Good turf or good balls?

[zipazoid]

So here's my dilemma. I have two driving ranges within a short drive of my home. One provides decent quality golf balls but the turf is pretty skitchy. Being in Florida, you either have good turn to hit off of, or it's basically a bunch of sand. This place is more sand than turf. If you catch a shot a quarter of an inch fat it goes nowhere - just like in a bunker.

The other place has good turf but the balls are lousy - a given bucket is a motley mush-mosh collection of balls, of which maybe half of the bucket is what I would call decent. What I usually do is separate out the good ones & hit full shots with them & use the lousy ones for 40-60y warm up & cool down pitches.

So my question is, which would you prefer if you had to pick one - a driving range with good turf or good range balls?

[meenman]

Use them both, depending on what you are mainly working on.

Better balls for the driver and maybe 3 wood/hybrids (since turf wont matter as much)

Better turf for irons/wedges - balls wont look as bad as they would off of the driver.

[zipazoid]

Originally Posted by meenman

Use them both, depending on what you are mainly working on.

Better balls for the driver and maybe 3 wood/hybrids (since turf wont matter as much)

Better turf for irons/wedges - balls wont look as bad as they would off of the driver.

Great idea!

You're in Brandon, so you know what I'm dealing with re bad turf.

[meenman]

Great idea! You're in Brandon, so you know what I'm dealing with re bad turf.

I know it all too well, even at my private club, after someone has used a spot on the range, it is the equivalent of hitting out of a sand trap. Even for my 8:15 tee time every week, I arrive at 7 just to get a few good iron shots off. If I arrive any later, I dont take my warm-up session too seriously, just worry about loosening up.

[The Tin Man]

I'll take Good Turf:  An even lie where a proper divot can be taken. (without taking a sand bath)  But, don't know of anyplace near me.

The next choice would be good mats - alas I don't know of a place with these either.

Balls are not important because my distances with a range rock are far shorter then a real ball.

[jmurder]

Hitting off bad lies can improve your ball striking ability especially when the pressure is on. If you can strike a ball properly off a bad lie, when you have a decent one, the confidence level is very high. I agree with hitting the good balls with the driver and three wood. You really need to see the correct flight of the ball.

[MEfree]

Originally Posted by meenman

Use them both, depending on what you are mainly working on.

Better balls for the driver and maybe 3 wood/hybrids (since turf wont matter as much)

Better turf for irons/wedges - balls wont look as bad as they would off of the driver.

I`d probably mix it up also, but you are a pretty solid player (based on your index) so hitting irons/wedges off bad turf may actually be good practice for you, at least some of the time.

While too much negative feedback may hurt your confidence, too little feedback may give you a false sense of how clean you are striking it.  I know that sandy ranges heavily penalize fat shots, but at your level that might be preferable to the opposite (i.e. mats which let get away with fat shots.)  If you hit it good off the sandy lies, you should be able to better handle both good and bad (thin, in a divot or sandy) lies on the course.  Hitting off perfect lies at the range does not necessarily mean you will be striking it pure enough to handle bad lies on the course.

[Mr3Wiggle]

I like those Florida ranges that make you pay when you hit it the slightest bit fat.  I see that as an added benefit.

[zipazoid]

Well...it's 20 mins to quitting time & My Man Mike isn't in town for our regular Weds evening round. So I'm gonna go hit balls.

Guess I'll hit the bad turf/good balls place since it's 5 mins from work - Dubsdread GC.

[Zeph]

I would spent most time at the one with the good turf. Range balls are range balls. As long as they can fly, I got what I need. I'm not looking for distances and stuff like that on the range. Just working on the swing, how impact feels, ball flight etc. I'd rather hit crappy balls off good turf than good balls of crappy turf. I hate crappy turf.

[BuckeyeNut]

Originally Posted by zipazoid

So here's my dilemma. I have two driving ranges within a short drive of my home. One provides decent quality golf balls but the turf is pretty skitchy. Being in Florida, you either have good turn to hit off of, or it's basically a bunch of sand. This place is more sand than turf. If you catch a shot a quarter of an inch fat it goes nowhere - just like in a bunker.

The other place has good turf but the balls are lousy - a given bucket is a motley mush-mosh collection of balls, of which maybe half of the bucket is what I would call decent. What I usually do is separate out the good ones & hit full shots with them & use the lousy ones for 40-60y warm up & cool down pitches.

So my question is, which would you prefer if you had to pick one - a driving range with good turf or good range balls?

Who cares about golf ball quality at a driving range? I mean c'mon.  As if you were playing to firm fast greens, trying to stick it....and back the ball up or something on the range?  They don't even have real greens.....LOL

All you are trying to do is hit the ball cleanly in the air at a target.......any ball with two pairs of black 'practice' stripes will do!!!

My 2 cents:

Play the course with bad turf because you will learn how to make clean contact.   Once you learn how to hit the golf ball from bad turf, a good lie on a nice golf course will be easy.

[ajst22]

I would personally choose the one with better turf because I don't go to the range expecting good balls, I want to practice. You can't practice with no turf, but you can with crappy balls. At least with the good turf you will be able to hit like you normally would and you would feel when you hit it well compared to hitting out of sand basically.

[cliffj]

I would prefer the one with better balls. Bad turf actually teaches you to hit the ball first (in my experience)

[joekelly]

Did you see Kevin Na use the hybrid/fairiway wood off the cart path in recent tourney?  Probably, 99% positive,  he has practiced such shots before. Maybe off a piece of plyboard out on the practice range  but he was not intimidated by the lie or surface.  A great way to learn to control the clubhead.  Ain't that the story? Control the clubhead=ball  control.

[mrdb]

I'd take good balls personally, especially if it's a sandy/bare lie. I think that would give you great feedback in terms of striking and the good balls will give you a true idea of the flight. I've often thought I'd like to practice on a beach the way Seve used to. The confidence that would give in terms of ball striking has to be of benefit, plus if you ever got into a sand filled divot or fairway bunker you'd be totally prepared.