Practice Preference

[g11pro]

If you had the choice between practicing on a driving range with range balls open to the elements and limited or no short game and putting facilities OR practicing at an indoor facility that had a range with simulators and launch monitors so you could measure with real balls at realistic targets, specifically designed short game/bunker area and putting green which would you chose and why??

 

[patricks148]

grass or mats?

 

[Orikoru]

I wouldn't really like hitting at a screen. I prefer to see the shape of the shot with my own eyes, rather than what a computer reckons the shape of the shot was. I don't have any rational reason to think the computer would get it wrong, but I'd just prefer to watch the ball go in 'real life' I guess. I like to just get 50 balls at the range and whack them all and see how they go really. Not too bothered about them being range balls and how far they go, as I'm really just looking for quality of strike and whether they draw/fade or go straight.

 

[Fish]

I wouldn't really like hitting at a screen. I prefer to see the shape of the shot with my own eyes, rather than what a computer reckons the shape of the shot was. I don't have any rational reason to think the computer would get it wrong, but I'd just prefer to watch the ball go in 'real life' I guess. I like to just get 50 balls at the range and whack them all and see how they go really. Not too bothered about them being range balls and how far they go, as I'm really just looking for quality of strike and whether they draw/fade or go straight.

Pretty much the same as this above, with the added comment that I drive an extra 30 minutes from a range 2 mins away from me to go on a grass bank driving range at The Warwickshire so it's as close to emulating what I would/could experience out on the course.

 

[Capella]

Depends on the weather today I'd definitely prefer the indoor facility, please. The world is ending outside of my office window at the moment.

 

[IanM]

TIME to practice , heck time to play while working away would be nice....

But my preference is off green grass.. that way you get proper stike and hit driver of tee height yiu use of the course.

Never used a simulator.. must be fun when there 3 foot of snow outside!

 

[PhilTheFragger]

For me it would depend if I could "trust" the machine to accurately represent what my ball was doing

If I am outside, I can see the ball flight, I can see where it lands etc, Ive been on launch monitors and hit what I know would be a huge slice and the screen shows a gentle fade, hence my scepticism.

But the chance to be able to practice everything, Driving, approach shots, Chipping and Putting at the same venue is obviously attractive, the ranges near me just dont have putting or chipping facilities

 

[Bazzatron]

Pretty much the same as this above, with the added comment that I drive an extra 30 minutes from a range 2 mins away from me to go on a grass bank driving range at The Warwickshire so it's as close to emulating what I would/could experience out on the course.

Love the Warwickshire. Just a bit too far for me to consider membership

 

[MendieGK]

much prefer hitting balls into a simulator. Driving ranges are borderline pointless when you have to use the shocking balls we are usually subjected to.

a sim gives me a baseline of distance etc making it a lot easier to adjust when in outdoor conditions.

 

[g11pro]

It would be mats indoor.

 

[Dave1980]

it depends if the launch monitor measures or calculates spin, ball speed, swing speed etc.

 

[Coffey]

I have used launch monitors quite a lot. As long as they are accurate and high standard then I find it works well. I believe it works well if you are trying to work on something specific, as you can see the numbers which can help prove if what you are doing is working or not.

Obviously seeing the ball flight is a big plus, but if you are working on changing your club path for example, you can see it right there on the screen with a LM.

 

[Spear-Chucker]

Don't have access to a SIM/LM unfortunately as I love the data they can provide. Just range balls for me which I admittedly do like, shoddy balls can be a bit annoying though (first world problem right there...). Can SIM/LM's factor in wind and temp?

 

[Yant]

There is no substitute for playing.

Driving ranges do not do it for me.

 

[Dogma]

Preferences is a grass range, but there's only one accessible to me and it's crap.

I work opposite an indoor golf centre, so I'm spending more and more time there as it's convenient.

 

[chrisd]

I have had those choices and generally chose the indoor ootion

 

[g11pro]

Don't have access to a SIM/LM unfortunately as I love the data they can provide. Just range balls for me which I admittedly do like, shoddy balls can be a bit annoying though (first world problem right there...). Can SIM/LM's factor in wind and temp?

Yes you can set them to factor in wind strength and direction, temperatures and altitude (say you were going to play in South Africa on holiday for example).

 

[g11pro]

I must say I find it really interesting how everyone looks at the driver/full swing side of this only. What about practicing short game and putting????

 

[jim8flog]

Driving ranges where they let you hit off the grass.


Hitting off any sort of mat restricts my iron practice to, at best, a 6 iron because I take divots off the grass which you cannot do off a mat.

 

[xcore]

Annoyingly there are no local grass driving ranges and the nearest one with mats is 20 mins away, thankfully it's pretty decent with electric tees, and silvermere is about 45 mins away if I'm feeling flush