Driving Range Nerves

[Deke]

Hi guys! Recently when practicing at the range I have been getting tense and nervous when hitting shots.At home when I practice my swing feels great and on the course I just get on with it and hit decent shots, bit as soon as I step up to the ball all my theory goes out the window and my swing goes horribly wrong! This dosent happen all the time but enough to really annoy me! Any advice/causes/fixes appreciated!

 

[brendy]

Easy wedges 50 yards to get limbered up, relax and let the anxiety drip off. It wont take long to start wondering why you were nervy at all.

 

[bobmac]

Is it because other people are there and you think they're watching your swing?

 

[USER1999]

They probably are....

 

[GOLFER1994]

They probably are....

 

[quinn]

happens to me all the time mate, play well on the saturday, then id go up the range in the week and have a nightmare, couldnt work out what i was doing wrong,so booked a lesson in, pro gave me a couple of pointers and been fine since, i reckon its because my concentration goes,on the course its rare you hit the same club one after ther other but up the range you hit 10 or so with the same club,now i practice as if im playing a round seems to work for me,

 

[Deke]

Not really bothered by other folk watching,find it hard to figure out why this is happening at all,maybe slowing down is the answer!

 

[Deke]

Cheers Quinney,thanks for the tip!

 

[Alex1975]

Do you drink coffee at the range or anythin like that?

 

[kev_off_the_tee]

like already mentioned by others, I start with a few short irons with easy swings to limber up.

for many, the urge to wellie a few with the driver first is too tempting and can put a real dampener on things if it goes wrong.

This done too many times will also have a physcologial effect on you every time your go to the range as you'll be thinking about your previous bad starts

 

[Deke]

No,I only drink water! I think hitting clubs like I am playing a hole sounds good,I will give it a go.A good warm up with the wedges sounds like good advice too,cheers forum!

 

[Alex1975]

I am at my most focused on the range; I find it a great way to learn and a great way to relax after work. I always work a program and never just smack balls down the range. I have been told to always use a target to aim at or over. If I hit two bad shots in a row I put my club down and walk to the back of the bay or walk off and have a smoke or read a poster. I also play alot of mock shots before I make a proper shot to get my muscles ready for what I am about to do. I never work as well on the range if I have a friend with me, I want to practice with purpose.

 

[Deke]

Good advice Alex,cheers!

 

[JustOne]

Range is for practice and (to a certain degree) experimenting. You can't be expected to hit all your best shots there.

Get a T-shirt printed that says "Yes I'm hitting the ball shite but that's because I'm trying something new" on the back.

 

[Deke]

I could wear such a t-shirt on the course as well!

 

[thedrewser]

I find at the range (being a tall chap) I'm always worried I'm going to clang my driver into a steel supporting column or something. I'm also paranoid, if I'm trying something new, that I'm going to toe it into the dividers and make a loud bang, which of course makes me so tense that's exactly what happens.

 

[Alex1975]

Range is for practice and (to a certain degree) experimenting. You can't be expected to hit all your best shots there.

Does not mean you can not try though hu?!

 

[Robobum]

On the rare occaisions I go to a "proper" range it is purely to fill time and to have some fun.

I will spend the whole of my time trying to hit the ball out of the back of the range, smashing at the ball collector tractor, aiming at the CCTV cameras on the range fences etc etc.

 

[Toby_LeRhone]

When I've hit a few bad shots at the range I find that if I stand up for a few moments and watch all of the other muppets shanking it into the wall, skying it into the roof and setting fire to the grass with their tops, puts everything into perspective and relaxes me completely.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I never worry about what anyone else is doing and whether they are watching or not. I've been know to shank with the best of them (could give Murph a run for his money) and hit some pearlers too. I wouldn't be too hung up about what else is going on and work on your own game. One thing I will guarantee is that no matter how bad you are hitting it there will always be someone even worse than you there. If you are working on drills from a lesson, I find the best way is to spend a lot of time rehearsing the swing and the moves without hitting a ball, almost going through it in slow motion. Once I'm happy I'll hit a few. If they are good I'll change to a different club and if not go back to rehearsing it again until I can get it right.