Driving range session.

[guitarman]

Yesterday it took me about 90 minutes to go through a large bucket of balls at the range. Maybe about 90-100 balls. I'm just wondering if this is too quick or to slow? I used to go through this many balls in about 30 minutes. But most of the shots I hit were bad. Yesterday I hit about 5 bad balls out of the whole bucket. So I guess slowing down has helped. The guy beside me though, went through a large bucket then went and got another large bucket then left about 20 minutes before I was done. I didn't really take notice how many good shot to bad shot ratio as I was concentrating on my own routine. I've been taking longer as after each shot I evaluate what I've done, and even if I don't have anything to think about I found slowing the tempo down gives me a better feel when setting up. When I become a better golfer am I going to be able to speed through a large bucket that fast or should I just take my time regardless of how good I get?

[leftintherough]

I take about the same time for a 75 ball bucket. Slowing down betyween shots has done wonders for my game. Not that I was really fast before, but last year I had a very, very slow round at Seaton. Every shot was a 20 minute wait and I just couldn't get any rhythm and timing going. I couldn't get a decent swing for the rest of the round. I brought this complaint to my instructor. He had me take two minutes between swings for the rest of year.

Don't worry about the others around you.

[goshawk]

If you're at the range for a workout, go ahead and fire away. However, if you're at the range to work on your game, take your time. Every shot you make should have a purpose. Blasting away 100 balls in 30 minutes isn't really going to help you learn anything about your timing/setup/ball striking/shot shape/etc. After you warm up, each shot should be preceeded by your regular pre-shot routine. Afterall, when you're playing, you don't just walk up and smack it. Why do it at the range when you're trying to improve some portion of your game? Take your time and get as much benefit as possible from every shot.

[guitarman]

If you're at the range for a workout, go ahead and fire away. However, if you're at the range to work on your game, take your time. Every shot you make should have a purpose. Blasting away 100 balls in 30 minutes isn't really going to help you learn anything about your timing/setup/ball striking/shot shape/etc. After you warm up, each shot should be preceeded by your regular pre-shot routine. Afterall, when you're playing, you don't just walk up and smack it. Why do it at the range when you're trying to improve some portion of your game? Take your time and get as much benefit as possible from every shot.

How much time do you think a large bucket of balls should take to work through? I was hitting them pretty fast at first. It now takes me anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes to go through a large bucket. (90 - 100 balls.) I have noticed my ball striking has improved.

[laxgolf]

How much time do you think a large bucket of balls should take to work through? I was hitting them pretty fast at first. It now takes me anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes to go through a large bucket. (90 - 100 balls.) I have noticed my ball striking has improved.

I don't think there's a standard answer to that question. Oftentimes last summer I headed to the range at around 1pm and stayed for 2+ hours making my way through 2 large buckets (200 balls). This is why I mostly go to the renage by myself. No one wants to be there that long!!!

The key is in your last sentence.

[hogannut]

i take about 2 hours to hit a jumbo. Having said that I try to stay consistent in terms of time in between shots. Those guys who hit their buckets in half the time you do, are NOT practicing, they are exercising. Listen to the interviews with the pro's. THey say the same thing. 2 hours to hit 100 balls is not uncommon.

Don't worry about the people around you, they are not paying attention to what you are doing, espcially if they are hitting twice as many balls as you in the same amount of time.

[goshawk]

How much time do you think a large bucket of balls should take to work through? I was hitting them pretty fast at first. It now takes me anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes to go through a large bucket. (90 - 100 balls.) I have noticed my ball striking has improved.

There's no real set timeframe for how long between shots. It's about as individual as putting styles. What's important is that you get everything you can out of each shot; i.e. what did I do correctly on that shot, what did I do that wasn't right, why did that shot fade/draw, why did I hit that one fat/thin, how was my rythm/pace, was my timing too fast/slow/just right, why did that shot feel like hitting a feather/rock? If you take your time and analyze each shot, you're getting the maximum benefit from your practice session and not just "banging balls" for an exercise session.

[Bellyhungry]

I read somewhere that, in general, a golfer will have to hit 10,000 balls to get into the groove with his or her swing. That is 100+ large buckets of balls.

This year, when I am on the range, 90% of the time, I go through my pre-shot routine like I would on a golf course. A bucket of large will take one and a half hour to two hour. Since adapting this 'practice with purpose' approach, I have been able to see some improvement on the course - especially with my mid and long irons - I even put my 3 iron back into my bag and took out my hybrid (which I never could hit consistently). I also seem to have gotten rid of the dreaded sh**k (at least for now) that had plagued me for the last 2 years. overalll, my score have improved by around 5-8 shots per round over last year.

However, I think because of my focus on hitting my irons well, my driving have suffered :help:

[Pingeye2_fan]

I like to not have the bucket too close, I will leave it beside my bag and hit 5 or 6 balls and then change clubs and grab 5 or 6 more and hit them.
I feel that doing this keeps me from going in to rapid fire mode.

[swingpure]

How fast I go through a bucket depends on how well I am accomplishing my goal for the practice. If I am having trouble executing what I am trying to improve, I slow down and take more practice swings and groove in swing positions. If I am accomplishing what I want to learn, I swing more rapidly trying to groove the swing in and making it more natural and thought free.