Range Sessions

[lhagsjr]

Does anyone have some advice on how to get the most out of them? I bought a large bucket today which consists of about 125 balls. It was going great for about the first 75 balls. I worked in almost every club(wedges/short irons/med irons/hyrbrids/driver) and was hitting everything solid. Then I started over again and got to 7 iron and started hitting those weak shots to the right and pounding the box. Im not sure why. Possibly tired?

IF you hit about 50-75 balls well should you just stop? Or try to keep grooving the swing at that point?

If I would have stepped away after the first time through the bag I would have felt great. Now Im sitting here saying that the hell fell apart at the end?

[Patch]

When I use the range, I warm up with 15-20 balls. Once warmed up, I usually don't hit (full swings) my total number of shots during a  real round, less the putts. Example; If I shoot an 80, and 30 of that 80 are putts, then I might hit 50 or less. Just depends on what I want to accomplish during that range time. Usually I am using most of those <50 shots for aim, and alignment.

Once I am finished with the full swing work, I go to the short game practice area, and work on shorter stuff, like chips, pitches, and sand shots. At some point during those short shots, I will add in putting .

Takes me any where from an hour to 90 minutes.

If I were to hit a full bucket of 75+ balls using my full swing, I would almost guarantee my self some bad stuff creeping into my swing, due to fatigue. .

[nicrapacz]

I normally start out with my driver while defining a landing zone in the distance. From there, I determine two more locations based on short irons and long irons. These change according to the clubs I feel need the most work or distances that were determined by the grounds crew on the range that day.

If I am able to successfully land it in the driving zone, I pick up my short iron (PW, 9, 8, 7) and try to land it on the chosen green/landing zone. If I land outside of the driving zone, I work on my long irons (6, 5, 4). If I find myself bored or too accurate with the driver during a session (the latter is rare), I will work on stinger shots off the tee with my 4 iron or my 3 wood off the deck.

The most important part is to keep score. I consider successful GIRs with short irons -1, consider long irons E, and add +1 for a missed drive. You’ll quickly start to understand your average score from week to week and it will give you incentive to care about accuracy. This helps me keep focus and stops me from hitting just to hit.

[RayG]

After a set of 10-12 swings, I'll back off a rest for a bit. After the third set, I'll maybe go inside for a coffee or a gatorade depending on the weather. About a third of the way through, I might break for a smoke (I know, I know... just lost 25 pounds. one thing at a time) and walk around. If I just pounded away for the 130/140 balls in the bucket, I would be a nutcase after 60 swings. I also will break it up by picturing various holes and playing those. Use a driver or 3 wood, then the appropriate iron, etc... Do that for the equivalent of three or four holes, then hit 5 or 6 7 Irons to keep a groove. During the bucket, I will cherry pick the best balls- there are always "playable" condition balls that people seem to hit and leave at the range. Maybe 8-12 per bucket. Those get put aside and I will use those for the last set with the driver to get a better picture of flight, distance, etc...

[Patch]

I have never tried this, but I think it might have some merit. I know some folks who will look at the holes (pictures) on their score card and practice their shots based on how the holes made up. I suppose they get a mental picture of the hole, and transfer that image to the range. Then select the club(s) and play it accordingly.

[Hammer 4]

Usually I'm working on a priority piece in my swing, I try to hit about 50 to 75 balls to really ingrain the particular piece I'm working on. After that, I will take driver, pick a target, try to hit said target, then make up a par 4 or 5, say it's a par 4 @ 400 yds, if my drive goes 240, I then have 160 left to the hole. The markers at my range don't include a 160 yd marker, so I'll take the club I believe goes 160, which would be my 7i, and try to hit past the 152 yd marker. I do this make up thing for about 6 to 8 holes, then I practice my "unusual" shots, you know, the ones that you try to hit to get yourself out of the trees, ect. I start with my 5i hitting knock down shots to different yardages, and work my way down to my 9i usually. Then I hit at least 30 short pitches, and chip shots of vary distances.

Or, If my friend is there, we try to pitch balls in a bucket with our 60* wedges, first one to make it, gets a free lrg. bucket of balls next time out. IMHO, this range time lets you Learn stuff, and keeps you sharp for the shot you wouldn't ordinarily hit at the range.

One thing I work on every range session is, steady head, weight forward, and being that my bad back leads me to want to move forward on the downswing, I work on keeping my noggin behind the ball, and lastly I work on my take away, and tempo. I can't recall going to the range just to pound balls, I go to work on stuff, and to learn. And someday, I'll learn to hit a high cut shot..lol

Oh, almost forgot..I hit at least 150 balls every outing, I guess cuz I'm a slow learner..

[vangator]

I always get the small bucket. I work on swing fundamentals mostly. If it's before the round, It's mostly working on loosening up my joints. I mostly work on the short irons. Actually all of mine are "short". I make sure I take proper divots. I work on tempo, keeping my head still, shifting weight, lag etc. At the end, I work on hitting my driver. I work on shaping the driver left and right. If I drive the ball well, I score well.

[RayG]

I have never tried this, but I think it might have some merit. I know some folks who will look at the holes (pictures) on their score card and practice their shots based on how the holes made up. I suppose they get a mental picture of the hole, and transfer that image to the range. Then select the club(s) and play it accordingly.

Exactly- you don't hit 30 drivers in a row on the course, right? This also comes in handy around here in the winter or cooler months when the heated range is a bit crowded. You can play with a buddy by switching off and playing the same holes.

[NotPortlyNJ]

If you were hitting 75 full swings without some sort of break, yeah, you probably got tired.  Looking at your HC of 30, if you average just over 2 putts per round, 75 full / wedge swings is a full 18 holes of golf.

[saevel25]

Does anyone have some advice on how to get the most out of them? I bought a large bucket today which consists of about 125 balls. It was going great for about the first 75 balls. I worked in almost every club(wedges/short irons/med irons/hyrbrids/driver) and was hitting everything solid. Then I started over again and got to 7 iron and started hitting those weak shots to the right and pounding the box. Im not sure why. Possibly tired?

IF you hit about 50-75 balls well should you just stop? Or try to keep grooving the swing at that point?

If I would have stepped away after the first time through the bag I would have felt great. Now Im sitting here saying that the hell fell apart at the end?

Read this thread,

Here is post in that thread of @iacas implementing this method for practicing.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/54840/simple-specific-slow-short-and-success-the-five-s-s-of-great-practice/90#post_1011090

Basically don't just work on hitting different clubs. That is good for warming up before a round. Actual practice should be one specific item in the swing you want to change. I can go a whole range session of 50 golf balls, making about 5 drill motions per ball hit,  with one club working on one drill to fix one thing in my swing.

[FireDragon76]

I have fibromyalgia (with fatigue and exercise intolerance as one of the symptoms). and I can't tee up and hit more than 20 balls in a row without my swing deteriorating.  After hitting a bucket of 65 balls, I can be exhausted for a few days.  I've started taking a little ginseng and it helps, but I have to wonder if I'm working myself too hard and maybe, not practicing smart .

I'll start backing off from hitting the medium buckets (60+ bulls), to go to a smaller bucket, and spend more time on the chipping green and sand.  Otherwise it just feels like I'm wasting my time/money with half of my shots being bad.

[Hammer 4]

I have fibromyalgia (with fatigue and exercise intolerance as one of the symptoms). and I can't tee up and hit more than 20 balls in a row without my swing deteriorating.  After hitting a bucket of 65 balls, I can be exhausted for a few days.  I've started taking a little ginseng and it helps, but I have to wonder if I'm working myself too hard and maybe, not practicing smart.

I'll start backing off from hitting the medium buckets (60+ bulls), to go to a smaller bucket, and spend more time on the chipping green and sand.  Otherwise it just feels like I'm wasting my time/money with half of my shots being bad.

Maybe not hit a ball one right after another, if that's what your doing. I'll hit maybe 5 balls, with the same club, but different distances, heights, ect..then sit down for a few mins. Also, I try to replicate how I might hit balls during a round, so maybe a driver then sit as if I was in a foursome walking a par 5, say 520 yds..and I was the last to hit again, so I sit for about 5 mins.then I may hit a 3 wood, or lay up with an iron, then sit again, and so on..that way you practice with a purpose i.e. as if you playing a round of golf, and you don't get nearly as tired. At 66, I need all the rest I can get..lol

Also, throw some pitch shots, and chips in the range session..

[sinned123]

I just joined an indoor golf simulator studio....after every shot,, you can  select a shot analysis of every club/shot you hit.It's information overload....Is there a website or anywhere that I can interpret what this data means and how I can correct and improve my indoor practice sessions...some are self explanatory ,,,

these I can figure out------

CARRY

BOUNCE AND ROLL

BALL SPEED

CLUB SPEED

SMASH FACTOR

LAUNCH ANGLE

these are a lot harder to figure....

HORIZ. ANGLE

SPIN

SPIN AXIS

CLUB FACE ANGLE

CLUB PATH

Thanks for any help guys.....sorry for any typo's

SINN