Reality Check on the Golf Course

[Liteenie]

I've been taking lessons and practicing at the range for a month and a half or so. I've been improving a lot and I notice when I practice, my good shots definitely outnumber my bad shots. This past Monday, my instructor took me out on the course for the first time and man, was I humbled. All my great shots from the range disappeared and my one good shot was when my instructor stuck a dollar bill under the ball and told me to hit the dollar bill. Then yesterday, I went to a women's golf event in which we had a short clinic and played 4 holes. Again, I did well during the clinic when it was at the range and then when we broke off to play 4 holes, I was all over the place!

Now I realize that I need to practice out on the course more than the range. I plan to just go and play 9 holes by myself to practice.

Do you guys have any tips for transitioning from range to the course? Maybe I'm just overly excited to be on the course finally.

Aside from the swing corrections that my instructor gave me, a helpful tip was to not (yet) worry about where the ball is going and to just focus on what's in front of me.

Thanks!

[Fore Left]

Originally Posted by Liteenie

Aside from the swing corrections that my instructor gave me, a helpful tip was to not (yet) worry about where the ball is going and to just focus on what's in front of me.

I'm guessing this is a big part of it,  but other things:

I'm assuming when you're on the range you're hitting off of grass and not mats correct?    Also,  when starting out,  you'd probably be better off saying....  "Oh,  I'm this many yards from the green,  let me line up towards it  (or to the left/right to avoid a hazzard if necessary)  and then grab whatever club I hit about that far,   then just take a nice swing, and see where it goes"

Don't 'over-think'  it,  and don't focus on pin-seeking etc.    Aside from making good contact  (which is something you won't do if you're pulling your head out really early)   one of the most important things for mid-to-high handicappers is just to AVOID TROUBLE....   playing smart shots will lead to less strokes in the end.

Either way,  at a month and a half of play-time,  you shouldn't be too hard on yourself.... it's a tough game.

[inthehole]

swing easy.

swing easy.

swing easy.

swing easy.

Hit it on the sweet spot & just keep it in play for now.     Don't take full out swings until you can keep it in the fairway ... problem is its almost impossible to do this - if you can look at a fairway & not swing hard, you're better than most - its inately human to try to kill the ball, which must be resisted as a beginner.

[Divotmaker77]

I should probably take my own advice since I have been playing terrible this year, but when I first started I always played several clubs up and just took half swings to advance the ball and try to keep it straight.  Did not touch a driver for awhile.  Do not worry about your score right now.  Just get used to being on the course and as you get better at ball contact, etc. you can eventually graduate into hitting harder, etc.  I HIGHLY recommend spending most of your time 100 yards in when you are first learning.  This part of the game kills most amatuers like myself who can crush the ball on the tee, hit nice iron shots, but put a wedge or putter in our hands and we turn into 30HC golfers.

Like the poster said above, it takes great discipline not to want to go out and hit as hard as you can.  I know a scratch golfer who literally goes to the range and hits maybe 2-3 balls in a half-hour session.  He does mostly feel swings without the ball and will hit one after several minutes of feel and visual swings/exercises.  He then goes to the greens either on the range or on the course and practices another hour or more on chipping, putting, and sand shots.  I do not have the discipline to have that kind of practice methods, but if you can do it, its a great one to have.

Golf is a difficult game to learn to play and seems to get harder the more you know.  Pay close attention to your instructor and do everything you can to develop good habits now and not be like me by taking a few lessons, develop terrible swing habits, and then take years to correct those habits.  Its expensive, frustrating, and simply no fun at all when you put in three times the amount of time and effort to correct things you should have developed early on.

[Liteenie]

Thanks everyone! All of your advice is really helpful, I'll practice what you preach this weekend. I hope to get a few rounds in.

I still love golf though.

[Stevep21]

It is really easy to get into a rhythm when your on the range but its completely different when your on the course and you have one shot to find that rhythm. When I hit balls on the range, I hit them slow and if I do start beating balls, after about 20 I will have a 5 minute break or so just to break my rhythm, I will also never end on a bad shot, it's important to learn how to hit it when you only have one go at it, also get a pre-shot routine if you don't already have one, something you can repeat time and time again to get that rhythm repeating itself, make sure you do a pre-shot routine for every shot on the range, including starting the grip again and starting alignment again while your getting used to it! Good luck with the game :)

[onesome]

The big difference most people don't realize is everything is target related on the course and on the range we concern ourselves with swing mechanics, when on the range start rehearsing on course situations like pick a couple targets 30 yards apart and work on driving your ball between them,you want to start practicing "playing golf" versus just beating balls at the range.

[Goonsidious]

If the range you're going to doesn't have grass to hit from.. don't waste your time. At least using irons on mats.. because from what i've experienced.. once the swing mechanics are done.. those mats are just a big lie.

drivers, woods, and hybrids tho.. go for it.