out Driver, 5,7,PW, 54* and play "imaginary holes" on the range with OB markers, hazards, etc. I play every shot except for putting of course.

I change boundaries and targets as well. I proceed to go through 150 balls doing this. I hit a few drives that faded a bit more than I planned but stayed in bounds. I missed maybe 5 wedges that were more than 20yds off target..usually short.

How many times have you practiced like this before a round?

What was your one simple swing thought on the course?

Does the swing thought relate to your priority piece?

[Vinsk]

How many times have you practiced like this before a round? What was your one simple swing thought on the course?  Does the swing thought relate to your priority piece?

This is my usual practice session. I don't always play afterwards. When I know I'm playing, I hit maybe 15 wedges, a few mid/long irons then 3 drives. My current concentration is proper rotation of my right forearm (I'm left handed) to give me a square club face at impact. Weight forward. I lack a consistent pre-shot routine. My general swing thought is "good shoulder rotation, steady head and don't bend right arm...keep it extended for a wide arc".