Can range grass have impact on your swing and mental thoughts?

[Sai-Jin]

I have this range in town which has the best and cheapest balls, but the weirdest border and grass.

Whenever I go there to practice, I can't hit a SINGLE shot. It'll be thin, toed, and when I hit it well, I don't take a divot.

On drives... no matter how far I address the ball at the toe, I hit it on the heel!

I made almost all kinds of impact errors you can imagine.

The grass is kinda long as if it's not well maintained. To give you an idea, I have to tee up the ball 1/2 inch higher when I drive.

It feels as if the ball is 1/3rd buried in the grass or it's sitting up as if it's teed up.

They use ropes to line the border and it's not straight... it's like a wide V, which throws my alignment I think.

I do hit the ball much better if I go past the ropes so that I can't see it.

However, when I go to play on a real course... I'm FINE. And when I go to a range that has shorter tighter grass, I can swing at the ball just fine!

So, my question is... is it possible that this range gives me a mental block to hit the ball?

Has anyone experienced something like this too?

It's become really frustrating and I'm starting to think that it's the longer grass and uneven turf and divots that's all over the place on this course.

[mplsgolfer]

There are some ranges I've been to where the grass is in bad shape and you're hitting out of divots or "sandy areas". I'd be lying if it didn't impact the practice session. It's like hitting in bad lies for 45 minutes, hard to feel like you get a hold of the ball like you would if you were hitting off low cut grass in the middle of the fairway. However, a mental block? Nah. When I find myself at a range filled with divots, I focus on repeating the swing and not too much on ball flight. I know I'll hit a few too fat because the ball is literally in a divot and I'll have to get under it more to get it up in the air. I cut myself a break and go to a different range the next time I practice.

[Sai-Jin]

it may sound stupid, but I have a swing thought as if it's a good lie.... and because I was so angry... I became stubborn and trying to make it work.

I didn't realize the condition of the grass until I'm done hitting balls and now that I look at my clubs.. they are all full of grass on the face

[nevets88]

I've practiced on ranges with very badly maintained or not maintained at all grass and learned to deal with them. The difference for me is the ball flies lower because grass gets between the face and ball., but that's it, no other difference. When the grass is too thick. I start with a bunch of wedges and "clear" a patch for the longer irons and woods which is actually decent if the dirt isn't packed hard. Or I push the ball down so that it is "at level". I actually think having to deal with these ranges made me into a better player.

It sounds it is your issue might be mental perhaps. Or maybe the sight lines are throwing you off and you're not lining up right or you can't get a level stance. When I have off days at a new range, I'm usually not lining up right because the sight lines don't fit my eye.

[Sai-Jin]

Ah yes, my ball flights are really low too. So thanks for letting me know. I think it's time that I learn to deal with it.

[Stephen Newcomb]

Instead of starting a new thread I will just try to hijack this one and go with the opposite problem.

When I am on the range I hit good shots 6-7 times out of 10. Once I'm on the course I'm hitting 1-2 out of 10. I have noticied that there is a dent where the ball was, so I'm pretty sure that I'm topping the ball. This is also would make sense because the ball will get little to no flight.

Just looking for some general tips on what I could be doing wrong.

[onesome]

The most discouraging thing I find on grass driving ranges is that most people don't know how to minimize the amount of divots in it. Just for the sake of sharing when practicing irons on grass driving ranges always set the ball behind a divot rather than some other grassy spot, this is how the pros do it on tour and they use up the grass very little.

[Goonsidious]

Range with mats... and those rubber-tubed tees..

Totally kills my flow and ability to strike the ball.

Must infuriating thing ever.. I feel like I have to go back to the drawing board to figure out my swing while holding a driver or wood/hybrid.

Right when i think I've achieved a certain level and obstacle.. I drop right back down.