Mild rant + a little confusion...please reply

[WWBDD]

Meh ... driving range is cheap, outdoors, has beer, and is kid friendly.

[walk18]

How do you know the people at the range aren't also doing drills at home?

[NuclearMike]

I just like to hit golf balls.  Yesterday I went out and decided to trust my swing instead of going through the myriad of swing thoughts that I'd mentally "check off" (loose grip, keep your knees bent, etc.).  It was a pretty good couple of hours, so I'm ready to get back to the course on Tuesday.  It's been a month since I've played but I've been to the range twice a week.  I expect better things from my game due to the 1000+ balls that I've hit.

[mirv]

what's the point of a driving range, again, if not to work on your game?  seems to me that you can work on drills all you want at home, but until you hit some balls and actually see how they fly, then you're swinging blindfolded.

[kurisu]

Seems to me that the OP assumes everyone has a backyard or a room big and ceiling high enough to do drills at home. I have neither. Perhaps that's an opportunity to develop a super-compact swing like this guy:

The only thing I have room to practice inside my Tokyo apartment is my putting stroke!

[Inebriated]

What the hell do you care how I spend my money?

Do you not see how flawed your statements are? You don't want people on the course, even though you say it's the best practice, and you don't want people at the range. When exactly do you propose these newer players actually hit a ball? I guess just swinging away at foam balls in the backyard will somehow get them to a point where they can just throw down a ProV1 and jump on the course, and hit it in the 70's.

[FowlPlay]

Right now, that's what I'm doing. Just got back into golf about a month ago, but I haven't had the chance to hit the range or the course more than once. A lot of my time is spent just working on the basic mechanics of the swing. But since I'm about to get a club membership, I'm sure I'll be spending a lot more time on the course learning the game. And it's also a lot more enjoyable to actually learn while you play.

[Spyder]

It's kind of like this for me: if I were a kid in college doing an essay on beer breweries, would I rather study online or tour anheiser? It's more rewarding on the course for me.

[ND Fan]

Typical amateur golf is more about results than mechanics.  For example a 16 handicap is not going to go out and get himself swinging any more or any less like a tour pro by doing drills at home.  This guy needs feedback, most golfers do.  I am not big on mechanics for the average guy playing golf he doesn't need them any more than he needs a Formula One tuned vehicle to get to work.  Some people enjoy the game and enjoy the journey of practices and getting better.  Who cares if they spend money doing what they enjoy.  The biggest laughs I get are those guys that spend hours at home honing their drills and writing messages all over their bag as reminders only to go out to the course and none of their hard work at home travels with them to the course.  I know several men that are this way.  They would be far better off hitting balls and learning how to hit different shots.

[TN94z]

I can see both sides.  Practicing drills at home can be a good thing....IF, a big IF, you are practicing them correctly.  What good is taking practice swings at home if you are grooving a swing that will lead to slices or really bad contact or something else along those lines.  This is where the feedback from the range comes in.

Another thing is that many people can make a beautiful swing and have all the makings of a great shot UNTIL they put a ball in front of them and try to hit it.  Then all **** breaks loose.

Apart from being fun and having a little personal time on the range, I personally think it is a vital element in becoming a really good ball striker. And I also believe, to top that off, that being great on the range and being great on the course are two different things.  I have seen countless friends hitting their purest shots on the range only to chunk, slice, etc....them on the course.  I know much of this is mental, but without the range time and course time, the mental portion doesn't get worked.

That's just my .02.....I can see both sides though

[RyderJ]

I think I have somewhat misrepresented what I intended to say. Basically, the point I was trying to get across is that if you practice good mechanics, the rest will begin to fall into place. I'm not saying don't go to the range...because that would be stupid for obvious reasons. I'm not saying you can learn to play golf without playing golf...again, that would be absurd.

Here's what I will say, however. When I was 22 my clubs were stolen right before I joined the military and didn't really play for over four years (I'm 29 now). In April I purchased another set...a cheap set of RAMS from Dicks for 130$, bag included....with no expectations of remembering how to play well. I did, however remember all the drills I would spend an hour or two a night working on at home back when I was in high school and began working on them. I have two kids, so I don't have a great deal of time, but what time I do have is spent working on selected daily drills. Usually I'l pick two drills and make an attempt to get in 500 reps a piece that day...and every day.

Long story short, I shot well over a hundred the first time I played again back in April and yesterday broke 80 for the first time since resuming play after about a four year layoff from the sport. As I said in an earlier post, I go to the range once a week, and implement the drills I've worked on into my practice time. I'm fortunate enough to be able to play 10-12 rounds a month as well, and I know that has played a big part in recovering my lost game so quickly...but when I'm out on the course and I am having problems with my swing I can usually correct it fairly quickly and continue on playing respectable golf. I believe this wouldn't be the case if I wasn't dedicated to spending a few minutes here and there performing drills.

To each his own though, I didn't mean to stir up such a controversy over this.

[Lofty Lefty]

Mate, I'm still gonna back you up on this one.

To me, going to the range is kinda like going to your football teams' training session. You get full go of every shot you need to practice etc etc.

But how many footballers (or baseballers or basketballers etc) don't do some sort of activity at home related to their sport?

I think what you're trying to say is doing 100% of your practice on the range and course doesn't really work in the long run. Much like kicking

a footy or hitting slap shots in the back yard can only be beneficial in developing your skills, practicing your golf game at home can only be beneficial

to your game.

[RyderJ]

Originally Posted by Lofty Lefty

Mate, I'm still gonna back you up on this one.

To me, going to the range is kinda like going to your football teams' training session. You get full go of every shot you need to practice etc etc.

But how many footballers (or baseballers or basketballers etc) don't do some sort of activity at home related to their sport?

I think what you're trying to say is doing 100% of your practice on the range and course doesn't really work in the long run. Much like kicking

a footy or hitting slap shots in the back yard can only be beneficial in developing your skills, practicing your golf game at home can only be beneficial

to your game.

Dead on...thank you

[TN94z]

Originally Posted by Lofty Lefty

doing 100% of your practice on the range and course doesn't really work in the long run.

Got me to a 2.8....just saying.

But yes, practicing at home can be beneficial

[RyderJ]

So you are a 2.8 and never really did ANY drills? That's impressive, to say the least. I think for most mid-high handicappers that don't have quite as much natural talent, drills are extremely beneficial in order to improve. There are two ways to improve at anything you are trying to accomplish in this world. The first is just being blessed with a natural ability and recognizing it. For those who aren't naturally gifted, however, hard work can still get you just as far...

[Pope33]

I'm somewhat with you in that it won't help their game............but, most "choppers" don't care like the people on this website do! It's as easy as that. They don't care...........they don't care what they shoot, they don't care where their ball goes....etc. They only care to get out of the house, away from the family, have a beer, and goof around with some buddies. And honestly............I can't blame them!

[Gresh24]

Originally Posted by RyderJ

There are two ways to improve at anything you are trying to accomplish in this world. The first is just being blessed with a natural ability and recognizing it. For those who aren't naturally gifted, however, hard work can still get you just as far...

I couldn't disagree more.  Especially talking sports and athleticism.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by RyderJ

It seems to me that a vast array of golfers, mainly in the mid-high hcp range, feel the only way they can improve their game is by being on a driving range or even worse, an actual course.  I understand that nothing compares to actually being on a course, but there are so many simple drills that can be done from the comfort of one's own home to correct most, if not all swing problems, improve touch on and around the greens and so on and so forth. Chances are, unless your ENTIRE game is absolutely horrendous, you can do a drill at home to correct the problem or help improve your game in some way shape or form.

My question is, why has the general public become so obsessed with literally throwing away money to try and correct things that can be done for free? Am I the only one who believes in practicing solid mechanics anymore? I know the pros spend every waking moment on a course(exaggeration I know), and that's fine...but they didn't come to that road without solid mechanics or an outrageous amount of natural talent...in some occasions, they have both.

Why do so many people feel they can receive advice on their swing on this site, hit the range or, as I said before and again, even worse, course and become a scratch golfer? What happened to practice? Just saying....thanks for your time...have a nice freakin' day...

Maybe because I do this to play golf, not to swing some stick with a weight on the end of it, or strap myself into a straightjacket or suffer the tedium of so many other utterly boring drills.  I don't even hit the range, and I get all the free range balls I want on an excellent grass range.  I play golf.  It's what I like to do, so that's what I do.

Tell me something - why do you seem to have such a problem with that?  It's no skin off your back what I do with my golfing time, so why does it crank you up so much?