Going to the Driving Range

[CallawayGolf25]

How do you feel about hitting balls on the range? I don't know what it is about it, but I never feel like I hit the ball as well, or on as good of a line... Also depending on the range I'm at, I can have a hard time trusting the distances they've "measured" for the sign/targets.

I don't know if it's a mental thing or what... knowing that I don't have to commit to hitting a good shot, knowing I'm not keeping score and knowing that there's always another ball to hit. Like maybe I'm not getting into the right frame of mind before I hit. I don't feel like I can. And everything is just so wide. It's just... different I guess.

Funny thing too, every round I've gone out to play this year my driver has been pretty consistently long and straight off the tee, yet on the range earlier today, I was hitting slice after slice... Could it be the balls?

Idk, there's just something I don't like about going to the driving range. I'd much rather be on the course, or practicing my short game.

Your thoughts?

[carpediem4300]

I hate mats

I hate range balls

I hate the juppies that turn up with kids shouting

I hate the price

I hate the crappy distances measured

I like not having to walk after each ball i hit

I like having all the time in the world to engrain a feeling witht he club prior to hitting a ball

I like having time to assess what happened to the shot, and then go back to the previous line

I like not feeling rushed

I like leaving having achieved something which then shows on the course

[zipazoid]

To me, the range is a necessary evil in order to get good.

I try to commit to going. It's like working out at the gym - I really don't 'enjoy' the actual activity itself but I know it will make me better so I go for the results that come from the practice. I am also impatient at the range - I tend to machine-gun shots, taking little time between shots. Funny thing is, I got nowhere to be; it's not like I have a half hour to squeeze into my hectic schedule.

Anyway, when I do go, I am working on something with my swing, so I am not overly concerned about the crappy balls you usually get - I either make a good swing or I don't. If the ball doesn't go the distance I expect it to I chalk it up to the quality of the ball. In other words, I hit my 7i 150 yards...if I put a good swing on a 7i at the range & the ball goes 135 I don't worry about it - I know I put a 150y swing on it & that's what I'll get on the course when I'm playing a Pro V1.

Like the OP, I much prefer to do 'practice playing' where I go out to the course by myself & hit 2 or 3 balls off the tee, some extra putts, maybe drop a few balls in the bunker...that kind of thing.

But like working out at the gym, if I hit the range a couple times a week I definitely play better.

[Mr3Wiggle]

I like the range for putting my swing back in place between rounds.  When I go I spend 90% of my time doing drills.  Even if I'm hitting it good on the course I'm usually doing some things in my swing that I'd prefer not to engrain.  Little compensations.  For instance last time I played I started out the round with a push.  I made a few adjustments on the backswing to give me a little more room so the club wasn't getting stuck behind me.  That compensation wasn't a move I want in my swing and definitely not something I want to get more exaggerated so when I went to the range this week I focused on eliminating that move.  If I play a ton and don't hit the range enough my swing mechanics will deteriorate.

[bluecollar01]

I don't play golf or go to the range as often as I'd like or should, but many times I prefer to go to the range than to go play a round.  I think it's because of time constraints and as a way to relieve stress.  I try to focus on hitting to a target or playing an imaginary round in my head where I go from tee to approach to pitch/chip.

I don't get too hung up on distances.  I'm not a long hitter to begin with so it's not a huge deal to me if I hit a 7i 130 at the range.

But I treat golf as a recreational activity.  I know from reading the threads on here that many people are more intense/competitive in regards to golf than I am.  So, maybe for those individuals its different.  I look at it as time to unwind and enjoy being outside.  Of course, I'd like to play better and I do practice when I can but I realize that my family's well being doesn't depend on my golfing abilities (thank the lord).

[AmazingWhacker]

I love going to the range.  I like it better than going to the course these days.  Going the range is cheap and quick - I can go hit a bucket of balls anytime.  I might be unique, but I just love hitting golf balls.  If I had the time, I could hit 2-3 large buckets a day at the range, no problem.  I do hit it a lot better at the range than on the course most of the time but that just comes from hitting the same shot over and over off a perfect lie.

[Sandy Trap]

I enjoy going to the range for the most part.  Hitting off the mats does not translate well to the course, but it's nice not having to clean off your clubs.

Example of a negative range experience:  The range I go to has a practice green with 4 pins.  I was chipping some balls onto the green towards one of the pins from just a few feet outside, and I was the only person using the green.  Out of nowhere some guy walks onto the green with his two young kids running loose and allows them to stand right in my chipping path.  I felt like I wanted to just keep going and they would take a hint, but decided to just pack it in and call it a day.  I don't understand how some people can be so inconsiderate.

[GJBenn85]

Originally Posted by Sandy Trap

I enjoy going to the range for the most part.  Hitting off the mats does not translate well to the course, but it's nice not having to clean off your clubs.

Example of a negative range experience:  The range I go to has a practice green with 4 pins.  I was chipping some balls onto the green towards one of the pins from just a few feet outside, and I was the only person using the green.  Out of nowhere some guy walks onto the green with his two young kids running loose and allows them to stand right in my chipping path.  I felt like I wanted to just keep going and they would take a hint, but decided to just pack it in and call it a day.  I don't understand how some people can be so inconsiderate.

Ugg, people with young kids drive me nuts.  They tend to have absolutely no consideration for anyone else on the planet.  But, this is coming from a guy that believes kids under 10 should not be allowed in public.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by GJBenn85

Ugg, people with young kids drive me nuts.  They tend to have absolutely no consideration for anyone else on the planet.  But, this is coming from a guy that believes kids under 10 should not be allowed in public.

My peeve is the group of teenagers that have no clue what they are doing.  They are there with the borrowed clubs from the shop and not taking it seriously.  Always loud and rowdy.  Usually dangerous.

[Opaca]

The range, at least for me, is only about how I swing it. As bad as the balls are, you can feel if you hit it solid wih a good swing. My advice then is to ignore where the ball goes, it's not what you will use on the course, but focus on if your swing has any major or minor holes in it. If you wan to hit a fade, just check that the ball indeed goes right (vice versa for lefties) and not anything else. I have yet to have seen one range ball that is balanced, or one teaching pro who worries how straight you hit it with a range ball as long as its not a drastic slice/hook.

[Sandy Trap]

Originally Posted by Opaca

The range, at least for me, is only about how I swing it. As bad as the balls are, you can feel if you hit it solid wih a good swing. My advice then is to ignore where the ball goes, it's not what you will use on the course, but focus on if your swing has any major or minor holes in it. If you wan to hit a fade, just check that the ball indeed goes right (vice versa for lefties) and not anything else. I have yet to have seen one range ball that is balanced, or one teaching pro who worries how straight you hit it with a range ball as long as its not a drastic slice/hook.

I agree with this for the most part.  When at the range I am not typically aiming at anything (unless I'm trying to hit the guy in the cart or a chipping target).  I am just focused on making good contact and making sure my drives are drawing right to left, etc.

[WUTiger]

Ranges are good for swing drills when you need to hit the ball. I won't go to a driving range that has used up balls, or only cratered ground or battered mats to hit from. I prefer to hit off the grass, but in cold weather I'll use the mats.

A range or a course with a practice green is useful, because I can use the balls I play on course to get the feel of short-game shots (especially how much backspin I can get on partial shots).

Some days, I will hit wiffle golf balls in my back yard. I can tell if the ball is going left, right or straight. Plus, it hopefully will help swing tempo because I'm not trying to kill the ball.

As far as little kids go, I take the "uncle W" approach and tell dad that I almost hit junior with a chip shot. I frame it as child endangerment, rather than my convenience. I can usually shame the adult into acting like a parent and getting the kids under control. The kiddos are future golfers, so I don't want to be too mean.

[NuclearMike]

I love hitting golf balls, period.  Since I don't always have the time necessary for a round I'll go to the range and try to work on one or two things that I can then take to the course.  I don't worry about distances because I have a pretty good idea how far a well-struck shot with my usual golf balls will go, so I primarily try to hit at targets without worrying about yardage.  I pay more attention on the range to accuracy, not distance.