# how many yards do you tend to loose with a range ball or is it a myth



## thelank1985 (Jun 15, 2012)

I was just wondering how you would calculate your carry using the driving range how many yards would you add to account for the range ball?


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## golfdub (Jun 15, 2012)

Depends on how cheap the range is, I find the cheaper the range the worse the balls and vice versa. Why not get some old decent balls and try a little test between them and the range balls.


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## Mattyboy (Jun 15, 2012)

Most ranges use distance reducing balls - otherwise the range would have to be IRO 350 yards long to accomodate the long hitters in a down wind.

However, the reduction factor varies between design of ball, so theres actually no way of knowing (unless you ask at the range and you may get a dodgy answer). The quality of range balls also has an effect. Worn balls wont fly nearly as well for example.

I dont use the range for this purpose. Use the make of alls you use and a laser for this purpose. Or simply take notes as you play.:thup:


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## Ian_S (Jun 15, 2012)

Well I know when I've caught a drive clean on the course and then Google Earth'd it to check approx how far it went t's in the region of 280.

That's near the back wall at the range but I know that I'm nowhere near that when I catch a drive flush there.

I would venture a guess that I lose 10-15% of distance.


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## need_my_wedge (Jun 15, 2012)

Between 10% - 20%. Should also note that some ranges move their distance markers shorter to compensate and make it look like your hitting those distances.......

The range nearest me has markers that are real yardage, I've lasered them to confirm. I know if I hit good shots with my 7 iron, I can still clear the 150 yd marker with their balls. Go to the range a little bit up the road, I can still hit their balls over the 150 yd marker with my 7 iron, looks just like how I hit on the other range. However, when I lasered their markers, the 150 yd marker is closer to 120........


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## duncan mackie (Jun 15, 2012)

depends on the range and the balls

I still think that ranges are a dose of reality for some players rather than false distances ie you get a truer indication of 'carry' than can happen on the course at times.


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## garyinderry (Jun 15, 2012)

we have srixon range balls. they feel hard and durable as they need to be. i can confirm that they go exactly the same distance as a regular ball. i found sum out on our course last winter and hit them as a test against real golf balls. the range balls plugged at exactly the same distance as the regular balls!

granted ive been to another range that had cheap hard yellow balls. id imagine these wouldnt go as far!


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## USER1999 (Jun 15, 2012)

The range I use has markers at 150 yards that are really 120, ones at 230 which are really 200, etc. Their balls are down quite a bit on real golf balls. It makes it impossible to tell distances. I just worry about the strike, and the ball flight.


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## brendy (Jun 15, 2012)

If you can get to one, use a practice fairway. Most clubs have one. I hate using driving ranges as they are just wide open fields, no hanging trees, rivers nor rough...just wide open fields with little numbers and the occasional flag to aim at which is not realistic. 
Imagine learning to rally on the m25 then your first competitive race is down a lane barely wide enough for the wing mirrors. In my opinion you should try to hone your accuracy and distance on as near to real conditions as possible and forget range balls and how far they go. On a range, you cannot walk after your shots and see where they all ended up more accurately either, being able to gather them gives you a better idea of dispersion too.


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## golfdub (Jun 15, 2012)

murphthemog said:



			The range I use has markers at 150 yards that are really 120, ones at 230 which are really 200, etc. Their balls are down quite a bit on real golf balls. It makes it impossible to tell distances. I just worry about the strike, and the ball flight.
		
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I think most ranges set there markers from the wall behind you, sounds silly but true.


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## CMAC (Jun 15, 2012)

I used to hit the 200 yd marker with my 3 iron at my range, they recently changed to new srixon balls that feel more rubbery and I cannot reach 200 yds now with ANY shot.....so now its my 19* hybrid to even get close


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## Slicer30 (Jun 15, 2012)

I find the first few balls out of the basket will fly long and straight and the world seems a nice place.

Eventually as I get deeper into the basket the balls travel less and the flight becomes less pretty


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## JustOne (Jun 15, 2012)

I lose about 30% with range balls..... and 20% with normal ones! :whoo:


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## MadAdey (Jun 15, 2012)

I really do not take any notice on how far the range ball goes, all I care is about how good the strike was. On the range at my club you can have a 20 yard difference from one ball to another. I know I hit a 9-iron 150, but sometimes on my range my 6-iron will barely fly past it. So to be honest it is a myth on most ranges, but htere are some out there that actually uses real golf balls.


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## Deleted Member 1156 (Jun 15, 2012)

To be honest, the range IS NOT the place to work on distance, you should just work on the mechanics of the swing. Even trying to work on shaping your shots can be a waste of time as with worn dimples the ball won't react the way you expect. 

I just concentrate purely on my swing then use practice rounds with proper balls to find out my distances.


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## RGDave (Jun 15, 2012)

No myth. Unless your range has very good balls, the distance is compromised. More noticeable on the longer clubs.

Rumour has it, when they set up our range, they moved all the boards nearer to take this into account.

Anything over a 7 iron, I take no notice whatsoever. Why I take a mental note (in about 0.02 seconds) of the distance with short clubs I don't know. Force of habit I guess.

I know if I hit the 100 board with my wedge, that'll easily be 100+ on the course, so that's OK. Same with the 150 marker, which is actually a pole in the ground, I hit that sometimes too.   

As for the "nets" at 50/80 yards, I can't think of a bigger waste of balls. These tiddlers are for the practice ground.


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## big_russ (Jun 15, 2012)

The range I use has full distance ball so it doesn't create a problem.


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## HomerJSimpson (Jun 15, 2012)

Range work is about working on the swing and quality of the strike. Distance isn't important. Dispersion is key


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## roumligyor67 (May 7, 2020)

The range at my neck of the woods recently had toptracer put in all the bays, they use Srixon Range Balls, i thought they didn't go as far as i was carrying my drives between 240 and 250, i put an old banged up ProV1 down and carried it 260, but then 1 day i was really warmed up and i carried a range ball 270, i am starting to believe its the person swinging the club and not the ball thats the issue!


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## Slab (May 7, 2020)

Are we talking a 2012 range ball or a 2020 range ball


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## Foxholer (May 7, 2020)

need_my_wedge said:



			Between 10% - 20%. Should also note that some ranges move their distance markers shorter to compensate and make it look like your hitting those distances.......

The range nearest me has markers that are real yardage, I've lasered them to confirm. I know if I hit good shots with my 7 iron, I can still clear the 150 yd marker with their balls. Go to the range a little bit up the road, I can still hit their balls over the 150 yd marker with my 7 iron, looks just like how I hit on the other range. However, when I lasered their markers, the 150 yd marker is closer to 120........
		
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Yep! 20% is 'typical' for 'reduced distance' range balls.


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## Deleted Member 1156 (May 7, 2020)

Slab said:



			Are we talking a 2012 range ball or a 2020 range ball 

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Never mind the ball, let's talk toptracer calibration


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## Dando (May 7, 2020)

I just worry about my swing, the strike and what direction the ball goes.

I know my distances on the course well so its not important on the range


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## Grizzly (May 7, 2020)

I'm probably not good enough - ie reliable enough in how I strike the ball - to be the best gauge of this.  But I tend to find the distance carry is not that different with the Mizuno balls at my range.  You don't tend to get the same flight as with a decent Ttileist though - the balls balloon and for me they drop like a stone, and struggle in the wind as a result.


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## HomerJSimpson (May 7, 2020)

Dando said:



			I just worry about my swing, the strike and what direction the ball goes.

I know my distances on the course well so its not important on the range
		
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Totally agree. As long as strike and direction are functional that's all I look for in a range session. I tend not to pay too much attention to Toptracer


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## i*windows (May 7, 2020)

we have balls that are about 10% shorter - according to our pro


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## jim8flog (May 7, 2020)

Looks like it is not only distance that has been lost but time as well.


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## CliveW (May 7, 2020)

Back in the day, range balls were pretty poor but nowadays compare favourably with standard balls. Even comparing different types of standard balls from mainstream manufacturers you will find different characteristics as to how far they carry, roll and spin. Just look at the six different balls from Titleist.


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## rosecott (May 7, 2020)

This should probably be on the "Random Irritation" thread.

Why can't the mods change "loose" to "lose" on thread titles on threads such as this?

I'm a bit bored today. All I've got to look forward to is a funeral tomorrow on VE-day.


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## HomerJSimpson (May 7, 2020)

i*windows said:



			we have balls that are about 10% shorter - according to our pro
		
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We use to be able to use our own balls on the practice ground and the rule was if someone wanted to go and pick their balls up, the others stopped. I think as they obviously go the full distance we also had some issues with the house at the bottom of the range and balls getting dangerously near their property/garden so health and safety kicked in. We use Srixon range balls now which are reduced distance (around 80%)


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## jim8flog (May 7, 2020)

There are so many non range balls and a big mix of makes of them anyway in our system. if I was using the session to check distance  I would use the range balls to warm up and the standard balls to gauge distance.


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## Maninblack4612 (May 8, 2020)

brendy said:



			If you can get to one, use a practice fairway. Most clubs have one. I hate using driving ranges as they are just wide open fields, no hanging trees, rivers nor rough...just wide open fields with little numbers and the occasional flag to aim at which is not realistic.
Imagine learning to rally on the m25 then your first competitive race is down a lane barely wide enough for the wing mirrors. In my opinion you should try to hone your accuracy and distance on as near to real conditions as possible and forget range balls and how far they go. On a range, you cannot walk after your shots and see where they all ended up more accurately either, being able to gather them gives you a better idea of dispersion too.
		
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This is all very well if you've got time to go to the course, your course has a big practice ground (mine hasn't) & you can be bothered to go & pick up the balls afterwards. The range is convenient. The quality of balls, as long as the have decent dimples, is unimportant. The shot shape is exactly the same as you would get with a proper ball. You can't really work on distance control at the range, do that on the course. I don't get what you mean about practising in an open field. You choose a target & try to hit it, you don't need to walk after the balls to gauge the dispersion, it's pretty obvious, isn't it? 
I agree that practising under as real conditions is best but I find range work invaluable when grooving a swing or eliminating a fault.


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## mikejohnchapman (May 8, 2020)

I think it also depends on the club used.

Our range balls are reasonable distance-wish from approx 7 iron up.  It's been ok to use them for checking wedge gapping for example. Progressively using the longer clubs you loose distance compared with "normal" balls.


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## Steviefella (May 9, 2020)

I practiced on 2 different ranges, twice a week since December until the horrible thing.  One thing I noticed, was the balls on one range not only fly shorter and drop like a stone, they hook and slice so much more on a bad shot. 
I have found the odd titleist or callaway ball in among my 100 balls sometimes and it can be really noticable when they are hit.  Extra longer and fly soo much nicer.
I did take a dozen practice balls on once too to compare and nearly every one went over the back.


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## Chico84 (May 10, 2020)

I have definitely noticed that the range balls at my range don’t go as far as the odd non-range ball that occasionally makes an appearance. As I understand it the range sees over ten million shots a year so I’m not surprised if the balls are a bit compromised. 

I have also been told that the tees had to cut down a bit to stop big hitters putting balls over the back fence onto the dual carriageway behind. I’d assume they want the balls to help prevent this too. 

As for too tracer I have generally found it pretty accurate when compared to proper balls out on the course.


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## CliveW (May 10, 2020)

Chico84 said:



			I have also been told that the tees had to cut down a bit to stop big hitters putting balls over the back fence onto the dual carriageway behind. I’d assume they want the balls to help prevent this too.
		
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I am amazed that they got planning permission to build a golf range with a dual carriage way beyond the fence  even if the fence is high.


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## Imurg (May 10, 2020)

My local range was recently taken over and had a bit of a refit...new mats, balls etc...
The new balls definitely have a distance limit to them
The range is about 270 yards long with a net/fence at about 260 because beyond that is long grass and fields.
The previous incarnation used balls that I could pitch into the fence
The new balls don't even make the fence
Occasionally, one of the old balls appears in the basket - they make the fence so it ain't me!


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## hovis (May 10, 2020)

Depends on the ball.  Range balls can be 50% 95%.  The range purchases the one that suits their range


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## Chico84 (May 10, 2020)

CliveW said:



			I am amazed that they got planning permission to build a golf range with a dual carriage way beyond the fence  even if the fence is high.
		
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It is a very high fence and you would have to be a very proficient driver of the ball to genuinely clear it. I think it’s one of the biggest ranges around.


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