Ever feel completely lost at the range?

[dak4n6]

Originally Posted by daSeth

I think most range balls are dead balls to begin with...  Probably has to do with keeping a tighter shot dispersion and being easier to clean up.  Just a theory though.

I happen to like the range right now, but I am really working on improving my swing.  Hard to do that out on the course.

Nah.It's because they're CHEAP. Unless it's a private club, most courses can't spenf $10K every 4 months for 3000 ProV1s, eh? Plus, I read an article once that disclosed the results of a study regarding the lose of distance in balls left out in the weather (UV sunlight, wet, hot/cold, etc), and in only a couple months the lose was significant.

[Dave2512]

Defintely because range balls are cheap. My parents club is the only place I've been where all the balls match. The exception being the odd ball that landed on the range from an errant shot from the 18th that is to the right of the range. At my home course it's a potpourri of balls. Some yellow, various brands, most half dead or dead. I only hit a small bucket here and there to warm up and rarely work more than a few wedges. There's a nice range at a bigger facility where I go to practice and they have better balls, most are whatever the half decent Top Flite is. There is a par 3 next to the range and they have a nice big sand trap there.

[daSeth]

Heh, forget about the balls, I can't stand the mats.  How are you supposed to learn to hit down on the ball if you break/sprain your left wrist on the practice range?

[RonTheSavage]

Exactly! And your club jumps or skips into the ball on a mat that would be fat on turf. Mats are a waste of time.

[Golf Drills]

When I go to the driving range, I try to play like being on the course.

For example I use a differnet club for each shot : driver, 7 iron, wedge etc.
I use my ball retreiver as an alignment stick and aim at a precise target.
For each shot I go through my full preshot routine.
I still have not mastered taking my range game to the golf course

[Stewie007]

My problem is very much the opposite most of the time. I do have bad range days, but usually I'm a bloody hero at the range (from the average perspective); then I hit the course and its terrible.

Its a mental game, as much as it is physical; or perhaps more. The bad trips to the range are probably a result of a mental disconnect where you aren't focusing on what you're trying to do, and that's to practice a repetitive motion. Perhaps you're focusing too much on a single aspect of the shot. (The ones that incite worry, like distance, and preemptively worrying about a slice or a hook.... only some examples).

That is exactly what it is for me, but not at the range.... At the bloody course, hehe. I've come close to breaking 100 on some very difficult courses, and I know that I should be scoring at max 90 by the way my range play suggests.... But I can't wrap my head around the game, and I get lost in the need to score, or to hit a certain shot... When I get close to the green I get the heebie jeebies and I generally worry about hitting a bad shot and I baby it....

So I WISH I was having range problems rather than course problems.... If I could just play like I do at the range, my handicap wouldn't be so embarrassing hehehe....

[NuclearMike]

I seldom feel "lost" although when I try new things I sometimes get to the edge of my comfort zone.  When that happens I'll respond to the feeling one of two ways.  Either I'll grit my teeth and push my way through the discomfort or I'll go back to what I know and after a few good shots I'll go back to where I was.  Golf is so much a mental game that to me feeling uncomfortable and then getting past it just requires pushing through the discomfort, knowing that there is a goal to strive for.

[daSeth]

Originally Posted by Stewie007

My problem is very much the opposite most of the time. I do have bad range days, but usually I'm a bloody hero at the range (from the average perspective); then I hit the course and its terrible.

Its a mental game, as much as it is physical; or perhaps more. The bad trips to the range are probably a result of a mental disconnect where you aren't focusing on what you're trying to do, and that's to practice a repetitive motion. Perhaps you're focusing too much on a single aspect of the shot. (The ones that incite worry, like distance, and preemptively worrying about a slice or a hook.... only some examples).

That is exactly what it is for me, but not at the range.... At the bloody course, hehe. I've come close to breaking 100 on some very difficult courses, and I know that I should be scoring at max 90 by the way my range play suggests.... But I can't wrap my head around the game, and I get lost in the need to score, or to hit a certain shot... When I get close to the green I get the heebie jeebies and I generally worry about hitting a bad shot and I baby it....

So I WISH I was having range problems rather than course problems.... If I could just play like I do at the range, my handicap wouldn't be so embarrassing hehehe....

Ha ha... I can totally relate.  I was working on my swing and really grooving it one day at the range.  I got so excited with my progress I thought what the heck, I have time for a round.  I get to the first tee, and top the first ball in the weeds in front of the tee box.  I tee up another one, same thing.  Seriously, one of the worst 9 holes of my life.  I had to quit and go home instead of playing the back nine.

[onesome]

Today was a good day, one of the pros at our course helped me out a little bit with my soon to be ” trap swing”.