Range Routine

[GUB]

I am lucky enough to have a decent driving range about 2 miles from my work so I am able to have about 40-45 minutes there at lunch (went there today for the first time and I love the automatic tee thingy). Thinking back I never really had a good practice regime for the range, I just start with the pitching wedge and work up the clubs to the driver just trying to hit them all straight and get an idea of the yardage I am getting from each club.

I plan to go to the range 2-3 times a week during my lunch, so does anyone have a suggestion for a practice routine(s) that I can fit into a 45 minute session that would help a high handicapper?

 

[medwayjon]

I hate the automatic tee. Its for lazy 25-stone yanks!

As for routine I do this,

10 wedges, 10 9's, 10 7's, 10 5's, 10 3h's, 10 5w, 10 3w, 10 d, 10 wedges, 10 d, 20 wedges practicing short chips and low-runners.

Remember to warm up for atleast 5 mins before atually hitting any balls and always wear your golf shoes.

 

[MVP]

... and always wear your golf shoes.

I never wear my golfs shoes down the range out of pure lazyness but it is one thing i will have to change! I do slip about a bit on wet mats!

I normally hit a few balls and stretch a bit then start build the tempo up. Currently i only take a few clubs with me as i just work on basic swing principles but jons got the right idea!

 

[RGuk]

I start with a few exercises, using my collection of gadgets sometimes. I set down a "T" of clubs (for alignment)or use some pre-cut plastic pipes. I tend to work with my 8 iron first, then 6 or 7 iron. I check my plane and my turn. Once I'm going nicely, I'll hit a few 3 woods off the tee, a few 5 woods off the mat and sometimes a few drivers.
Mostly, I'm not having to work on the strike, just simply the direction (path through impact). I never fiddle with my grip (unless I'm practicing deliberate fades) and use the direction of the club path to hit mostly straight efforts.

Very little Driver, a few wedges (only ever take one of the 3) a few half wedges. I never ever, ever, ever, ever practice chips or specialist shots (high ones, punched pitches etc), that (on the advice of my old pro) is strictly for real grass on the practice area. My personal philosophy is that the range is for long game, why waste £2 worth of balls on chipping and stuff. (Sorry jon!)

When the strike is off, I work on tempo.
When the direction is off, I work on path.

I have 4 or 5 drills that I have done for years.

I've never worn my golf shoes to anything other than a grass range???? am I missing something

Oh, and I only take 4-5 clubs at a time.

Dave

 

[madandra]

Re: wearing golf shoes at the range.


If you turn up at the range wearing a pair of runners you height is all to pot. Likewise if you have a pair of gimpy Prada copies you will be too low. Wear the shoes and get used to the 'ride height'.

 

[MVP]

Re: wearing golf shoes at the range.


If you turn up at the range wearing a pair of runners you height is all to pot. Likewise if you have a pair of gimpy Prada copies you will be too low. Wear the shoes and get used to the 'ride height'.

This makes ultimate sense. Im going to now officially become a footjoy wearer at the range.

 

[RGuk]

You've lost me.....if I wear my spikes I'm about 1/2 - 1 cm higher than in my trainers. If I wear my spikes on the course, that height (the spikes) is in the ground...is it not? dunno....never even considered it.

Dave

 

[medwayjon]

All I know is if I wear triners rather than my golf shoes my grip on the mats is a shower of brown stuff hence inconsistency.

Lace up boys!

 

[MVP]

Surely the mats let your spikes dig in a bit??

 

[Dave3498]

Wearing golf shoes, especially spikes, is not permitted at many driving ranges, they tear up the mats too much, but it makes sense to wear them if you are allowed.

 

[Junior]

I have a lesson once a month and when im at the range i work on whatever im trying to fix in my swing.

Normally the last 20 balls i'll hit the balls as though i'm playing a few holes on my course

 

[madandra]

After my warm up I try and 'play' a round consisting of a few par 4's (drive, wedge or drive, long iron) then four par 5's (drive, 3 wood flick or drive long iron, wedge) and a couple of par 3's (9 iron and 5 iron)this stops me from getting bored and bashing the life out the last 30 with the driver.

 

[HTL]

Don't know how people cant wear golf shoes at the range, you slip all over the shop without them and you height vary from shoe to shoe.

I try to warm up hitting some wedge shots then play different holes imagined in my head, including short chips shots etc

 

[rgs]

I generally warm up some stretching exercises, a few wedge shots, a few 8 iron shots and a few 5 iron shots.

Then I "play" my local course using whatever club i would normally used during a normal weekend fourball.

Naturally i warm down with a few wedge shots.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I normally wear my golf shoes but they have soft spike so they don't chew the mats but give a solid base especially when wet. never heard of a range not allowing golf shoes - seems very silly to me

Once warmed up I tend to hit a few 9 irons working down, 7, 5 3, hybrid, 5 wood, 3 wood Driver. I always step off the mat between shots and go through my pre shot routine on every shot.

The range I use has a number of greens to aim at or if I'm unlucky and have one of the end bays there is a nice avenue down the yardage markers to use. I usually work on stance (spine angle and bending from hips) alignment and length of swing (tend to get a bit long which throws timing out - working on grooving a consistent 3/4 length swing)

I never work on chipping on the range unless it is a short game lesson and then I may hit a few to reiterate what I've just learnt. Prefer to use my own practice balls (titleist callaway etc) to replicate the feel and distance I'd get on the course

 

[RGuk]

Don't know how people can't wear golf shoes at the range, you slip all over the shop without them and you height vary from shoe to shoe.

I've never had a problems with slipping or height....??.....maybe my low centre of gravity (COG!) stops me from falling over, then again it could be my technique.
I would argue that trainers on the mat and spikes on the course is actually closer than spikes on both. When I settle into the shot (on the course) Ernie style, my spikes are in the ground - you can't do this on a mat surely???

Dave

 

[RGuk]

Oh yes, talking of routine, the last 20 or so balls are always hit without any alignment aids and with a full pre-shot routine.

Dave

 

[HTL]

I use cleats not spikes, all the trainers I have tried using at the range have been my old running shoes with not a lot of grip on.

 

[USER1999]

I thought the whole point was to flail away like a mdman until the bucket is empty.

 

[HTL]

Or follow the normal CHAV routine of sharing a basket of balls between 3 people, using stolen / borrowed rubbish kit and trying to smack the ball of the highest tee happy Gilmore style! While shouting at their mates.