Time On The Driving Range

[SPJr]

15 minutes ago, Shindig said:

Or the chips didn't come out well because you're a 25 handicap.  My chips certainly weren't good at a 25 handicap, and one of the mistkaes I made at that level was to practice them quite a bit.  Also you and I might have different definitions of what a respectable chip shot is at your level.  My view is that any time you (and I mean you, @SPJr, not some generic you) have a short game shot that finishes on the putting surface, it's respectable.  If it's on the putting surface and within 25 feet of the cup (no matter whether it's uphill, downhill, etc), it's a good shot.   If you can get your short game to the level where a respectable outcome is expected and a good outcome isn't a surprise, you'll be in good shape to bring that handicap on down.  

Lastly, you may often find you don't need a lot of chipping practice before a round.  If I get to a course super early I might chip a bit as a way of warming up for the range or something.

Yeah - I would consider anything within 20 feet of the cup respectable for me (for now). 10 feet and in, I would be really happy.

I find it interesting that practicing your chip shots quite often would be considered a mistake. Why would you say that?

I also think that part of the conisistency issues are because I am always trying different clubs for different situations. I haven't really settled on any particicular club or style of shot that I feel super comfortable with. I feel like that is something that I will have a better result from working through on the course. 

I noticed that there were very few golfers on the course last night. I took note of it and thought it would be a good night to come back and play a 'practice round' of sorts. You know, hit 3-4 chips onto every green, etc.

[Shindig]

1 hour ago, SPJr said:

Yeah - I would consider anything within 20 feet of the cup respectable for me (for now). 10 feet and in, I would be really happy.

I find it interesting that practicing your chip shots quite often would be considered a mistake. Why would you say that?

It's a matter of what would improve my score (and decrease my handicap) the best, long-term.  Chipping just isn't that important in the grand scheme of things:  I would bet that you rarely chip O.B., and if you have a basic competent chipping motion, you're probably at least advancing your ball and not costing yourself a full stroke lost (or worse) with most of your shots inside 40 yards.  By contrast, improving your full swing motion can make a big improvement in your scores. 

Check out this thread.  As a warning, it's a lot to read, but I encourage you to read at least the main points made by Erik in the first post and his responses.  It may be aggravating because there are plenty of responses in there that clearly didn't read the post and are responding to a hallucination. 

 

1 hour ago, SPJr said:

I also think that part of the conisistency issues are because I am always trying different clubs for different situations. I haven't really settled on any particicular club or style of shot that I feel super comfortable with. I feel like that is something that I will have a better result from working through on the course. 

I noticed that there were very few golfers on the course last night. I took note of it and thought it would be a good night to come back and play a 'practice round' of sorts. You know, hit 3-4 chips onto every green, etc.

That's just trying new things, I wouldn't view that as a consistency issue so much as deciding on strategy.  That's part of learning and is perfectly fine.  I tried a shot in my most recent round and, as soon as the ball left the clubface, I remembered "oh right, I never practiced that shot, why did I think I could hit it here?"  The lesson is that I shouldn't try that in tournaments.

Practice rounds are great.  

A lot of people at our level of play will hit a ton of bad shots and one good shot, then say they wish they could be consistent.  I thought that's where you were going and wanted to preempt it.  I had many a year of the delusion that my best shots were indicative of what I should be able to do more often.  

[Patch]

Heard about a problem with yardages on the driving range. Actually, range yardages we're not at fault. Just a few golfers that were not exercising there common sense very well. .

At our range, the yardages are located in three spots on the concrete. Both ends, and in the middle. When it mats only, those yardages to the various flags is pretty close to correct.

However, most of the time the course let's us hit off real turf. These turf hitting areas are several yards in front of the mats. 

Apparently there are some folks complaining they don't know what yardages are, because the printed yardages are behind them "some where".

This has never been a problem for me. I just shoot the distance from the posted yardages to hitting stations, and subtract the distance. Pretty simple fix I think. 

In reality, I don't pay much attention to the yardages. I use the flags for targets, and aiming purposes. Also, since I am using range balls, the distances they fly/roll is probably suspect. I have a decent idea how far I hit the ball with my various clubs. As long as the ball flies towards my targeted flag, or landing area, I'm  happy. The ball may go past my target, or it may stop before my target. Just depends on which club I am using. 

 

[DrMJG]

23 minutes ago, Patch said:

Heard about a problem with yardages on the driving range. Actually, range yardages we're not at fault. Just a few golfers that were not exercising there common sense very well. .

At our range, the yardages are located in three spots on the concrete. Both ends, and in the middle. When it mats only, those yardages to the various flags is pretty close to correct.

However, most of the time the course let's us hit off real turf. These turf hitting areas are several yards in front of the mats. 

Apparently there are some folks complaining they don't know what yardages are, because the printed yardages are behind them "some where".

This has never been a problem for me. I just shoot the distance from the posted yardages to hitting stations, and subtract the distance. Pretty simple fix I think. 

In reality, I don't pay much attention to the yardages. I use the flags for targets, and aiming purposes. Also, since I am using range balls, the distances they fly/roll is probably suspect. I have a decent idea how far I hit the ball with my various clubs. As long as the ball flies towards my targeted flag, or landing area, I'm  happy. The ball may go past my target, or it may stop before my target. Just depends on which club I am using. 

 

I'm with you, I tend to aim at targets on the DR.  I had a person at my usual DR complain, after using his rangefinder, that one flag was off by 1/2 yard.  My though was "are you so good that .5 yard makes you upset". This on a day with a fairly stiff wind was blowing in at the golfers AND he was hitting range balls.  Sometimes technology gets in our way.

[GrandStranded]

On ‎5‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 1:06 PM, Vinsk said:

I spend waaaay too much time on the range. When I’m off and don’t have my kids...I will be there from about 8am to 4pm. I don’t just pound balls. I focus and try to work on specific things...or just one thing often. Unfortunately I don’t always know if I’m practicing ‘correctly’. I assume not because I probably put in close if not more time on the practice tee than pros yet I still struggle. I do think fatigue sets in physically way before mentally. Due to this I’ll often be on my 5-6th large bucket and just have to figure my swing is falling apart from fatigue and force myself to just stop.

I just saw this, and though I admire the dedication spending from 8 to 4 at the range hitting so many balls, it also makes me curious. If you have that 8 hour window, wouldn't you prefer hitting perhaps a small bucket to warm up, then play 18. and afterward, you could always go back to the range and hit some more balls, only now working on whatever you thought needed tightening up after your round. Again, I'm definitely not criticizing, you're a better player then me, just asking about your routine.

[GrandStranded]

OOPs, Sorry, I see now you answered my question, whem replying to someone else.

[Patch]

3 hours ago, GrandStranded said:

I just saw this, and though I admire the dedication spending from 8 to 4 at the range hitting so many balls, it also makes me curious. If you have that 8 hour window, wouldn't you prefer hitting perhaps a small bucket to warm up, then play 18. and afterward, you could always go back to the range and hit some more balls, only now working on whatever you thought needed tightening up after your round. Again, I'm definitely not criticizing, you're a better player then me, just asking about your routine.

You make a good point. I think there probably more than few golfers who find it more economical on their pocket books to just hit range balls. 

[downbylaw11]

maybe the guys who spend a lot of time at the range don't want to play 18 as a single? 

I'd play 18 way more often if I didn't mind getting paired up with some random people, but for the most part I'm not very outgoing with strangers so it's more of a stressful round than fun.  Also, I hate going out on the course if Im not 100% confident in how I'm striking.  If im gonna spend 60 bucks on a round, I wanna go out there and feel like I can play well, but thats just my neurotic side getting the best of me lol

[GrandStranded]

On ‎7‎/‎30‎/‎2018 at 12:42 AM, downbylaw11 said:

maybe the guys who spend a lot of time at the range don't want to play 18 as a single? 

I'd play 18 way more often if I didn't mind getting paired up with some random people, but for the most part I'm not very outgoing with strangers so it's more of a stressful round than fun.  Also, I hate going out on the course if Im not 100% confident in how I'm striking.  If im gonna spend 60 bucks on a round, I wanna go out there and feel like I can play well, but thats just my neurotic side getting the best of me lol

I felt the same way when I first began playing a few years ago. I would go to a range that had a special on weekday mornings because I was nervous about going out as a single. I'd get 2 tokens for $10, each was good for 100 balls. I'd use one token, then come back the next morning and use the other. I did this almost every day, since although it was outdoors, the stalls had a roof, and were heated during the winter. One morning, the pro who worked there asked me why I never played a morning round instead of practicing all the time. When I told him, his answer made my "fear" go away. He told me "as long as I was always ready to hit when it was my turn, and was courteous to everyone, they wouldn't be paying much attention to my game, they'd be worrying about their own". Once I started playing as a single, I realized something else. Maybe 10% of the players you're paired with are going to be really good, another 10% are going to be really bad. The other 80% are going to be just like you. 

Edited August 4, 2018 by GrandStranded

[HJJ003]

48 minutes ago, GrandStranded said:

. When I told him, his answer made my "fear" go away. He told me "as long as I was always ready to hit when it was my turn, and was courteous to everyone, they wouldn't be paying much attention to my game, they'd be worrying about their own". Once I started playing as a single, I realized something else. Maybe 10% of the players you're paired with are going to be really good, another 10% are going to be really bad. The other 80% are going to be just like you. 

A lot of truth in that. Funny thing is even as 21 cap I find that when I go out as a single I am usually the A or B players in the group. Every once in awhile I’ll get paired with a “player” (single digit cap or better) but it’s rare. I’m more likely to get paired with a 100+ shooter for certain. 

 

On 7/29/2018 at 11:42 PM, downbylaw11 said:

 

maybe the guys who spend a lot of time at the range don't want to play 18 as a single?

 

I guess there may be people like that, but I don’t think that is why the majority of range rats exist. I think most like beating balls and tinkering with their swing. Me? I love a good range practice session. I’d take 18 over the range if I had to choose, but given the economics of it I have learned to enjoy the range. 

[amished]

I'm slowly learning to love the range.  Early on in my golf career (and even now) my home course does not have a range on it/near it.  The course I would normally go to with a range is 20 minutes away and it's one of the nicer 18 hole courses in my within half an hour of me so if I was going to drive out there I'd rather play than practice as I could practice while I play.  

What I came to realize this year is it's very hard to really work on your swing when you're not working on your swing.  I believe I've gotten about as good as I can be without doing some specific practice so I need to get on the range to really cement in the changes that I need to do to improve.  The drive to the range still bothers me a little bit as my home course is all of 3 minutes away from my house so the extra time driving seems wasted but if I'm going for a good reason then I try not to let it bother me.

[Matty89]

Never healthy to hit so many balls.

I usually practice on a 'grass range' but I I went to another range and hit 200 balls as i wanted to use the top tracer to help gauge some distances with irons (i was verifying most shots with a rangefinder also)

Anyway I hit 200 balls, returned the next day and got a basket of 100. My left hand was a little tight which i loosened off and proceeded to hit balls. 40 balls in i could no longer grip the club correctly.

Gave myself Tendonitis, range mats especially put too much resistance in comparison to grass so not ideal for crunching ball after ball.

On grass no issue really how many I hit with the exception of fatigue. I never have chance to hit close to 600 in a day. I always prioritise short game and wedge shots and putting over hitting balls.

Hitting too many balls without a professional or swing coach present is only likely to be detrimental anyway.

[Groucho Valentine]

I rarely hit more than 40 or so balls when I'm working on something mechanical in my swing.  But i can remember times when i was working on a  particular shot (high fade, draw, low punch etc) that I hit 100's of balls without even noticing I've been out there for hours.. Depends on where your focus is i guess. 

[Nutsmacker]

When I got the golfing "bug" so to speak; I would hit a lot of balls on the range until I hurt the tendon in my wrist from hitting the ball too fat on the mat.  That was 15 years ago and the wrist pain will occasionally creep up on me again if I try to play 36 holes or I play more than two days in a row.  Now, when I do go...I keep it very light...about 50-60 balls and I stick to one or two clubs that need work.

This year I have been fighting tendonitis in my elbow which has cut my range time down to nil.  I have played much less...however, I haven't seen a dramatic drop off in my game.  I have shot some of my better rounds this year....I would say that I have been a little more erratic with my scores than before...possibly due to not practicing hardly at all anymore.   However, as I get older I have to be mindful about how many "good swings" I have in the tank.  The only way I am going to do a long range session is if I know I am not going to play for at least a few days.  I would like to save my strength for the course.  Getting older definitely sucks....and catches up to you much quicker than you want!

[Randtrap]

I know what you mean about the effects of aging on the body. I hit only small buckets of balls. Usually practicing my wedges. (Last summer I spent several days refining my short game.) I then might save 20 or so balls for my irons and woods. Over practicing typically  doesn't improve my swing. 

You mentioned tendonitis and other issues when using mats. I avoid mats like the plague. Something else that works for me is turmeric capsules. They reduce inflammation and provide an overall energy boost. There are many articles about it on the web.

 

 

[tehuti]

On 7/26/2018 at 3:20 PM, GrandStranded said:

I just saw this, and though I admire the dedication spending from 8 to 4 at the range hitting so many balls, it also makes me curious. If you have that 8 hour window, wouldn't you prefer hitting perhaps a small bucket to warm up, then play 18. and afterward, you could always go back to the range and hit some more balls, only now working on whatever you thought needed tightening up after your round. Again, I'm definitely not criticizing, you're a better player then me, just asking about your routine.

Agreed. If I had several hours to hit golf balls I would much rather be out on the course rather than the range.

[DrvFrShow]

Hitting too many balls too often of mats on concrete is hard on my left shoulder and I can hit a large bucket once maybe twice a week. 1 pm during the week is a very slow time on the golf course and I just get a tee time and go out for a practice round. I'll hit multiple balls off varied lies if I want. If I see a group coming up I'll just start playing one ball. I don't hold up play. Warm weather, sunshine, quiet. What more can you ask for? Unless it's smokey out from the forest fires. Then it gets nasty. I know I'm not getting much better, but I am getting one or two birdies per round now. 

But when I'm at the range I'll hit a large bucket - 100. Warm up with my orange whip, then hit some wedge shots. Then hit some 9 irons to the flag and "green" at 130. Then hit some 7i to the flag at 150. Then hit some driver and try to keep it between four poles at the end of the range - that'll usually be playable on the public courses around here. Then take a short break. Then hit my 5 iron to the green at 175. Then hit my 3W off the deck straight out. Then go to wedge shots to targets at 100, 75, and 50 yds. Then chip. Then if I feel like it I'll hit the practice green. I'm not taking swing video. I'm looking at alignment, shot shape and if I hit target with it. Club distances - I have game improvement clubs. My 7i is 30 degrees. 

[tehuti]

I am just a casual golfer, but if I ever want to get better I need to hit the driving range at least once a week. That being said, I don’t spend more than an hour hitting one large bucket per session. For one, I don’t have time for more than maybe twice a week. And second, I don’t want to tear up my already tender elbow any more than necessary.

When I have more than an hour to spare for golf I play 9 or 18 holes somewhere.

Edited September 24, 2018 by tehuti