Getting to the range

[Trueblue]

Anyone else have massive problems finding time to get to the range?

Had a lesson 3 weeks ago, during that Christmas break (blimey seems a long time ago!) and so keen to go and practise but what with it being dark and cold when you finally get home from work i just can't seem to find the time.

Does everyone else just go at the weekend?

Thinking of getting a net for the garden....gd idea or not?

Suppose i just need to get up earlier....that's always what my Mum said!

 

[Up_Point_1]

Trueblue - I have the time to get to the range of an evening during the week. It's just the motivation i'm struggling with this time of year. I get home after work, it's cold outside, I know going to the range would be hugely beneficial to my game, but then there's the inviting bottle of wine in the fridge, and 9 times out of 10 the wine wins.

I don't usually go to the range of a weekend unless it's absolutely lashing down. Weekends are best spent on the golf course.

Roll on the Spring time (getting fed up now playing golf with 4 layers of clothing on) ;-)

Golf net in the garden........it's a great idea, as long as you're not too proud as to the state of your lawn, and your missus isn't entering your garden into the Chelsea flower show ;-)

 

[chipin1]

I feel your pain Trueblue. My nearest driving range takes me about 40 mins to get to. An hour there is a good two and a half hours out of the house.

This is what I will blame my poor form on in 07.

 

[Dave3498]

I'm dis-illusioned enough without any further help from a driving range, with their crappy concrete balls, unrelenting mats and awful floppy rubber tees which are the wrong height. I usually walk away from those places about £4 poorer and with all my confidence destroyed. Very much different overseas in Portugal or Spain. There they use proper golf balls and you normally play off grass.

 

[PaulOHagan]

Driving ranges balls are a serious pet hate of mine- i know its good for your game just to be hitting balls and keeping your rhythm but it doesn't do your confidence any good when you rip a 5 iron and it goes 120 yards with a bizarre draw slice. At to make matters worse they charge ridiculous money for a basket of them!

 

[chipin1]

Good point - driving range balls seem to be made of airtex

 

[Severiano798488]

It's the mats that are the worst thing - completely unrealistic

There must be a market somewhere for a chain of plush driving ranges with Anfield-like turf, top of the range balls and a load of staff who are prepared to hold umbrellas over you when it rains

 

[Lipout]

Ah yes the golf range. Why do they put up those signs saying, "no bags allowed." Wouldn't take her anyway!
You pay small fortune to hit white peebles, off green concrete mats, to questionable distance markers. You spend nearly the full bucket of balls hitting shots off the roof, the bay walls and the motorised ball retriever (even though its still parked up in the yard), only two find with two balls left, the holy grail - The long, straight shot. You realise "so thats what i was doing wrong." Then the balls are gone. Big dilemma. You know she is looking at the clock at home thinking "selfish B@~"&:d" but you want to hit more shots. Do you risk it, you decide yes. So you run to the ball machine, get more balls run back to your bay, place the ball on the mat, you know she would understand if she knew how much it means to you. You address, you swing, back to normal, ROOF, BAY WALL, TRACTOR.
Enjoy the range!!!

 

[The_Golfer]

Lipout, very well put... Trueblue the range is there if you feel you wish to improve or work on technique,as for finding time to go it's all a matter of priorities.. I always go at least once a week and I can tell you it pays dividends, especially on my short game...

 

[MikeH]

I'm no massive fan of ranges for the reasons above but I must say my game always benefits from hitting balls even if its not in the best conditions (i.e. poor quality range balls off threadbare mats)
I'm lucky in that my home club has got a good grass practice range where you can use your own balls so go there when I can

I headed down there on Saturday for my first session of the new year feeling very excited at the prospect of hitting 150 balls

Started off with three tops and five shanks!

Thankfully things improved considerably and the only think that stopped me from picking up and then hitting more was the gathering gloom

Thankfully things imporved considerbaly and the only think that stopped me from picking up and then hitting more was the gathering gloom

ached like heck the next day and Monday though!

MikeH
(editor)

 

[Marko77]

Depending what facilities the range has obviously influences whether its a good or bad experience.

The range I go to has those awful mats and balls of questionable quality but I try not to take too much from the results of the shots (unless they are horrendous). I think the range is very beneficial in helping you get a steady rythm and working through the drills you read about in Golf Monthly.

If anything, its worth going up to have a laugh at the husband trying to teach his wife golf two booths up from you