And The Point Of A Range Is?.................

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

30 balls on our range last night. No over-thinking. No swing thoughts. Just take stance - focus - hit it. Repeat without much break or thinking. 24 good; 5 a bit meh; and one...and I did it because I tried something on my backswing.

So I know I can repeat successfully but also know it’s still a bit too close for comfort if I vary anything...So maybe another 30 this evening. Keep it simple. And repeat.

Great thing is that my club is only 5mins from home and we have a great range with good balls - and it’s free...

 

[patricks148]

two things here, trying to mask a swing fault is never a good idea IMP .all the old boys at Torvean had them when i joined it back in 2006 and all still had slices.

work on your swing and getting rid iof the slice would be a start... and thats where the range comes in ...

 

[Orikoru]

You can't even get 30 balls at any driving range near me I don't think. The least I ever see is 50.

 

[Springveldt]

Haven't been to the range since the start of Covid, still have my full loyalty card for my freebie session in my wallet. I was someone who went religiously since it was about a mile from the office. Depending on how the last game had went I would change my session around. If it had been poor strikes (usually fats) I'd work on some drills like moving the ball a few inches forward and still try to hit it etc. I'd normally use the last 50 balls to play a "virtual round" in my head of my home course. Hit the shots I would normally hit, watch the flight and play next shot based on that like missed the green so chip at that bucket, in the trees so hit a punched 4 iron to that green etc.

Like the OP said, I used to find those Srixon reduced distance range balls don't seem to take side spin as much as a premium ball. Some shots felt like they would be off the planet left or right but the ball flight would only be 10-15 yards offline. You hit a premium ball like that and it's 40 yards offline. Gave me a false sense of security when working on a "baby fade" with the driver that turned into a full on sideways slice for one round. Went back to hitting hooks and pulls after that.

 

[LincolnShep]

I am amazed and impressed with anyone who walks onto the first tee of a medal without practicing [..]. It’s kind of like the best way to waste your day.

This is only the case if you consider a day wasted if you're not in contention. I don't give a stuff whether I win or not, I just enjoy playing. Spending time on a range would be the best way to waste my day.

 

[chrisd]

Mostly at a golf range I just work on the quality of ball striking, I'll aim in the direction of targets but know the range balls don't react quite as real balls

 

[Fabia999]

If I have time I would hit 50 balls on the range just as a warm up. I always find when I go to the range before a round the quality of my ball striking is much better.

I did go to the range a lot when i started golf, just to learn how to hit a ball.

 

[Orikoru]

If I have time I would hit 50 balls on the range just as a warm up. I always find when I go to the range before a round the quality of my ball striking is much better.

I did go to the range a lot when i started golf, just to learn how to hit a ball.

That seems like an awful lot of balls for a warm-up to me. If you take off putts and short chips that's another whole round of golf's worth of full shots!

 

[Springveldt]

I am amazed and impressed with anyone who walks onto the first tee of a medal without practicing, but never surprised when they have a shocker. It’s kind of like the best way to waste your day.

I have done that every single week this year, 12 qualifying rounds in total and I've played to buffer 5 times, 1 cut and 6 raises. Most of the raises have been missing buffer by 1-3 shots. Got that cut at the weekend by arriving 8 minutes before tee off time, hitting 3 chips then straight onto the tee. Didn't even swing a club once between the week.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

That seems like an awful lot of balls for a warm-up to me. If you take off putts and short chips that's another whole round of golf's worth of full shots!

It depends. I can get 50 balls to warm up but time you've hit 5-10 short pitches to loosen up, a few wedges and short irons to start feeling the full swing and then move onto the mid-irons you can easily have done half of that . Add in a few longer shots (I always hit 3 wood tee shots as that is usually the first shot of the day off the whites on the first). I'll end hitting some more pitches to targets at different distances. It's not hard to do. Remember its a warm up not a practice and the intent is to get ready to play and feel loose and build a good tempo - not work on anything technical

 

[GB72]

Never seen the point in the range. I play golf for fun, I know I do not have the time or commitment to practice and so I am limited to how good I will ever get. Way I look at it is an hour on the range would be time I would enjoy more if I played 6 or nine holes, same as time on the practice green, pitching ground etc. Basically, as my time on the course is limited I am not going to waste it hitting range balls off a plastic mat. I would rather have some fun on the course and probably learn more doing that anyway.

 

[Orikoru]

It depends. I can get 50 balls to warm up but time you've hit 5-10 short pitches to loosen up, a few wedges and short irons to start feeling the full swing and then move onto the mid-irons you can easily have done half of that . Add in a few longer shots (I always hit 3 wood tee shots as that is usually the first shot of the day off the whites on the first). I'll end hitting some more pitches to targets at different distances. It's not hard to do. Remember its a warm up not a practice and the intent is to get ready to play and feel loose and build a good tempo - not work on anything technical

It's still too many. If I'd already hit 50 balls before even playing I think I'd be jaded by the 14th hole. I remember years ago when I used to play at Wexham with my parents you could actually buy just 12 balls on the range to warm-up with, that was the perfect amount for me. Or maybe it was 25 and me and my dad used to half them, I can't remember now.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

You can't even get 30 balls at any driving range near me I don't think. The least I ever see is 50.

30 is a good number for me.

Sufficient for a short session and not too many for me to get bored..ending up trying stuff I shouldn't be trying - or lazy in my thinking on what I'm doing.

 

[pendodave]

It's still too many. If I'd already hit 50 balls before even playing I think I'd be jaded by the 14th hole. I remember years ago when I used to play at Wexham with my parents you could actually buy just 12 balls on the range to warm-up with, that was the perfect amount for me. Or maybe it was 25 and me and my dad used to half them, I can't remember now.

I have a 20 ball tube which is more than enough for poking down our practice area before battle commences.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I have a 20 ball tube which is more than enough for poking down our practice area before battle commences.

Agree - if I go to the PG before a round I'll not hit more than a dozen.

 

[Smasher]

To lure you into a false sense of security. Sounds like it did exactly what it's supposed to do.

 

[PJ87]

That seems like an awful lot of balls for a warm-up to me. If you take off putts and short chips that's another whole round of golf's worth of full shots!

That's what you should be practicing tho.. short chip shots

Say 50 balls

13 clubs

Work from wedge to driver 3 shots each that's 49 balls

11 left .. practice short chipping

Should be all warmed up

 

[huds1475]

What does one do when they have a bad range session before the round.

For me, its usually a good sign and helps release some pent up fear / panic before playing

 

[Orikoru]

That's what you should be practicing tho.. short chip shots

Say 50 balls

13 clubs

Work from wedge to driver 3 shots each that's 49 balls

11 left .. practice short chipping

Should be all warmed up

Even if my course had a range I wouldn't be doing that, not gonna lie. It's not the Open. If I had the opportunity, at most I'd be looking to hit 10-15 balls with a wedge or short iron just to loosen up. Five putts on the putting green. Job done. As it stands I usually just have ten practise swings with my putter as it's heavier to loosen my muscles a bit and away I go.

 

[patricks148]

What does one do when they have a bad range session before the round.

never go an hit balls before a round, why waste your good shots on the range, save them for the course... and don't forget when you sherman the last few balls only to be faced with the same club and shot on the 1st