So I quit playing but occasionally hit balls

[longbow]

So my wife and I had a very very dear friend pass a few years back and went out and so so we bought a "cottage" in a Marina near Pultneyvile NY.  Then last year we bought a big ass boat for fishing so over the last say 3-4 years I haven't been playing golf.  I on occasion hit balls at Big Oak driving range in E. Roch NY.  Which leads me to this post.  I look around at the folks there at the driving range hitting balls with abandon.  I mean getting up there on the matts and swinging away for the fence.  Am I missing something here?  No one on my last outing there about 6 wks ago seems to be aiming at anything.  Nothing.  Tee a ball up and swing away.  They have a grass practice area that I go to first just to hit my irons on some un-even sod.  I pick a target and concentrate on that target until I am getting near it or on it.  Sometimes they have these nets out I hit my wedges too.  Further targets are pin positions they have set out on little mounds that are supposed to replicate greens.

So this whole diatribe is about this:  when at the range don't just get up there and hit the ball.  Pick a specific target ALWAYS and hit to it.  Don't hit your irons off the mat's.  If mat's are all your driving range has hit your woods or your driver only off the tee.  If it has a grass practice area hit your irons and PICK A TARGET ALWAYS.  Just don't get up there and hit away to see your ball flight.

Like I said I haven't played only once in the past couple of years on a course.  I have hit balls on occasion.   Not like I used to but on occasion.  I am just amazed at how what I would consider a semi serious golfer get up and swing away with no rhyme or reason to the swing or the practice session.  Semi serious in that they have a good set of sticks and they wear golf shoes.  I could go on and on but the last time it kind of stuck in my craw for some reason and figured now would be a good time to post about for no other reason other than my boat is in the shop and I can't fish!  thanks for listening

[shfboyroddy]

I like to hit irons off of the mats. Even though I usually have a target I use those hits to get that feel of contacting the ball before the ground. You can really feel and tell the lift and the vibration of a well hit (ball first) shot vs a hit the ground shot alot better. Another thing I think a driving or practice range gives you that you can't do on a course is; experiment with swing speed and tempo, try drawing or fading the ball. You aren't going to be as focused on direction as much as trying to get the results you want. Maybe that is what you where seeing people do, or the fact that yeah hitting a golf ball is one of those things if it right it feels like a wonderful homerun swing....some people have to hit 50 crazy ones to get the one GREAT one? :)

[14ledo81]

So my wife and I had a very very dear friend pass a few years back and went out and so so we bought a "cottage" in a Marina near Pultneyvile NY.  Then last year we bought a big ass boat for fishing so over the last say 3-4 years I haven't been playing golf.  I on occasion hit balls at Big Oak driving range in E. Roch NY.  Which leads me to this post.  I look around at the folks there at the driving range hitting balls with abandon.  I mean getting up there on the matts and swinging away for the fence.  Am I missing something here?  No one on my last outing there about 6 wks ago seems to be aiming at anything.  Nothing.  Tee a ball up and swing away.  They have a grass practice area that I go to first just to hit my irons on some un-even sod.  I pick a target and concentrate on that target until I am getting near it or on it.  Sometimes they have these nets out I hit my wedges too.  Further targets are pin positions they have set out on little mounds that are supposed to replicate greens.

So this whole diatribe is about this:  when at the range don't just get up there and hit the ball.  Pick a specific target ALWAYS and hit to it.  Don't hit your irons off the mat's.  If mat's are all your driving range has hit your woods or your driver only off the tee.  If it has a grass practice area hit your irons and PICK A TARGET ALWAYS.  Just don't get up there and hit away to see your ball flight.

Like I said I haven't played only once in the past couple of years on a course.  I have hit balls on occasion.   Not like I used to but on occasion.  I am just amazed at how what I would consider a semi serious golfer get up and swing away with no rhyme or reason to the swing or the practice session.  Semi serious in that they have a good set of sticks and they wear golf shoes.  I could go on and on but the last time it kind of stuck in my craw for some reason and figured now would be a good time to post about for no other reason other than my boat is in the shop and I can't fish!  thanks for listening

Sometimes I may be working on something with my swing, and I don't really care where the ball goes.  In these cases, I do not have a target in mind.