I think I am a Driving Range Pro..... lol

[bplewis24]

Agree.......golf is an easy game on the range, people tend to be more relaxed because the landing zone is massive (compared to a fairway) and you do not have to go and look for your ball.

Results in a slower, smoother swings with better results.

Not only that.  Every lie on and stance is flat and level, especially if hitting off of mats.

One thing I find very difficult is hitting 300 balls during the week off a level lie, and then having the ball be below my feet for 5-6 shots during a round, resulting in some really, really bad mishits.  Some things are very difficult to simulate on the range, and they expose your swing flaws, even if you are trying to practice the correct way.

[Pepsivanilla93]

Why don't you think of your shots on the course as shots you've had success with on the range? "Oh this is just like my 200 yd 4 iron to the yellow marker." I was playing disc golf at a local championship course and I was +11 on the 18th. The 7th shot on this u-turn par five was the same distance as the 5th hole of my "home disc golf course." I grabbed my mid-range and threw a perfect s-curve 5 feet from the basket. Long story short, I saved triple bogey :-P I learned though that playing relatable shots is a great way to go when your mental game is off. It comforts you a bit more.

[mvmac]

yet it seems that when i go to the course to actually play, I just cant seem to do the same thing.....

Try "playing" some holes on the range.  Picture shots you'll have to hit on certain courses, go through your routine and hit the shots.  Same thing with driver.

[TJBam]

If you're not picking a flag on the driving range to shoot at -- and judging your performance based on accuracy to flag -- then your driving range experience will always exceed your on course experience in terms of perceived performance.

I can hit balls on the range all day and not notice that I am missing my mark.  But a 20-30 yd difference on the range is sometimes not noticeable where as on the course that's the difference between OB, sand, water, rough, etc.  On the range it is easy to hit the ball and say "oh, I hit it nicely, the flight is high, the yardage is on spot, etc."  But what you maybe aren't noticing is you're not aiming at anything.

[phan52]

If you're not picking a flag on the driving range to shoot at -- and judging your performance based on accuracy to flag -- then your driving range experience will always exceed your on course experience in terms of perceived performance.

I can hit balls on the range all day and not notice that I am missing my mark.  But a 20-30 yd difference on the range is sometimes not noticeable where as on the course that's the difference between OB, sand, water, rough, etc.  On the range it is easy to hit the ball and say "oh, I hit it nicely, the flight is high, the yardage is on spot, etc."  But what you maybe aren't noticing is you're not aiming at anything.

I watch how good players practice, and they have little wasted time on the range. I noticed that the first thing they do is make sure their alignment is correct and go from there.  Unlike a lot of people who are just pounding balls all over the place.

I always make a point to pick a flag as a directional target, and think, OK, is that flag in the middle of a green, or is it a sucker pin. I give myself a little leeway (like I would on the course) and I will try to simulate hitting the shot to what would be the middle of a green in relation to a flag. And with my driver, I will pick a couple of marks to the right and left that simulate the width of our first fairway, which is a decent sized target, with some mounding on the left and bunkers on the right. I can think, "that one was in play in the fairway", or "that one was too close to the mounds", or "that one is in the bunker".

[TourSpoon]

I typically hit the ball "worse" on the range because I have stricter targets. I set up my alignment sticks to a very small green bunkered on both sides and hit my shots to the green. With the longer clubs the standard is to have them fly and land over the target so that the ball lands visually  between the 2 bunkers in a pretend fairway.

[SHORTGAME2013]

Part of this Range/Course duality (great on range, rough on course) comes largely from one reason: Time between shots.  The range affords the ability to build a totally different kind of momentum.  You can hit a shot every ten seconds on the range, but it takes you at least 4 minutes to hit your next shot out on the course.

You can get better!

1) When on the range, play a game. Design a par 4. Pretend it's 360.  Hit whatever club you hit, measure distance, and see what you have left (you hit 200, you've got 160 in, hit your 160 club and see what happens!) The goal is to PRACTICE THE PACE OF COURSE PLAY.  Yes, it takes a little longer when you switch clubs (perhaps you take a minute or two in between shots), but this gives you time to THINK. Remember that you are training your brain to tell the body what to do.  Thinking about the way you are about to swing really helps!!

2) This one sounds a bit less fun (for me it sounds more fun) - double the amount of balls you hit in a week. The odds are good you can groove your swing much more to see an improved result on the course.

In high school, my buddies went out to play most days, and I would join them sometimes, but many times I'd hit an extra 2 buckets instead.  I maintained my #1 position because of the confidence I had in my swing - a direct result of hitting so many more balls than my teammates!  Iterations really matter!

Good Luck!

I'm going to post my practice routine guidelines for the range soon.

[teed off]

Why don't you think of your shots on the course as shots you've had success with on the range? "Oh this is just like my 200 yd 4 iron to the yellow marker." I was playing disc golf at a local championship course and I was +11 on the 18th. The 7th shot on this u-turn par five was the same distance as the 5th hole of my "home disc golf course." I grabbed my mid-range and threw a perfect s-curve 5 feet from the basket. Long story short, I saved triple bogey I learned though that playing relatable shots is a great way to go when your mental game is off. It comforts you a bit more.

Disc golf?..............Sorry, but I do not know what this is.

[Wally]

Ok, so last weekend I go and visit my brother's family ( livonia michigan ) for some golfing and just to get "away" lol... So friday we did 36 holes, 18 @ 8am and the next 18 @ 3pm..    First course is The Majestic which I have played before, and its pretty nice and some what tough but looks easy lol...   So front 9 i shoot a 51, not bad, should of been better...  back nine was awful!!! and i finish with 112... Next 18 was at Fox Hills, which is about 10mins away from Livonia..  And is about the same as Majestic.. And I think a bit tougher..     And i ended up shooting about the same,,,   Yet, Sunday I head to the driving range to work on stuff, I am hitting 90% of the balls really good.... And I say this, cuz I would take out 5 balls, and use my 3 iron, and then use my 4 iron on the next 5, and so on, down the line... And i was seriously hitting a lot of good shots..  yet it seems that when i go to the course to actually play, I just cant seem to do the same thing.....

This happened to me earlier this summer. Except EVERY shot I had was spot on target and had the ball flight I was trying to hit. It was possibly one of my best if not the best range session, and I have been playing this game for 8 years. Fade? You got it. Draw? Yup. Low punch, check. Etc. I felt like I could break 80 but then I got to the course and my accuracy and thus distance went out the window. I was very mad. [quote name="phan52" url="/t/69883/i-think-i-am-a-driving-range-pro-lol#post_895323"] Just last week at the range. a 28 handicapper with an awful swing is hitting balls. Another 28 handicapper walks up and says, "Hey, nice swing, lookin' good!" The other guy goes, "Yeah, I think I found something." Me?....:doh: [/quote] This really made me laugh!

[Pepsivanilla93]

Disc golf?..............Sorry, but I do not know what this is.

It's like regular golf, except you throw frisbees (called discs) down range trying to get them into a basket. Same rules as golf and the courses are usually 9 or 18 holes. Most courses around here are free, which is why I like it. Here's a picture of the baskets.PM me if I wasn't clear enough, I don't want to get too off topic.

[iacas]

For disc golf discussion: http://thesandtrap.com/groups/show/59/disc-golfers/ .

[TN94z]

Try "playing" some holes on the range.  Picture shots you'll have to hit on certain courses, go through your routine and hit the shots.  Same thing with driver.

I usually go this route.  It's too easy to get in a groove hitting the same club over and over and start hitting okay shots.  I try to play each hole from tee to wedge game.  If I am working on something specific, then that is not the case.  But just normal practice, this is a great idea to use

[rkim291968]

At range, you are hitting a ball on a perfect lie, and even ground.   You are also hitting the same club number of times before you move to next club.  I.e, you adjust to a bad shot on your next one.  These two factors alone will make range practice a whole lot better proposition than hitting on course.

I hit much better at range.   Of course, playing hilly courses makes my ball striking on course even worse.

[MS256]

For some reason I hit the ball much worse on the range (or in any practice) than I do in a game (especially with money on the line).

There have been many times when I practiced before a match and almost called off the match, and wondered how I was going to get around the course, but most of the time my problems go away once I start playing.

There are exceptions when I hit the ball very well in practice and/or not worth a crap on the course but it doesn't happen much.

[bplewis24]

You are also hitting the same club number of times before you move to next club.  I.e, you adjust to a bad shot on your next one.  These two factors alone will make range practice a whole lot better proposition than hitting on course.

That's why I will sometimes finish my range session by cycling through a driver or 3w, following by 9i followed by 6i, and randomly repeat the cycle for the last 10-15 balls.  Sometimes the different shaft lengths can give an uncomfortable feel if you haven't hit it in a while (ex: not hitting anything above a 7i for several holes and then having to hit a 5i).

[mvmac]

I usually go this route.  It's too easy to get in a groove hitting the same club over and over and start hitting okay shots.  I try to play each hole from tee to wedge game.  If I am working on something specific, then that is not the case.  But just normal practice, this is a great idea to use

Correct, there are times to work on the mechanics of the swing and times to practice hitting shots.

[David L Yskes]

hey guys i posted a video in the Swing section.....

[rkim291968]

That's why I will sometimes finish my range session by cycling through a driver or 3w, following by 9i followed by 6i, and randomly repeat the cycle for the last 10-15 balls.  Sometimes the different shaft lengths can give an uncomfortable feel if you haven't hit it in a while (ex: not hitting anything above a 7i for several holes and then having to hit a 5i).

I do that sometimes.  In fact, I'd take a scorecard and play a simulation round in the range.  I need to do this more often.