Range to Course

[Arnold_Palmer]

I just started to get serious about golfing. I hit on the range a lot and can get into a good rhythm and really hit the ball well. It goes straight and it goes far. The problem is that I can never, for the life of me, duplicate any of those shots on the course. I fear the problem may be me being tense, trying to hard to get the ball where I want it to go; unlike the range, where I just hit and it goes where it goes.

Advice?

[ILLZ]

Try going out and not keeping score at all. If you hit a bad shot, drop another ball down and hit it again. That will get you in the habit of hitting good shots on the course, and there's no pressure because you're not putting down a score.

[Arnold_Palmer]

Ah. I have been doing that, however, I am very competitive, so I think in my mind about my score. I'll have to go out some evening when it isn't too busy and just play without even thinking about a score. Hopefully that will improve my game.

[i-Guy]

  Arnold_Palmer said:

I just started to get serious about golfing. I hit on the range a lot and can get into a good rhythm and really hit the ball well. It goes straight and it goes far. The problem is that I can never, for the life of me, duplicate any of those shots on the course. I fear the problem may be me being tense, trying to hard to get the ball where I want it to go; unlike the range, where I just hit and it goes where it goes. Advice?

All I have to say is if you figure this out without much effort you will be rich.

Because in essence you will have figured out what low handicappers and pro's have accomplished over time. How to take your range game to the course. That is the secret to golf! I have the same problem and consistently work to see how I can duplicate the range on the course. I think some of it comes down to how you practice at the range. For instance most people just have a pile of balls laying there and they just keep scooping one after another over to them and hit them. I think there is a difference between warming up and practicing. Hitting a pile of balls one after another to me is warming up. But when I practice, I take one ball at a time and I have a goal in mind. Sometimes I play my course in my head. If I struggle getting off the tee then I might stop that for a while and work on Driver swings, etc... Good luck and please post if you figure it out soon!

[Arnold_Palmer]

  i-Guy said:

All I have to say is if you figure this out without much effort you will be rich.

That's a really good point. When I practice I just hit ball after ball. But that's not how it is on the course. On the course I have to hit different distances and have to include other factors. Next time I go to the range to practice I will think about every shot and visualize a place on the course where that shot would be helpful.

[golfchief]

on the range your just hitting balls, check the distance to the markers on the range, their usually closer than the stated distance (makes you feel good) on far you can hit the ball. play your course on the range like your at the course aim to a marker for a tee shot,next shot change club for the second shot, change club for a chip to the nearest flag or spot 40 yds away to be on the green. Now repeat for hole #2. Most people hate to waste a ball on a short chip on the range and only bang away at balls and picking the target while the ball is in the air.