Range vs Course for practice

[bones75]

I've been getting out after work w/ about 2 hours left of sunlight.  I should be going to the range to work on some known swing issues, but I always end up going out and trying to get 9+ holes in. I'd rather play 9 than do the range, but I feel like I'm slowing progress in my game. I usually only get 2-3 months a year where work allows me to play regularly doing the week, so want to use my time efficiently to improve. Do you guys generally see ur game progress more when u find time to play a lot or when u find time to go to the range a lot?

Obviously not talking about short game.

Edited May 26, 2016 by bones75

[Lihu]

33 minutes ago, bones75 said:

I've been getting out after work w/ about 2 hours left of sunlight.  I should be going to the range to work on some known swing issues, but I always end up going out and trying to get 9+ holes in. I'd rather play 9 than do the range, but I feel like I'm slowing progress in my game. I usually only get 2-3 months a year where work allows me to play regularly doing the week, so want to use my time efficiently to improve. Do you guys generally see ur game progress more when u find time to play a lot or when u find time to go to the range a lot?

Obviously not talking about short game.

I think you need both. Switch between course and range. Let me know how it goes, and we can compare notes. I'm doing the same thing.

[RH31]

I agree you need both. I'll hit it some what better on the course if I'm practicing correctly on the range. If I practice too much and don't get out on the course, my short game feel usually suffers.

In the perfect world,  I would alternate play/ practice days.

[paininthenuts]

8 hours ago, bones75 said:

I've been getting out after work w/ about 2 hours left of sunlight.  I should be going to the range to work on some known swing issues, but I always end up going out and trying to get 9+ holes in. I'd rather play 9 than do the range, but I feel like I'm slowing progress in my game. I usually only get 2-3 months a year where work allows me to play regularly doing the week, so want to use my time efficiently to improve. Do you guys generally see ur game progress more when u find time to play a lot or when u find time to go to the range a lot?

Obviously not talking about short game.

Golf is about what you enjoy. Personally I don'y mind the odd bucket, but that's about it. I would also argue that other than T shots, a driving range doesn't always give you accurate practice. The surface is different, and the balls are very different. On a driving range you don't get stuck in the rough, or end up behind a tree.

[krupa]

16 minutes ago, paininthenuts said:

Golf is about what you enjoy. Personally I don'y mind the odd bucket, but that's about it. I would also argue that other than T shots, a driving range doesn't always give you accurate practice. The surface is different, and the balls are very different. On a driving range you don't get stuck in the rough, or end up behind a tree.

That entirely depends on what a person needs to practice.

Personally, I like (and need) spending time at the range to practice my swing.  I can take my time, do 100 practice strokes if I wanted (of course, I don't do that many) and can hit 10,20,30+ balls with the same club.  Same with a short-game practice area.  I can hit the same shot repeatedly to learn what to do. 

The course provides all the funky situations you may get in, but you will only have a handful of times to "practice" from those lies while playing a round.

I have seen a lot of progress this season so far because for every nine holes I play, I'm going to the range at least once and short-game practice area at least twice.

[sirhacksalot]

20 minutes ago, paininthenuts said:

Golf is about what you enjoy. Personally I don'y mind the odd bucket, but that's about it. I would also argue that other than T shots, a driving range doesn't always give you accurate practice. The surface is different, and the balls are very different. On a driving range you don't get stuck in the rough, or end up behind a tree.

It's, the range, also usually wide open and what looks like a fade or a draw that's fine can still put you in trouble on the course.  Along with the original post though.  If you were to practice on the course and say drop 5 or six balls to hit from 150 and so on. What is proper course edicate? Just make sure fix the divots, only okay from rough, or should you bring a small mat or something?

[Lihu]

24 minutes ago, paininthenuts said:

Golf is about what you enjoy. Personally I don'y mind the odd bucket, but that's about it. I would also argue that other than T shots, a driving range doesn't always give you accurate practice. The surface is different, and the balls are very different. On a driving range you don't get stuck in the rough, or end up behind a tree.

You're generally on the range to work on your swing.

[Patch]

Number one, I never use the range if it's a  "mats only" situation. The course I do practice at has both real grass days, and mats only days during the week. Usually 3 days of grass, and 4 days of mats. I probably only use the driviving range 2 or 3 times a month. Most of that time is spent on my driver, and my other metal woods. After warming up, those sessions only last about 30-45 minutes, or maybe 20-25 balls. Probably only 30% of my over all practice time is spent on with my longer clubs. Truth be known, I probably do it more for exercise than actual swing mechanics/positions. 

My only other long swing practice is when I go to the near by dry lake bed. I go there to exercise our dogs, and I will take a 5i blade and practice hitting balls off the thin lies the area has to offer. This is also where I sometimes check my carry yardages with various clubs. 

I prefer to play more than practice my long game stuff. I get more feed back out of playing these days. If something does go wrong when playing, I can usually fix the swing issue while playing. 

[Lihu]

11 minutes ago, Patch said:

Number one, I never use the range if it's a  "mats only" situation. The course I do practice at has both real grass days, and mats only days during the week. Usually 3 days of grass, and 4 days of mats. I probably only use the driviving range 2 or 3 times a month. Most of that time is spent on my driver, and my other metal woods. After warming up, those sessions only last about 30-45 minutes, or maybe 20-25 balls. Probably only 30% of my over all practice time is spent on with my longer clubs. Truth be known, I probably do it more for exercise than actual swing mechanics/positions. 

My only other long swing practice is when I go to the near by dry lake bed. I go there to exercise our dogs, and I will take a 5i blade and practice hitting balls off the thin lies the area has to offer. This is also where I sometimes check my carry yardages with various clubs. 

I prefer to play more than practice my long game stuff. I get more feed back out of playing these days. If something does go wrong when playing, I can usually fix the swing issue while playing. 

If you spend most of your practice on driver, mats shouldn't make too much difference?

[Patch]

2 minutes ago, Lihu said:

If you spend most of your practice on driver, mats shouldn't make too much difference?

Since I would be teeing the ball up, it shouldn't, you are right. Part of the problem with me and mats is what I am usually standing on. It's not grass. Another problem is that this course I use, their mat only days are on friday through monday. I usually don't golf those days due to the high volume of golfers using the course.  

[Grinde6]

54 minutes ago, paininthenuts said:

Golf is about what you enjoy. Personally I don'y mind the odd bucket, but that's about it. I would also argue that other than T shots, a driving range doesn't always give you accurate practice. The surface is different, and the balls are very different. On a driving range you don't get stuck in the rough, or end up behind a tree.

This is why we go to the range, to work on our swing so that we can get rid of being stuck in the rough or behind a tree.  I know it doesn't happen overnight, but I like to go to the range on my lunch hour most days, and then try to play 9 or more if possible later in the day.  Most driving range balls take less than 10% off the yardage because they are low flight balls. 

 

34 minutes ago, sirhacksalot said:

It's, the range, also usually wide open and what looks like a fade or a draw that's fine can still put you in trouble on the course.  Along with the original post though.  If you were to practice on the course and say drop 5 or six balls to hit from 150 and so on. What is proper course edicate? Just make sure fix the divots, only okay from rough, or should you bring a small mat or something?

This is why I have found it best when I'm on the range to actually play my home course or the course you are going to be playing in your head.  Set boundaries for the fairways on your tee shots, if you go left of your boundary, your in the rough, hazard, sand, etc...then hit your approach shot to one of the greens on the range, if it goes long or short your chipping to one of the close pins on the range...it makes it fun, and that way your seeing your entire game instead of just beating 20 balls with a 9 iron, 15 with a 7 iron, etc...

[Lihu]

Just now, Patch said:

Since I would be teeing the ball up, it shouldn't, you are right. Part of the problem with me and mats is what I am usually standing on. It's not grass. Another problem is that this course I use, their mat only days are on friday through monday. I usually don't golf those days due to the high volume of golfers using the course.  

Sounds good, actually. Grass on weekends are maybe once a year at my home course.

[MrDC]

Yup, you gotta range, just a part of the life, some don't at all but I would guess the vast majority of those people don't play well often.

But some range too much and end up wearing themselves out, the body needs to be fresh to play golf well, keep those muscles twitching, there's a perfect amount of range IMO and it's probably just a small bucket twice a week or so max.

[Grinde6]

17 minutes ago, MrDC said:

Yup, you gotta range, just a part of the life, some don't at all but I would guess the vast majority of those people don't play well often.

But some range too much and end up wearing themselves out, the body needs to be fresh to play golf well, keep those muscles twitching, there's a perfect amount of range IMO and it's probably just a small bucket twice a week or so max.

If your game is good and your not looking to fix some flaws, but just keep that muscle memory going I would agree with you.  If your looking to improve, I would say 4 days a week with a large bucket.  That's what I did for the past couple weeks and I have been able to (on the range anyways) get my distance controlled, and get a repeatable ball flight and know how much its going to draw/fade. 

If your going to do what your talking about in order to get better the other days I would hope would be spent on the chipping/putting green for a little bit anyways.

If your looking to get better, I would HIGHLY recommend reading LOWEST SCORE WINS.  I believe you can find it if you hit the STORE tab at the top of the page....great book that details what parts of the game you should spend your time practicing based on how many strokes it could save you in a round.

[Groucho Valentine]

I practice golf by playing it. Id much rather hit up a muni after work and hit 2 or 3 balls a hole than be on a range for hours and pound balls. Its better exercise too if you're a walker. But sometimes range work can be more useful if you're sorting through a mechanical issue. Depends on what you want. 

 

[boogielicious]

1 hour ago, Groucho Valentine said:

I practice golf by playing it. Id much rather hit up a muni after work and hit 2 or 3 balls a hole than be on a range for hours and pound balls. Its better exercise too if you're a walker. But sometimes range work can be more useful if you're sorting through a mechanical issue. Depends on what you want. 

 

That sounds fine and I'd love to do it that way. But there are no munis in my area that are empty after work. I'd don't spend a long time at the range when I go, maybe 45 minutes at most. 

[NJpatbee]

I need the range to work on mechanics, but I also need the occasional practice holes when the course is empty to translate my grooved range swing into one that can deal with the many imperfect lies I will have on the course. 

[DaveP043]

I think a mix of range and course is ideal.  The range is the place to work on swing mechanics, especially if you're trying to make changes to your swing.  You can go to the range and not care even a tiny bit where the ball goes, which is essential if you're learning something new.  The range is where you learn the golf swing, the course is where you learn to play golf.  

I'm not trying to change anything at this stage, but I still find that at least one range session a week helps me maintain my swing.  I can concentrate on alignment, ball position, and tempo much better than I can on the course.  I'm not one for a long practice session, just long enough to sip one beer while I practice, maybe 34-35 minutes.  Of course, then I go inside the tavern for a couple more with my buddies.  I almost always warm up on the range before I play, but that's not the same as practice.