Range session on the same day you play?

[1980devo]

Just wanted to get some opinions. Do you ever, or would you ever, have a full range session the same day you play. For example you play Friday and and struggle with your driver. You have a round on Sunday but can't practice on Saturday. Do you hit the range hard before your round or just go with what you have until you have time for a proper session? I ask because I did it for the first time today. I haven't been driving the ball particularly well so I went and worked hard on it at a range near my house this morning then drove to the course and played. I hit 13 fairways, when I'm hitting it great i may hit 10. It really helped my confidence more than anything else.

[Hammer 4]

I won't do a full on range session the same day, but I will hit a large bucket to warm up for a round. If I'm not hitting driver well, I will try to correct it with maybe 5 swings, if I can't get it close to hitting it right, I will drop down to my 3 wood on the tee, if that doesn't work, I will go with a 3i, I don't carry a 5 or 7 wood.

During the round, I may try to hit driver once more to see how it goes, if it's no bueno, I go back to my 3i. better to hit 200+ yards in the fairway then 250 in the next adjoining fairway.

So no, I use the range just to warm up.

[1980devo]

I should add that I would have never tried the full range session approach myself had middle Tennessee not been gripped by global warming for the past three months. The 65 degree temps beckoned me to the range like a moth to a flame.

[LuciusWooding]

I do, before and after most rounds. In addition to practicing on other days. No sense passing up free practice when you have a membership.

[MS256]

I wouldn't hesitate at all to practice before a round if I had time if I thought I wasn't hitting the ball very well. In fact I go out of my way to do it. I have gone out in the yard to hit balls before daylight on mornings I was going to play in an effort to figure out something that would work. If I do think I am hitting the ball well I don't do any more than hit a few balls to loosen up, and only try the shots I am best at with the clubs I like best. I don't want to try a single thing that I might do poorly. The last thing I want to do is to coach myself right into a slump if I'm not in one.

[Golfingdad]

I would love to be able to do this. I think practicing after a round would/could be really productive. Unfortunately, I don't have the time for it right now. I'm blessed if I have time to play 18 ... Not going to be pushing my luck by spending another hour or two out there practicing. :)

[Dave2512]

Do it all the time. Our course leaves balls out on the range open to close. Practice facilities come with green fees.

[PirateJim]

My answer may depend upon the definition of a "full range session."  I like to hit the range before playing to get my swing together for the day, get the joints moving, etc.  I hit what probably equates to a small bucket starting with the wedge and working up to the driver focusing on smooth takeaway and transition mostly.  This differs from how I approach a range only session where, after a brief warm up, I may focus only on hitting one club or one particular kind of shot through much of the session.

I think a lot of people would benefit from hitting the range before playing.  How many times have you heard people lament how well they hit their driver on the range and how poorly they do on the course?  I suspect a lot of those folks walk out to the first tee after a few quick stretches (maybe) and a few practice swings and whale away with the Big Dog.  When they hit a poor shot that ugly little voice in their head says, "Oh no!  I just can't hit the driver well on the golf course.  Oh, woe is me, here we go again."  Just a few good shots on the range before tee time might have avoided this cycle of failure.

[MPtheKid]

I don't hesitate to practice before or after I play. If I feel something was going askew during my round I actually think it is beneficial to be able to head to the range right after and work it out. I feel this not only leads to a good, focused practice session but it also gives me confidence if I am playing the next day knowing that I corrected whatever the issue was.