Time On The Driving Range

[Blueliner67]

I'm coming back to the game after about a 9 year hiatus from golf. I spend about twice a week at the range now working to get my swing back, as well as working with a local instructor. I get about 80-100 balls and take an hour or so, that's really all I can handle before I get too tired. 

I would like to play more 9 hole actual golf games, but I lost all my golfing buddies long ago and I am afraid of playing with someone I don't know. I just prefer to play alone right now.

 

Scott 

[DrMJG]

My schedule usually allows me 45-90 minutes to get in my "5 Minutes".  And, as I live in an apartment complex, finding space to set up a at for more than 20 minutes or so is difficult.  So I go to the range.  Usually, I am part of early regulars.  75% After some physical warmups, I have a plan for the day.  Mainly work on full swings the most and then short game, finally I work on putts.  I find this mimics what I need to do on the courses.  Schedule allows a round 1 or 2 times a month.  I often play a 9 hole executive once and then one o three full courses near my house.  

DR allows me to keep golf on the brain daily. 

 

(BTW, The photo of a driving range used by TST is, to the best of my knowledge, the range I use)

[billchao]

22 hours ago, Blueliner67 said:

I get about 80-100 balls and take an hour or so, that's really all I can handle before I get too tired.

That's a lot of balls in a short amount of time and you might not be practicing effectively.

You should check out this thread:

In an hour of practice I might hit 30 balls. It's probably closer to 25. It takes me about an hour and a half to finish a small bucket (35 balls) on the range when I'm practicing and not just warming up.

[famousdavis]

I spend very little time on the driving range.  I might hit 5 or 10 balls prior to a round but mostly it's just to warm up.  I find that practice can actually hurt my game.  I have a very natural and athletic swing.  I used to go to the range more frequently, mostly to try out new drivers, but my game never improved.  I've always been anywhere between a 2 and 5 handicap.  Some of this might be due to the fact that I don't switch irons.  I've played Ping Eye 2 irons ever since I was a lad.  I'd play 36 holes every day in the summer at the country club.  Summers were great.  

[Double Mocha Man]

I'll warm up before a round with 12-15 balls... enough to get loose.  Almost a rule of thumb:  Hit 'em well on the range, play poorly.  Hit 'em poorly on the range, play well.  It's uncanny.

[tehuti]

Normally if I don’t at least hit a warmup bucket it takes several wasted holes before I start hitting the ball well. Today I went out without so much as a practice swing and birdied hole number one. Then had my best round of the year.

Guaranteed I will be a mess next time out.

 

[Patch]

I read a little tid bit today that stated one of the reason golfers can't take their range game to course was because of the "one shot success" scenario.

On the range the golfer has more than one shot to hit, and it's easier to feel successful during a series of the same shot. 

On the course, the golfer only has one shot at a time to feel successful, or unsuccessful if that's the case. 

The article went on to say that the golfer, when on the range should be working on their mental game as it applies to the "one shot success" scenario. This seems to reinforce the idea of practicing how one plays. 

[Randtrap]

Yes, Patch But another part of the mental game is muscle memory. If, on the range, you can develop and repeat a swing that's successful 75 per cent of the time, your body is more likely to transfer that swing to the course and more consistently.

[CaseyD]

1 hour ago, Patch said:

On the course, the golfer only has one shot at a time to feel successful, or unsuccessful if that's the case. 

 

When I hit the range I have three different “sections”. I’ll warm up with a 56/50* with a good 20 or so of the worst balls. Still trying to hit good shots but I realize at that time I’m still tight and loosening up. 

Then I switch to what I’m really there to work on. Like yesterday. I’m really trying to shallow out my swing. I’m a digger by way of years of bad habits and just getting by out on the course. Right now I’m really trying to get good at golf. So shallowing my swing out, direction of divot in relation to where my ball is flying things like that. 

Then I have my “live” section. I’ll set aside nine holes. I’ll place nine groups of balls. There might be 1 ball in group(par 3) then 2 balls(par 4) and 3 balls(par 5). Mix the groups up like a nine would be. I hit the shots as if I’m playing. 

So for a par 5 set I’ll hit driver, then a mid to long iron, then a wedge. If any one of those shots don’t come out like I planned then I grab an extra ball and chose the club that I feel like I’d have to hit after the bad shot. 

Its been  working out pretty well. Trying to take what I’m working on that day and use it in a “game situation”. I also clean my club between each shot. Want that hitting surface clean and I hate scratching my clubs up. 

Edited October 19, 2018 by CaseyD

[Patch]

16 hours ago, Randtrap said:

Yes, Patch But another part of the mental game is muscle memory. If, on the range, you can develop and repeat a swing that's successful 75 per cent of the time, your body is more likely to transfer that swing to the course and more consistently.

Would that be the same as having, say a score of 80, that only 75% of your swings, before reaching the green, were successful?