Golf range question.

[stefanovic]

How do they work to improve your game?
Hitting balls off a flat mat to a field several times the width of a fairway never worked for me.

 

[duncan mackie]

You are obviously a gifted player already-- personally I'm delighted to hit 2 in a row from the middle of the club with the clubhead square, travelling in the direction I want accelerating through the ball at the angle of attack I need ....to strike the little ball before the big one.

I'm lying - even 1 shot with half that delights me.

So I practice on a perfect surface hitting crap balls into a field miles wide so that I can achieve it.

I've even been known to try and shape the flight of the ball as well...but I know when I'm getting ahead of myself. I've only been playing 45 years after all...

 

[Capella]

I am not a massive fan of driving ranges either, but there are two things I find them quite useful for:
1) warm up before a round ... hitting 20 to 30 balls with different clubs helps me to loose up my muscles, find some confidence in my swing and helps me to spot if there is a "miss of the day", preventing me from either slicing or snap hooking my driver out of bounds on the first tee.
2) specific swing changes/aspects of your swing you want to work on ... in that case hitting 20, 50 or even 100 balls in the controlled environment of a bay/mat can be quite useful. You'd have to play many many rounds of golf to encounter enough shots where you can concentrate on that specific detail.

 

[r0wly86]

If you are mindlessly hitting balls then yes the range isn't particularly useful.

You can use it to train like in any sport, specifically working on an aspect, punch shots, drawing/fading the ball etc

Also if you have a lesson the range is a good place to work on the changes made, much better than the course where you are having to introduce the change to your swing while playing a round.

And as Capella said it's great for warming up.

 

[Orikoru]

I went right off them as I found I was hitting shanks there but not on the course, so my solution was to stop going to the range. Now though I hit shanks on the course as well as that hasn't worked out very well.

I think they have their place to practise strike, or maybe iron out a particular swing fault by just hitting a number of balls to ingrain it. I could never hit more than 50 balls there though or it's just boring. There's no substitute for getting out on the course obviously, on the range all you're really practising is the strike.

 

[stefanovic]

Players used to tell me they hit great shots on the range but as soon as they hit one on a course it would be nothing like.
IMO they are a bit of a con. One bad shot on the range may soon be remedied.

 

[Dan2501]

I go to the range to work on drills, on adding skills to my game like shot shaping, but also to build confidence and get some reps in before competitions. I love the range, practicing on the course is great but there are certain things that are so much easier to do and work on at the range.

 

[Imurg]

Players used to tell me they hit great shots on the range but as soon as they hit one on a course it would be nothing like.
IMO they are a bit of a con. One bad shot on the range may soon be remedied.

Because it's practice
If nobody ever practiced anything then nobody would ever get better at anything
How do you think Beckham got half decent at free kicks?
He practiced
Many clubs don't allow practice on the course

 

[r0wly86]

Because it's practice
If nobody ever practiced anything then nobody would ever get better at anything
How do you think Beckham got half decent at free kicks?
He practiced
Many clubs don't allow practice on the course

exactly, it's like practicing your batting in a nets session in cricket, it's a chance to work on technique without the pressure of performing. The first dozen cover drives may be nicked or scooped into the air, but eventually you can start hitting them properly and then you can take it to the course.

The problem with the range mainly is that most amateurs don't use it properly as dedicated practice, and just whack a whole load of balls

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'd rather hit off the grass on the practice ground at my club but the range is a necessary evil in winter in order to keep the swing ticking over. Also a good place to work on swing changes but practice has to be structured and quality over quantity

 

[Slab]

The range is great for the stuff others have already listed, plus;

It can be a sociable place
It can be some light exercise
It's nearly always fun

And cuts down on the singles clogging up the course

 

[HamiltonGuy]

I struggle with them one due to boredom the other due to the fact the bad shots at the range are somewhat masked by the mat. Though I do enjoy a range with a top tracer I don’t find them more beneficial I just like the data to cure the boredom

 

[DRW]

Why does it have to be to improve at Golf ? Really not into that.

Most people don't improve they just stay at the same handicap after the improving golfer period, harsh but true

Whats wrong with just going to the range and whacking balls, with just the thought of enjoying it (would rather play but in winter that choice is removed due to dark)

 

[Siolag]

At the moment I am not using the range at all, but once I have taken some lessons and have something to work on, I will if that is whats recommended. We have a decent practice area at my club too, so that will be of use in the summer months.

 

[r0wly86]

Why does it have to be to improve at Golf ? Really not into that.

Most people don't improve they just stay at the same handicap after the improving golfer period, harsh but true

Whats wrong with just going to the range and whacking balls, with just the thought of enjoying it (would rather play but in winter that choice is removed due to dark)

Do they not improve because they don't properly practice, or are they not properly practicing because they aren't improving?

Anyone can get better at anything with proper practice and tuition. It may not be easy and people will go through peaks and troughs and plateaus but with dedicated practice the trend will always to be better or in golf a lower handicap

 

[DRW]

Do they not improve because they don't properly practice, or are they not properly practicing because they aren't improving?

Anyone can get better at anything with proper practice and tuition. It may not be easy and people will go through peaks and troughs and plateaus but with dedicated practice the trend will always to be better or in golf a lower handicap

Probably all of those and natural talent.

Most of the people I play with are social golfers, and lowering their handicaps(improve) isn't top of the list or necessarily on the list. They want to have a good game for them and enjoy the good day out. I fit this category and when I have been to the range it is normally just to whack balls, do silly flights etc and enjoy it. I mainly just play golf. If I improve by playing that is just a by-product of playing rather than wanting or trying to improve or reduce my handicap.

 

[Dando]

at the moment I am only using the driving range to get used to my new driver technique.
there is no point practising my irons as I have a new set on order but once they arrive i'll pop to a different range with protracer to get an idea of distances

 

[anotherdouble]

You are obviously a gifted player already-- personally I'm delighted to hit 2 in a row from the middle of the club with the clubhead square, travelling in the direction I want accelerating through the ball at the angle of attack I need ....to strike the little ball before the big one.

I'm lying - even 1 shot with half that delights me.

So I practice on a perfect surface hitting crap balls into a field miles wide so that I can achieve it.

I've even been known to try and shape the flight of the ball as well...but I know when I'm getting ahead of myself. I've only been playing 45 years after all...

And doing all of this Duncan knowing full well that each swing will knacker your back, every time you crouch down your hamstrings and quads are likely to go pop, every time you take a step to change clubs your Achilles could rupture. What would we doing with Stefanovic’s words of wisdom, oh I know, playing golf👍

 

[Yant]

I am also not a fan of driving ranges. I don't like the (lack of) feel off of the mats.

Having said that i've been playing the game for a long time now, so i've had my share of range time. Personally, i'd rather play a few holes or chip and putt than pound balls for hours. The only time i'd invest pounding balls is if it were off of the turf.

 

[Maninblack4612]

Why does it have to be to improve at Golf ? Really not into that.

Most people don't improve they just stay at the same handicap after the improving golfer period, harsh but true

Whats wrong with just going to the range and whacking balls, with just the thought of enjoying it (would rather play but in winter that choice is removed due to dark)

I am completely unable to understand why anyone would not be trying to improve. I'm 72 and spend a lot of time working on my swing, that's where the pleasure comes from, finding something which works & seeing it materialize on the course.