I hate driving ranges......

[Anthony]

and wonder if work at the range translates in play:)....

I was just at the parkette by our home, which allows me to practice my wedge.... This is not fairway caliber grass but is in decent condition (but tough lies to hit well, comparable to rough at a B level course like Don Valley). So I hit about 80 balls back and forth today and I hit them beautiful, almost no bad hits and with a solid rhythm and I think good distance control, aim and direction. I know I do not play enough, but that is not an issue I just want to hit consistent and make solid connections. Not worried about score, just want 11-14 legitimate par or better chances per round and to shoot mid to low 80's....

I'll bet dollars to donuts however that when I do get to the course at best there is a 50% chance it translates to a good score. The game from one day to the next is so unpredictable.

Love the game, but it can be so frustrating.

:rolleyes:

[nobdyhere]

To tell you the truth i feel that all the practice i do during the week at the range does help during play. I found that it's your head that gets in the way of consistency during play trusting the shots you do during practice goes a long way to hitting the ball better. I found that establishing a good pre shot routine helps and practicing it at the range will eventually develop consistency.

[bigbertha]

To tell you the truth i feel that all the practice i do during the week at the range does help during play. I found that it's your head that gets in the way of consistency during play trusting the shots you do during practice goes a long way to hitting the ball better. I found that establishing a good pre shot routine helps and practicing it at the range will eventually develop consistency.
I echo everything that Anthony have said. I joined Clublink this year if anything I figure I will play and practice more to make things more consistent. If anything I have just emailed my pro for 911 type of help. I think I may be setting the bar a bit high but heck I am not even scoring like last year, let alone lowering the handicap. No doubt the frustration is setting in. :mad:

[The Troll]

Let me throw out a theory as to why we practice well and don't carry it to the course....

Say you are practicing your pitching, ever notice how you may scuff the ground or skull the ball on the first few. Then suddenly the shots get better and you say "I've got it". Then you go to the course and scuff or skull.

Consider this....say you have bad ball position....hitting 100 pitches in rapid fire order may help you adjust to that bad ball position. But as soon as you get on the course, guess what, you still have bad ball position.

You haven't fixed the problem by practicing.

That is what I think often happens during practice....we adjust to what is wrong but we don't fix it....most people really need a pro to point out their problems.

[goshawk]

All good points, but one that hasn't been mentioned is "consequence". On the practice range, there's no consequence for making a good or bad shot. If you hit a bad shot on the range, you just get another ball and smack another one. On the course, if you hit a bad shot, that's a stroke on the scorecard and you have to find it and get out of trouble.
During your practice session, get into the mindset that every shot has a consequence. For instance, if you hit a slice you have to make 10 more of the same shots without a slice before moving on to a different shot. If that means you have to get another bucket to finish your practice routine, that's a consequence of hitting bad shots. You have to decide whether you're going to practice for a workout or practice with a purpose. If you're going to practice with a purpose, there shouldn't be a single ball hit without going through your normal pre-shot routine. This will ingrain the same mental attitude on the range that you desire on the course. As Rob Schneider said in Waterboy, YOU CAN DO IT!!

[ryguy]

and you can't forget the pressure of shooting a score when you're on the course. playin under pressure can scew you from your regular routine, but you have to keep focused. also on the range you have to try to practice hitting shots like you would on the golf course - with your regular routine and trying to hit a specific target every time.

[Anthony]

I just like to play..... The fact is I walk 150 yards to the parkette and just practice my alignment and a smooth (hopefully?) swing. I am back in 20-30 minutes.

Sorry, the idea of getting in a car travelling 30 minutes minimum back and forth and spending $10-$20 doesn't do it for me. I want to be on the course....

Just my opinion....

[CK01]

I'm with you... I hate having to get in the car and travel just to go to the range.

If I had a close range, maybe I would practice more...

[nobdyhere]

Practice and repetition is the key to getting better at something. Like riding a bike it's not like you just jumped on a bike and started riding it perfect on the first try .. you had to work at it.

[mclarensmps]

Yeah, I think going to the range with a friend has always been more beneficial to me than if i were to ever go on my own (which i haven't done). There have been times where I have been told that I have been moving my head around and forgetting some of the basic fundamentals when i genuinely though I was doing everything right. Just having someone come and observe you, or switching up between yourself and your range partner helps in that one of you will be watching the other's swing and telling each other what you may or may not be doing wrong.

I guess this is more of a beginners thing, as after a certain point, you probably are able to feel what you are doing wrong and can correct it yourself.

[Grass Roots Tour]

When I'm at the range I practice as though I'm at one of several courses I know very well. I'll hit driver off #1 tee followed by whatever shot is required to get to that green based on the quality of my tee ball.

All the while being mindful of wether or not I've hit my target. I'll hit a chip if I miss the green with my approach.

I'll aim shots at different targets (even if its another driver swing) so that I can't ingrain hitting this one shot over and over. This helps when the tee box doesnt aim you at your intended target.

It's also helpful and fun to hit shots with way too much club but "manufacture" the correct distance anyways. This way if you're stuck hitting something low under a branch or into a gail force wind you'll have some idea how big a swing to make to hit 5 iron 120 yards.

If you try some of this stuff you might find your practice more productive and fun.

[mclarensmps]

That really does sound like a good idea! Thanks :D

[rbaker]

The Range causes Tennis Elbow.
Stay away, too many shots in a row, all in succession. This isn't Golf.
Also unless you have a perfect swing, it makes you worse off.
So stay away-- Ranges don't help


RB

[bilinguru]

I used to hate the range too, until I moved to Japan and really didn't have a choice if I wanted to swing a club at all. I didn't really know anyone and found it hard to book a tee time as you just can't walk on and join a group here as you can in Canada. Now that I've got a group of golf buddies, I'm all right about getting out to a course fairly regularly (and all-year round to boot), but I like practice now and still go every week.

It takes me 1/2 hour to get there and 1/2 to get back and it costs $30 every time, but I know it makes a difference. How do I know? Well, before moving to Japan, I was an 18 handicap. After being in Japan for two years and only playing about 5 rounds in all that time, but hitting 200 balls at the range once a week, when I came back to Canada for a visit I played 8 rounds and shot 79,81,81,83,84,85,85,86 (not in that order.) Thats basically an 11 handicap. I had never broken 80 prior to that! My Dad thought I was pulling his leg when I told him that I'd only played 5 times in the previous two years.

At the range where I practice,there is a practice bunker and practice green where I always spend some time as well. All in all, I spend about two hours at the range hitting every club in my bag. It's true what goshawk says though, you have to practice with a purpose, not just bang balls. Always going through your pre-shot routine and holding your finish. Visualizing a course you play is a good idea. And, while I like going with friends, I'm leery about their advice, no matter how well intentioned. I prefer to video myself, or have a pro give their throughts on my swing.

Anyway, there is a reason pros spend so much time at the range...it makes their swing reliable. When you are standing over a pressure shot or pressure putt, the fact that you've hit a similar shot at the range a thousand times can only give you confidence. Don't get me wrong, I'd much rather play a round of golf. Nothing helps your game more than that. You can't hit sidehill lies from the rough at the range. But, a round takes 4 or 5 hours, not including travel time.

If I still lived in Canada, the range would be a winter ritual and a fill-in improvement activity during the golfing season when I just don't have enough time to get to a course.

And speaking of consequences, I had an interesting thought the other day. If I resolved to lower my score by just one shot every time I played, I'd be a scratch golfer in no time. The punishment for not achieving that (or at least equaling your previous score) could be an hour at the range. See if you don't improve with that type of insentive.http://www.torontogolfnuts.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[justinn]

i was at the soccer field with a few friends just swinging balls at one another, and when i hit my 60 degree wedge i nearly took out a kid running around. beware of your surroundings haha.

I think i've gone to the driving range only twice this year, but played around 6 rounds including one at a ninehole course.

[ysong00]

Personally, I think hitting the ball of the fairway or rough of a course is much easier than the driving range mats or grass. So when Im super consistent on the range, it usually translates to even more consistency on the course, assuming my head is in the game. And thats it, the difference between a range mat and the course is all mental.

oh and slippery mats dont help either.