What is Your Oddest Driving Range Experience?

[daniel2852]

Originally Posted by phan52

I was on the range one day and the only other person there was a member's wife, who has a rep for being a little loopy. She was hitting balls and releasing her club and throwing it down the range on her followthrough. Since there wasn't a lot of people around, so she was able to walk out and get her club every time she threw it. I finally had to ask her WTF she was doing and she said that she wanted to get the feeling of finishing the shot by releasing the club. I just shook my head and walked away. FAR away.

I've actually heard of a drill where you drop the club as you complete your downswing, but you don't throw it. Supposedly it helps get you more in sync with developing lag and temp.

[Russtopher]

Originally Posted by phan52

I was on the range one day and the only other person there was a member's wife, who has a rep for being a little loopy. She was hitting balls and releasing her club and throwing it down the range on her followthrough. Since there wasn't a lot of people around, so she was able to walk out and get her club every time she threw it. I finally had to ask her WTF she was doing and she said that she wanted to get the feeling of finishing the shot by releasing the club. I just shook my head and walked away. FAR away.

I've head of the "toss the club" drill from numerous instructors, Shawn Clement is a big fan of that drill. However, it's usually done in front of a net and NOT while hitting balls at the same time!!!

[TJBam]

Originally Posted by daniel2852

I've actually heard of a drill where you drop the club as you complete your downswing, but you don't throw it. Supposedly it helps get you more in sync with developing lag and temp.

Never heard of that.  I have a friend who "follows" his shot during drills (walking after it after follow through) that seems to work nicely.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by TJBam

Never heard of that.  I have a friend who "follows" his shot during drills (walking after it after follow through) that seems to work nicely.

That's the Gary Player move!  I think that is a fantastic drill for somebody who is working on getting their weight forward at impact.

Probably a good idea to keep it to one step, though, at a packed driving range ;)  Or else, make sure you are at the far left end. :)

[TJBam]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

That's the Gary Player move!  I think that is a fantastic drill for somebody who is working on getting their weight forward at impact.

Probably a good idea to keep it to one step, though, at a packed driving range ;)  Or else, make sure you are at the far left end. :)

Oh I didn't know Player used it.  Awesome.  The friend is a great ball striker now I know his secrets.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by TJBam

Oh I didn't know Player used it.  Awesome.  The friend is a great ball striker now I know his secrets.

[Ernest Jones]

I've head of the "toss the club" drill from numerous instructors, Shawn Clement is a big fan of that drill. However, it's usually done in front of a net and NOT while hitting balls at the same time!!! :-P

Fred Shoemaker did some interesting stuff with club throwing drills. Supposed to promote a better understanding and feel for proper impact position.

[bplewis24]

I nearly killed a bird a couple months ago.  It was raining and only 3-4 people there, so the bird was resting about 10 yards in front of the stalls.  Eventually it comes to rest directly in front of me.  I shanked a 3 iron after about 10 minutes and it clipped the bird's neck.  It was startled and eventually left, after yelling out "AFLAC!"

[dzclarkcpa]

Originally Posted by Russtopher

I've head of the "toss the club" drill from numerous instructors, Shawn Clement is a big fan of that drill. However, it's usually done in front of a net and NOT while hitting balls at the same time!!!

From this point forward, I am no longer an angry golfer who throws my clubs; I shall be known as a devoted golfer who takes his range practice of throwing clubs all the way to the course with me.

[0ldblu3]

I was hitting balls on a cold day last winter and one of my drives went low and left, managing to hit the 4 inch diameter striped pole out at the 145 mark. Well, it was about 30 degrees or so out and that pole just exploded. I hit it about half of foot down from the top, shards everywhere. I should mention that it was PVC, not metal.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by 0ldblu3

I should mention that it was PVC, not metal.

I disagree.  You should have omitted that, and let everybody think it was metal.

[newtogolf]

I had an odd one today.  Father and son (around 8) walk up to the range each carrying their own bag of clubs.  They chose 2 stalls about 3 stalls away from me so they were close enough to hear their interactions.  Seems they had just come from the store where the guy had bought his son a youth set and driver.  The father had a decent swing and was hitting the ball well.  His son in the stall next to him was struggling but still seemed excited about his new clubs.  The father gave his son some quick instruction and told him it took a lot of practice to get as good as he was.  I thought it was cute that the father was sharing his love of the game with his son and went about my practice.

I was pretty focused on my practice and wasn't really paying attention to what they were doing until I heard the father start yelling.  Based on the rant, his son must have gotten frustrated with not hitting the ball well and decided to give up.  The father was very annoyed that his son was quitting and ripped into him about being a quitter, and making him waste his money.

I looked over basically hoping the father would realize he was a bit over the top and stop yelling at his kid, but instead slammed his clubs and the kids clubs in their bags, grabbed his son and walked off berating the kid the entire way.    I thought to myself that kids going to hate golf the rest of his life.

[RPMPIRE]

Just happened today. Was hitting in one of the lower stalls of a double-decked driving range. A few ladies (seemed like their first time hitting golf balls) were laughing hysterically after their first few swings from the upper deck. About half way through my bucket, I looked out into the range and saw a sandal fly from the upper deck and down about 10 yards in front of me and to the right. More hysterical laughing came from above and the ladies came downstairs and asked all the guys to stop hitting so she can run and retrieve her sandal.

Usually, I would sometimes see a club or driver head fly down range, but not a sandal or shoe.

[clearwaterms]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

I had an odd one today.  Father and son (around 8) walk up to the range each carrying their own bag of clubs.  They chose 2 stalls about 3 stalls away from me so they were close enough to hear their interactions.  Seems they had just come from the store where the guy had bought his son a youth set and driver.  The father had a decent swing and was hitting the ball well.  His son in the stall next to him was struggling but still seemed excited about his new clubs.  The father gave his son some quick instruction and told him it took a lot of practice to get as good as he was.  I thought it was cute that the father was sharing his love of the game with his son and went about my practice.

I was pretty focused on my practice and wasn't really paying attention to what they were doing until I heard the father start yelling.  Based on the rant, his son must have gotten frustrated with not hitting the ball well and decided to give up.  The father was very annoyed that his son was quitting and ripped into him about being a quitter, and making him waste his money.

I looked over basically hoping the father would realize he was a bit over the top and stop yelling at his kid, but instead slammed his clubs and the kids clubs in their bags, grabbed his son and walked off berating the kid the entire way.    I thought to myself that kids going to hate golf the rest of his life.

Damn, I was really hoping you were going to finish with...

As soon as they left, I went over and took the rest of his unhit range balls.

[newtogolf]

Originally Posted by clearwaterms

Damn, I was really hoping you were going to finish with...

As soon as they left, I went over and took the rest of his unhit range balls.

LOL, there was an old guy on the other side of them that ran over and grabbed them before I even thought about it.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

LOL, there was an old guy on the other side of them that ran over and grabbed them before I even thought about it.

Those old guys can smell unhit range balls a mile away!

[RPMPIRE]

Those old guys can smell unhit range balls a mile away!

So that's why they always get a small bucket

[newtogolf]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Those old guys can smell unhit range balls a mile away!

They sure can, they lurk over anyone that looks like they might leave a few.  They are also good at using their ball retriever to grab any balls that are close to the mats.