Distance with driving range balls vs normal

[crazybird]

Hi,

New here and trying out golf again for the first time since I was a kid.

I'm wondering about practicing distance at the driving range. Do the balls travel shorter or the same there as when playing a course with real balls?
I've started taking notes on the distances I'm getting (a local club uses toptracer on the driving range) but I'm unsure if those distances will correspond well when I'm on course?


Best Regards from Sweden!

 

[Neilds]

Range balls usually go a lot less distance than a 'proper' for a number of reasons, including how they are made, condition, etc. Some ranges cater for this by putting the distance flags at the 'range ball distance' rather than the true distance ie 175 yards flag might be at 155 yards.
I have only used toptracer once and found the distances to be 10-15% down on what I i know I hit in real life on the course

 

[jim8flog]

Ask at the range where you normally go.

They should know what type of ball they buy (percentage wise)

The balls are hardly ever likely to go the same distance if you use a specific make and type of ball all the time unless it happens to be the same as the range one.

Where I play I reckon they must have done sort of adjustment on Top Tracer as the range is up hill but Top Tracer distances are about the same as my on course and in a recent fitting session using ProV1s and trackman.

 

[crazybird]

Great, thanks for the answers!

 

[Ethan]

We have a top tracer range with what seems like decent balls, but I hit the ball (Pro V1 or TM TP5) further on the course, say about 10 yards on a 6 iron.

 

[Dando]

The balls at the range at my club are a good 20% out according to top tracer and what I hit with a proper ball on the course so i don’t take any notice of distance - I keep any eye on ball speed, launch angle and how far off line it goes

 

[Deleted member 3432]

The balls at the range at my club are a good 20% out according to top tracer and what I hit with a proper ball on the course so i don’t take any notice of distance - I keep any eye on ball speed, launch angle and how far off line it goes

Same with my local Toptracer range. Prefer the skanky old school range I go to that is basic to say the least

 

[Bratty]

The balls at the range at my club are a good 20% out according to top tracer and what I hit with a proper ball on the course so i don’t take any notice of distance - I keep any eye on ball speed, launch angle and how far off line it goes

But no computer will be able to track how far off line your shots go! ?

 

[Dando]

But no computer will be able to track how far off line your shots go! ?

?

 

[Bratty]

?

Is that a thumbs up? ?

 

[Dando]

Is that a thumbs up? ?

I’ll show you what it is at high elms!

 

[Lee762]

My local range uses trackman. I'm told that they have normalised it for wind etc.

I'm not sure how this works as surely trackman tracks the launch conditions which will be affected by head winds, side winds etc.

 

[CliveW]

There is also a difference in distance between regular balls due to type, manufacture, compression etc, so how do you compare them with range balls?

 

[Dando]

There is also a difference in distance between regular balls due to type, manufacture, compression etc, so how do you compare them with range balls?

Going on my course distances I’d say most range balls are 20% shorter