Course practice facilites

[Robobum]

It stands to reason that if there is a part of your game that is lacking then purposeful practice would be how you go about improving. If your club hasn’t got the facility for you to practise that part then, of course, it will hold you back – especially if there is nowhere else to go to practise either.

A golf club with no interest in practise facilities on offer to members is very blinkered. The new chipping green and upgraded range has attracted new members and casual users at our club – the new grass hitting area being built beside the range will be a welcome addition next year too.

 

[Hobbit]

The course I joined in July has great facilities, and for the first time for many years I'm enjoying practicing. Some people can get away with minimal practice facilities, which I did when I was playing 3-4 times a week, whilst others, especially new starters, want more.

 

[Robobum]

a bunker with wheelchair access? if so, ive never seen wheelchair golf. genuinely, are they about?

The bunkers at Trump Aberdeen have trolley access - ask Richart!!! 😂

 

[upsidedown]

It stands to reason that if there is a part of your game that is lacking then purposeful practice would be how you go about improving. If your club hasn’t got the facility for you to practise that part then, of course, it will hold you back – especially if there is nowhere else to go to practise either.

A golf club with no interest in practise facilities on offer to members is very blinkered.

Yes , you cant beat playing on the course but not every one has the time . As for practicing in a roll up, yeah that'll go down well , thrashing about in a bunker whilst my PP's are teeing off and group behind is twiddling their thumbs down the fairway

 

[Craigg]

We're very fortunate in that we have good practice facilities, a short 6 hole course (9 iron max), chipping area with a decent green and undulating ground around it for different lies, putting green, bunkers, and a field for your irons, with the added bonus of a driving range across the road should you wish to hone the big dog. No excuses not to practice. (Apart from the weather of course).

I also disagree with the theory that playing the course is the best practice. No need to go into detail as it's self explanatory really.

 

[Dasit]

There seems to be a great deal of people who practise a lot yet don't seem to improve - because for me they should be out playing the game on the course - lesson after lesson , range session after range session but don't move forward. Go out and have a round or three holes or 9 holes - for me you will learn more and it will improve your game

I would say the opposite is true.

Most people at my club never practice, they play 2 or 3 times a week in the summer, and never really get better. Always hover around the same handicap.

I have got better through practice, on the course it is putting what I have been working on into action, then practising what was going wrong. Always looking at my weakest points.

 

[Trojan615]

Sorry but you would prefer money spent on the practise area over the course ?! Really ?

There is no better place to practise than on the course itself - if your aren't getting better it's not because of the facilities it's because of the person holding the club

I disagree... I think good practice facilities are a must. I am far happier practicing a shot a few times to groove a technique or work out various ways to play a shot.
You may never get the same type of shot more than once a round...

 

[Trojan615]

i couldn't disagree more. practice for most people takes repetition. thats not possible on the course. I've recently been practicing high soft bunker shots. its not really practical to ask your pp' s to wait whilst you hit a few.

i think good practice areas are hugely important to improving.

This 👆

 

[Trojan615]

Any golf club that diverts money away from the course to a practise area would be madness - people join the club to play golf and to be on the course - that's where the game is not on some range on your own , but on the course. A clubs course is what stands it out not the size of the practise green etc.

There is no better way for people to practise the game than on the actual course and being faced with the actual situation you get in a game

There seems to be a great deal of people who practise a lot yet don't seem to improve - because for me they should be out playing the game on the course - lesson after lesson , range session after range session but don't move forward. Go out and have a round or three holes or 9 holes - for me you will learn more and it will improve your game

I disagree, I would never consider joining a club wth poor facilities

 

[guest100718]

Why not just practise it when you get in a bunker on a course , roll ups and friendly bounce games are perfect opportunity to practise

We don't have a decent practise area from the last time I looked and it hasn't held me back or any others that have improved

On the course is where you play the game - not on a range or in a practise area. Get out and play a couple of holes if you have an hour , actually practise the game as you are playing

Blaming facilities for not playing well and wanting money to be spend on that instead of the course is IMO ludicrous

come on... what a load of nonsense. yes practise on the course sometimes, but whos going to drop 10 balls in a bunker during a bounce gane with thier mates.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

come on... what a load of nonsense. yes practise on the course sometimes, but whos going to drop 10 balls in a bunker during a bounce gane with thier mates.

Totally agree. Ludicrous. Most players play at weekends and most courses are busy with the next group coming up behind. It does nothing for pace of play if someone then decides to put a few balls in a bunker to work on his game or spend five minutes per hole chipping onto the green. A case of I'm all right jack.

Money does come into it. We aren't blessed with top dollar practice facilities. Yes we have a bunker (reasonably maintained) but it has no green around it, just a mown strip of grass on the practice ground. We have a putting green you can chip onto but it's small and narrow and not totally ideal. As for pitching, there is no dedicated short game area. There are random flag on the practice ground but the ball doesn't react as it would landing on a proper green.

I do sympathise with the OP. Most ranges don't have anything suitable other than flags dotted around (simiular to my clubs practice ground). Again it doesn't recreate a realistic shot. I'm lucky that Silvermere has a reasonable short game area I can utilise and Pachesham in Surrey which has a proper pitching and chipping area but they require a lot of effort (40-45 minute drive) and not ideal to use every week, especially in winter.

My clubs facilities aren't ideal but better than most on a similar price band and it suffices rather than does the job properly. If I was moving, practice facilities would be very high on my tick list of requirements. It is hard for clubs to develop or upgrade facilities as it clearly costs money and that is usually in short supply and yes, it does have to be directed towards course upgrade. That's common sense but there are times when budgets are planned and long term plans made where some thinking about the wider picture and what it could do for future membership recruitment may pay dividends.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

come on... what a load of nonsense. yes practise on the course sometimes, but whos going to drop 10 balls in a bunker during a bounce gane with thier mates.

Who said anything about dropping 10 balls into a bunker ?

You practice as your playing - ball goes into bunker - then try something new or use that shot to practise a method and you actually doing it on the course during a round - as opposed to hitting it again and again and again

 

[guest100718]

Ours a OK ish.

Large practice green. Grass and covered range with a practice bunker.

My local course has just opened a 6 hole practice course and has pretty decent facilites. I may join there as a acadmeny user next year.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Who said anything about dropping 10 balls into a bunker ?

You practice as your playing - ball goes into bunker - then try something new or use that shot to practise a method and you actually doing it on the course during a round - as opposed to hitting it again and again and again

But if the technique is flakey, one shot, and tweaking it every time is never going be successful. It would need more than one shot every few holes. Like anything, most handicap golfers need to work on things regularly and with the correct technique to progress. Without access to decent facilities, the OP will struggle. The course in the example given in the OP isn't the place to do it.

 

[pokerjoke]

Sorry but you would prefer money spent on the practise area over the course ?! Really ?

There is no better place to practise than on the course itself - if your aren't getting better it's not because of the facilities it's because of the person holding the club

Does the OP suggest he would prefer money spent on the practice area rather than the course or does he actually say "spending money on the course is fair enough I suppose.

Its amazing how quick you are to jump down peoples throats any chance of having a day off.

 

[garyinderry]

Solo rounds on the course is a great time to practice and try new things. no good if time is in short supply.

 

[guest100718]

Who said anything about dropping 10 balls into a bunker ?

You practice as your playing - ball goes into bunker - then try something new or use that shot to practise a method and you actually doing it on the course during a round - as opposed to hitting it again and again and again

Oh Phil, you can do better that that. I could have written your reply word for word..

So, help me out here. I am under a tree and want to play a low punch that still goes a good distance. I move the ball back in my stance, use a short punchy swing but the ball goes to high, hits a branch and drops 20 yds ahead.

There's a driving range nr me where i could go and practise this shot as I feel it would be useful to me.

Or I could wait a week untill i play again and hope i am faced with the same shot again so I can try something a little different.

What should I do?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Oh Phil, you can do better that that. I could have written your reply word for word..

So, help me out here. I am under a tree and want to play a low punch that still goes a good distance. I move the ball back in my stance, use a short punchy swing but the ball goes to high, hits a branch and drops 20 yds ahead.

There's a driving range nr me where i could go and practise this shot as I feel it would be useful to me.

Or I could wait a week untill i play again and hope i am faced with the same shot again so I can try something a little different.

What should I do?

Well normally walk up to the ball and then play it again and then next time you are under the tree recall what happened and try something different - or if on your own you could play the shot again

So remind me - how many trees does this range have for you to hit under to practise the punch shot ?

 

[richart]

The bunkers at Trump Aberdeen have trolley access - ask Richart!!! 😂

A trolley with no brake, and a course with deep pot bunkers. It could have happened to anyone.

Fortunately Craig is too much of a gentleman to post the photo.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Well normally walk up to the ball and then play it again and then next time you are under the tree recall what happened and try something different - or if on your own you could play the shot again

So remind me - how many trees does this range have for you to hit under to practise the punch shot ?

Sorry but that's a poor reply. A range or decent grass practice ground gives someone the chance to play the shot and get comfy with it before taking the shot on when playing. A punch shot is more than just for playing under trees. Brilliant on par threes in windy conditions. The whole idea of keep trying something different is wrong as most players need consistency and that comes from practicing it regularly. Many courses frown upon practice on the course anyway.