Driving Range to Course.

[JGolfer]

Bought 3w, never hit a wood before, always used driving iron of the tee, decided time for a change after getting back into golf. Got custom fit, numbers not great at start, but got better as the fit went on, I think down to me getting used to it. Took it to the range, got on the toptracer, 215 carry, rolling out to around 230 mark, similar to the data my custom fit showed. Happy as a lamb so far, so good. This was 6 weeks ago.

God almighty I go to a course, and I am lucky to hit in 20 yards never mind 200. Tops / catching it fat, blading it into the thick rough. This has been 6 rounds now. And I just cant seem to transfer the driving range to the course, I didn't opt for a driving iron this time, went for a more standard 3w, with a 19 degree hybrid for help with launch. I am watching what I do on the course and range and from my POV I can't see a difference but obviously something is going wrong, or is there? Maybe its a confidence issue as mentioned below.

I did have a lesson with a pro, who mentioned I hold the club far to close, which after working on that has done wonders for my irons, but when I am on the range, he asks what my issue is with my 3w, as he really likes my swing only thing im working on now is more hip turn, as every shot he see's is long(For me anyway), straight and good launch. He mentioned with transitioning to the course thats more of a mental issue he can't really help with.

I just now have such a lack of confidence with it, its distressing, but as I m attempting to persevere with it, but golly it is costing me so many shots, but I fear if I give up, I will be tempted to just not go back to it.

Anybody had a similar issue if so/how did they fix it, or did you just bail and give up

 

[Slab]

Taking the range into the real world is an issue that’s cropped up a few times (I had a really good range session yesterday despite my recent rounds being on the low side of mediocre)

Barring environment differences some ranges provide that artificially inflate performance, it is going to be mental in how we approach a shot on the course especially after thinking it’s all clicked on the range and I made a conscious decision to try and lock in how I felt and executed the shots yesterday hoping to take it to the course next time out (not so much my swing or technique, more how my muscles felt at address and the tempo I was swinging with)

Although as I say ranges with (forgiving) matts, covered/sheltered (heated) bays, auto ball replace etc are all creating an environment pretty far removed from a golf shot during a round, as is the frequency of shots we hit. I imagine this can easily give an inflated false positive on how well we’re hitting it (making the drop to reality on the course that much bigger)

Luckily the range I used yesterday is all grass and totally outdoor (they have a couple of matts for beginners to use, I think this illustrates the point) I only took 50 balls and spent at least an hour getting through those, jumping randomly round the bag with only 3-4 shots per club before changing and stopping for a minute or so meaning it was all pretty relaxed (which I think helped)

Interested on what others suggest to your post but there must be tips out there on how to better do this

 

[Imurg]

On the range you have the mat to help you align properly, if you hit a bit fat the mat will still give you a reasonable result where turf will kill momentum, there's no pressure on the shot - if it doesn't go well you can hit another, you have a perfect lie....
All these things make range work easier than being on the course.
You're possibly putting too much pressure on yourself to hit a good shot.
Relax a bit, slow down a bit, smooth it out a bit and make sure you're aligned properly.
And remember - the range is very different to the course.
One of my favourite sayings is " you learn to hit the ball on the range but you learn to play golf on the course"

 

[duncan mackie]

All very normal....

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It's a perpetual problem for me. Can hit it great in warm up, especially before the weekend roll ups, go in for the ball draw and a coffee and go back half an hour later and have a nightmare and nowhere near the ball striking I had. I think the thing with a new or fitted club as per the OP is the level of expectation rises and we all want to stand there and whack it miles to the point where technique and timing goes to pot. Then we get in that circle of despair where we try even more and it gets even worse

 

[Fabia999]

I lose a lot of yards and consistency from the range to the grass. I had the same problem with my 7 wood. I presume it’s just getting used to it. You can hit 100 balls at the range in one session but to hit 100 balls on grass you’re looking at a few games. If it’s possible to practice on grass then do that. try some different lies and stuff.

 

[JGolfer]

Glad to see I am not alone, in regards to tee, how would i change the lie on the range from the tee, I don't actually use the 3w off the ground, only for tee shots, so in that regard I am not sure how i would alter the lie. I wish I did have an outdoor grass range near me, as far as I am aware, it is all indoors. Unless anybody knows any in the Merseyside area?

 

[Bxm Foxy]

I hit my irons much better on course than off astro turf at the range. Hit my 3w and hybrids much, much better at the range!

 

[robbeh32]

My mate does this. I watch him warming up at range hitting really smooth and pure. Then as soon as we go on course he rushes and snatches at the ball and tops it etc. Relax and slow down.

 

[Orikoru]

I hit my irons much better on course than off astro turf at the range. Hit my 3w and hybrids much, much better at the range!

I'm exactly the same actually. Not sure why.

 

[mister v]

#metoo on the range my rescue club goes like a dream, its a joyous thing to hit............ on the course its a topper and im now to scarred to use it in comps.
Im going to leave it alone until i can get on the course one evening and hit a few when no ones around, im sure its just to quick on the swing and head up to see where its gone.........

 

[User20204]

The range does absolutely nothing for my game, as pointed out, they are wide open, you just hit another if you thrash one. The top player at our club never practises on the range at our place but out on the course all the time.

 

[TreeSeeker]

Two things helped me, but i do struggle with the range course disparity a bit, getting closer though! I firmly believe range practice is a real winner.

Firstly I try to take the course to the range, at the range I found myself always thinking just about the strike, and not about the miss left, minimum carry, bunkers, etc. I took a mental note of 10 bad shots I'd hit, went to the range and set myself up with that shot in mind and hit those shots.

Secondly I forced myself to take the drills to the range, I do those first and being honest they only cost at most 10-15 balls so its been a great addition. The best drill i've picked up recently for me will be in one of the mag's soon courtesy of a lesson I won with GM! can't rate it highly enough.

 

[chrisd]

I am a member at my local range where I have deal for 10,000 balls. My course is limited in practice facilities so I've pretty much always practiced on the mats, or the grass area for range members. I've usually spent 80% of the time working on the strike and only 20% on other things and have little difficulty in moving between the two

 

[Jimbop90]

I'd take a bag of crap balls out to the hole on your course with the widest fairway later in the evening when no-one is about. Tee them all up and try to hit them about 200, not your top end. Think loose loose loose. Fetch the balls and do it again until it gets dark.