I feel like range time is wasted

[Brian W]

So you are saying if I were to hit 80 balls only working on key#1 it would be better than my current practice setup?

[Jeremie Boop]

So you are saying if I were to hit 80 balls only working on key#1 it would be better than my current practice setup?

That's the general principle behind the "stupid monkey" training. It's better to ingrain the good technique from the drills than to hit full shots which probably has flaws and ingrain those flaws further.

[14ledo81]

So you are saying if I were to hit 80 balls only working on key#1 it would be better than my current practice setup?

If Key #1 was your priority piece, definitely.

[Unforgiven93]

Mvmac, I think we are just using different words for the same thing. "Fundamentals" that I'm working on right now are keeping my left wrist flat at the top of the backswing and at impact, a long slow one piece takeaway, and being extremely smooth. Are those the type of things you are saying to work on? I don't just hit balls... unless I need to take out some anger haha.

[Patch]

Another way to look at time spent on the driving  range, or practice facilities in general, is to help prevent surprises when actually golfing for fun, and/or a score. Why wait for a shot you have never seen, or tried before, to show up while on the course with a score card in your hand? I also mix up my practice shots up to prevent boredom from settling in.

[Dave2512]

My coach does supervised practices at the range and I am really liking it. I feel like I get more done in that hour than anything I do on my own.  I just take what we work on there home, it's just one thing so easy to remember. He sets up the camera and FlightScope so we get brief follow up videos with a little feedback. In just two weeks my numbers improved significantly. An hour of range time is $10 so $35 for the supervised practice is a bargain.

[Brian W]

Work on improving the piece or pieces that need improvement. Need the practice to be specific, not just something general like "fundamentals".

The routine you outlined is just hitting a bunch of balls, there isn't anything specific you're working on or trying to improve. See the thread above.

I guess that makes sense although I never saw it that way.  I always thought I should be working on course situations but it doesn't really matter if I can hit the 150 stick with a 7 iron if the technique is flawed.  On top of that, hitting range balls doesn't really project a very accurate snapshot of a swing

I will read that thread and see how the practice time I get will change what happens to my swing on the course

[mvmac]

So you are saying if I were to hit 80 balls only working on key#1 it would be better than my current practice setup?

If Key #1 was your priority piece, definitely.

@14ledo81 is correct

Mvmac, I think we are just using different words for the same thing. "Fundamentals" that I'm working on right now are keeping my left wrist flat at the top of the backswing and at impact, a long slow one piece takeaway, and being extremely smooth. Are those the type of things you are saying to work on? I don't just hit balls... unless I need to take out some anger haha.

Sound good to me. I would also recommend integrating some slow speed swings feeling your pieces.

@iacas just posted a great video of his practice

http://thesandtrap.com/t/43987/my-swing-iacas/342#post_1010615

My practice from today

http://thesandtrap.com/t/40164/my-swing-mvmac/234#post_1012331

[Slk1981]

I am a quite a new player (Prob 18 months) and have started to get lessons, One of the things I have been told to practise is shifting most of my weight to my left leg on the down swing so that I take a divot after the ball

How is it possible to know you have hit a good shot (Divot) at a driving range, We have no ranges in the UK that offer the use of grass?

[Lihu]

I am a quite a new player (Prob 18 months) and have started to get lessons, One of the things I have been told to practise is shifting most of my weight to my left leg on the down swing so that I take a divot after the ball How is it possible to know you have hit a good shot (Divot) at a driving range, We have no ranges in the UK that offer the use of grass?

Since you're new, don't get used to taking deep divots. Many of us start off thinking we need to take deep divots. All the new GI/SGI clubs have tons of bounce in them, so divots should be really shallow to nearly nonexistent. You still want to hit down, but it's not as crucial to hit down as hard as with a more traditional club.

[Slk1981]

Since you're new, don't get used to taking deep divots. Many of us start off thinking we need to take deep divots.

All the new GI/SGI clubs have tons of bounce in them, so divots should be really shallow to nearly nonexistent. You still want to hit down, but it's not as crucial to hit down as hard as with a more traditional club.

Yes the Pro I am getting lessons off said the same, He wants to see a thin divot after the ball (Easier said than done)

I went the range today and could not hit anything well, I left and had numb fingers and a sore thumb on my right hand from club vibration, It was near on impossible to know if I had carried out a good shot, I came home frustrated grabbed my 8 iron and went onto the field behind my house, I hit 20-30 good shots out of say 50 taking a nice divot on quite a few, I think I will be giving the driving range a miss from now on

[HawkNballs]

A lot of people go to the range and just beat balls with their favorite clubs.  I try to work on the two or three clubs that I don't like.  I try to make them my favorite.  I know I can roll out of bed and hit my 4 iron or PW.  I need to practice my 7 iron and hybrid.

[cutshot878]

I guess nobody has a shag bag anymore? All the mini tour (Florida Space Coast Tour) players I used to watch practicing in the early 1980's had their own leather shag bags. You could find them at the back of the driving range on any given Sunday afternoon hitting shot after shot until dark.  I don't think they thought they were "wasting time."

[Lihu]

I guess nobody has a shag bag anymore? All the mini tour (Florida Space Coast Tour) players I used to watch practicing in the early 1980's had their own leather shag bags. You could find them at the back of the driving range on any given Sunday afternoon hitting shot after shot until dark.  I don't think they thought they were "wasting time."

I have one, if I have enough time on the course to hit a few.

No range time that I did was ever wasted, once I started practicing correctly, that is.

Even before my "good swing" phase, it was a great workout.

[MrDC]

Mats, such a terrible thing, if you're lucky enough to have a real grass range then you're getting good iron practice, otherwise it's so different that it's practically a waste of time to beat balls off the mat.

That's why I'm getting to the point where I go to the range for driver and hybrids off the tee only, for iron/wedge practice I'm at the 3 par course when it's quiet and play 3-4 balls off the tee, without using a tee (they hate that but they'll live) just drop the ball and hit, it's by far better practice, when you have to hit down on the ball off the fairway, mats don't do very well to ready for that.

[Ernest Jones]

Mats, such a terrible thing, if you're lucky enough to have a real grass range then you're getting good iron practice, otherwise it's so different that it's practically a waste of time to beat balls off the mat.

That's why I'm getting to the point where I go to the range for driver and hybrids off the tee only, for iron/wedge practice I'm at the 3 par course when it's quiet and play 3-4 balls off the tee, without using a tee (they hate that but they'll live) just drop the ball and hit, it's by far better practice, when you have to hit down on the ball off the fairway, mats don't do very well to ready for that.

Mats are fine once you develop a better feel for your swing and contact. I can tell immediately if I've hit the ball fat (or thin) on a mat. That wasn't always the case though, when I first started getting serious about golf I had issues from practicing on mats. The main issue is that you can hit the ball fairly fat on a mat and still get get reasonable distance, enough distance for you to think it was a decent shot. The problem is that you can hit a bucket of 60+ plus balls and hit everyone of them fat but think you had a great session. You go back and do it again, essentially grooving a swing that bottoms out prior to the ball, glides along the mat and eventually makes contact and gets you 75% (made up number) of your potential distance. You think you're all set and go to the course but now all those swings that bottomed out 6" behind the ball but still got decent distance because the club could slide along the mat are digging into the dirt and and going 10 yards.

Here's a free tip: bring a roll of masking tape (painter's tape is even better) and put a little piece on the mat just a little bit back from where you place the ball. With no ball, practice taking a swing that thumps the mat in front of the tape. You don't have to thump it hard, but try to make sure you're impacting the mat a little to insure a downward strike and simulate a divot. Once you can do this easily (shouldn't take long, you'll probably get it right away because there is no ball to eff you up) place a ball about 4" in front of the tape. Now practice hitting the ball then mat without scraping the tape. Once you're seeing success with this, move the tape closer, say 2" behind the ball, rinse and repeat. Eventually you should be able to place the tape directly behind the ball.

As long as you're hitting the ball and not scraping the tape off, you know you aren't hitting it fat and as long as you hear the club thump the mat, you know you're not hitting it thin. After a while you'll be able to identify fat, thin and flush just by feel and sound and won't need the tape anymore.

The first time you miss the tape that's directly behind your ball and thump the mat you will feel the most incredible sensation at impact, compression. You will never mistake a fat or thin shot for flush again. They are completely different sensations.