Driving Range Practice Schedule

[Golfer2112]

Ok, so you go to the range and purchase 50 balls. Do you have a set routine for those 50 balls or do you vary it depending on how your game is going?

80% of the time I'll hit

10 Drivers
10 4 irons
10 7 irons
10 Wedges
10 Pitches/Chips (50 yds or less)

20% of the time I'll just take one club (usually a wedge or occasionally a 7 iron but never a driver) and hit the lot with that one club.

Sad git that I am, I record the clubs used at the range and the length of time spent with each. However, if you consider that approx 35-40% of ALL YOUR GOLF SHOTS are taken with a putter, the recording process merely highlights how much more time I need to spend on the putting green.

g_2112

 

[JohnWT]

Not sad at all Golfer2112! You're absolutely right about the putting though. Far too many amateurs spend an hour at the range hitting the living daylights out of the ball when they should be spending more time on their putting. Check out http://www.golf-monthly.com/instruction/On_The_Green_section_1316.html for some great on-the-green drills.

 

[viscount17]

Ah, but you can be nicely anonymous in your box on the range. The putting green is all too public right in front of the bar!
I'm also for putting hedges round the 1st tee (or a marquee!)

 

[simplyme]

I spend 4 hours a week at the range.

1 hour is spent on 50 balls, I take my bag to the range. Very rarely use the driver, just my irons as all I am looking to do is get my swing working, practising draw / fade shots.

1 hour is spent with my practice balls, chipping from various ranges around the green. I use between 5 yards and 30 yards.

2 hours are spent putting. The biggest downfall of my game last season and the best part of my game this season. Dropped to single figures as I can now putt. Short game makes a huge difference to a score

 

[Teetotal]

Golfer2112 - that is dedicated but the only way forward to improve your game for sure.

I get bored very easily - just work from my pitching wedge up then spend five mins putting. May explain why I'm still playing off same handicap from 5 years ago!

 

[golfdonkey]

Went to the driving range last night. Hit 10 wedges, 10 4-irons, got bored and leathered 30 drivers as hard as I could. I'll never learn.

 

[viscount17]

simply, you sound as if you have a very organised range. Mine has the range separate from the putting green (by about 1/2 mile)and the not very good pitching green (limited as to possible shots - max 25 yds).

Got to get to the range tonight - I was b***** awful yesterday. Putting wasn't too bad (if I just went by instinct) but everything else stank!

I read/saw recently that Jack played everything off the left heel, while another programme advocated using that for the driver, then putting two touching balls immediately behind and using the rear ball position for woods/long irons; then doing the same again to get mid/short irons position. Seems to be too far forward for me but I'll try both.
Is there anything in this game that you can say 'this is how you do it' - and be right for everyone?

 

[Steve_V]

I read/saw recently that Jack played everything off the left heel, while another programme advocated using that for the driver, then putting two touching balls immediately behind and using the rear ball position for woods/long irons; then doing the same again to get mid/short irons position. Seems to be too far forward for me but I'll try both.
Is there anything in this game that you can say 'this is how you do it' - and be right for everyone?

With the Nicklaus technique you have to remember that he used to place his right foot further back for progressively longer clubs. He didn't use the same stance for Wedges and Drivers!

If there was one true way for all golfers to play there would not be a huge golf instruction industry. I'm not being cynical, its just a reflection of how different body shapes and physiques can get the same results but with different techniques. Pros can tailor their advice based on what your natural shot shape is, which is different from player to player. Also some people 'get' certain shots like the 3 Wood chip while others prefer to be shown a more traditional method.

 

[RGuk]

You have a good regime......nice one.

One trick I picked up early (once I was managing to hit it fairly straight) was to practice 7,8,9 irons with a deliberate shot plan/idea in mind. OK, so you pick up your iron, find a flag and say "I'm going to make sure it doesn't fade (or draw) so next time I have a nice (but dangerous) shot on the course and it mustn't go right, I'll know to trust myself".....tweak the grip/aim a little left, whatever, but DO NOT allow the ball to end up right of the marker....worked for me......a bail out strategy is great if you have a short game to back it up....

Dave

 

[RGuk]

......when they should be spending more time on their putting.

I always enjoyed putting in front of crowd around the clubhouse, even as a terrible putter!!! at least I was trying to get better. One week I was trying 3 woods the length of the green from the collar......the pro was pretty unimpressed......he soon changed his mind when a month later I chipped it stone dead for par putt at least 4 times in a pro-am. We were miles off winning but I made about 8 pars that day from off the green, he read my putts and we didn't miss one. If I had a caddy (who could read the greens) I'd play off about 5!!!

Dave