Taking it from the range to the course

[rudebhoy]

In an effort to help my game, for the last 2 days I've stopped off at the range before going for a game.

Both times at the range I've got 50 balls, and hit them well, only one properly bad shot each time. I've been mixing it up, warming up with a few 7 irons, then going driver, hybrid, 6-7 iron, PW/GW. Picking out targets and getting reasonably close most of the time.

Got to the course, hit a few more 7 irons into the net, and then went out to play.

Wednesday started reasonably well, couple of poor drives cost me, but got to the turn with 16 points so not too bad. Back 9 went downhill, and it was more like good shot - bad shot - good shot bad shot. Put this partly down to tiredness as I was knackered the last 4 or 5 holes.

Yesterday was more good shot - bad shot from the off, confidence ebbed away, started to try to fix what I thought I was doing wrong and things went from bad to worse. struggled on till the 14th, fortunately it was getting dark by then, so walked in.

What I can't understand is how I can hit it really well on the range, but struggle on the course. The difference is massive.

Any tips - other than mixing it up at the range - for how to take my form from the range to the course?

(Apologies as I've posted about this before, but I'm massively frustrated at the moment.)

 

[Slab]

Is the range off grass or mats?

You probably know a mat will hide all kinds of horror shots and give you false hope

 

[rudebhoy]

Is the range off grass or mats?

You probably know a mat will hide all kinds of horror shots and give you false hope

off mats

 

[Slab]

If there was such a thing my grass 'range handicap' would be 4 shots lower than my course handicap... and when I have to use a mat at the range I'm 4 shots lower again!

I hit the range 4-5 times a week just now for 100 balls a time (thanks to a good pre-pay deal) About once a week it'll be off mats and I kinda treat that day as swing exercise rather than looking how close i got to any target. Wedges are the worst off mats since they all go well no matter how they're hit
For me the shots are not representative of my swing and therefore not transferable to the course

If you can practice on a grass range sometimes then I suspect you'll have a better expectation of what you'll be able to take onto the course

 

[ScienceBoy]

It’s very simple.

To take your range game to the course disregard the bottom worst 25% of shots and the top 25% best shots at the range.

From that remaining 50% what do you feel you are likely to hit? The average? Do you have a grouping higher or lower up the quality scale? Is it one or the other (bi-modal distribution?

Figure that out and you will take your range game to the course successfully.

 

[sunshine]

It’s very simple.

To take your range game to the course disregard the bottom worst 25% of shots and the top 25% best shots at the range.

From that remaining 50% what do you feel you are likely to hit? The average? Do you have a grouping higher or lower up the quality scale? Is it one or the other (bi-modal distribution?

Figure that out and you will take your range game to the course successfully.

This doesn't make any sense. You can't disregard your worst shots.

There are no consequences on the range, slice / hook / shank it's all irrelevant. But on the course your worst shot still counts, and it probably means a penalty shot so it counts double!

 

[HampshireHog]

If I hit 50 balls before a round I’d be knackered as well by the end, certainly my back would be stiffening up.

Before a round I hit 6x 6 irons in the nets, 6x 5 woods and that loosens the body up and is generally enough to walk onto the tee. If time allows 5 minutes chipping and 5 minutes putting.

I’m not a range person I find it harder than being on the course and my shots are substantially worse. Of the people I play with a couple struggle with finding the same form on the course. My observation is that they be come anxious over shots when they think about the consequence of what a bad shot means, resulting in the inevitable trying to steer a drive or the duffs and thins around the green. I am sure they would be playing off a lower handicap if they could manage the anxiety.

My advice would be make sure that your pre-round routine isn’t long enough for you to feel tired through the last 6 holes, and if it applies to you once you are committed to a shot only focus on the shot.

 

[ScienceBoy]

This doesn't make any sense. You can't disregard your worst shots.

I get your point here but if you are not in a position to disregard your worst shots you are not in a position to take your “range game” to the course. You need to be practicing both on the course and on the range.

 

[sunshine]

Answering the OP, looks like there are 2 issues from your post:

1. Lack of Confidence. It's easy to commit to a swing on the range, because it is wide open and there are no consequences for a mis-hit. Much harder out on the course, especially if you have a card in your hand, so you don't swing as freely. This is really common, I suffer from this too. Personally, my confidence comes from knowing I can do something because I've done it before... so practice is the answer, on the course as well as the range. But this is different for everyone.

2. Lack of Concentration. Errors creeping in, especially back nine, sounds like you are struggling to maintain concentration for the whole round. 18 holes is a long time, good players are able to switch off between shots so it isn't so mentally draining. You also mention tiredness which is a major factor in concentration: are you staying properly hydrated and do you have snacks etc while you are playing? Again, 18 holes is a long time to go without food or water. Golf is very gentle level of exertion so you shouldn't be knackered midway unless maybe you went for a long run before playing?

 

[sunshine]

I get your point here but if you are not in a position to disregard your worst shots you are not in a position to take your “range game” to the course. You need to be practicing both on the course and on the range.

But your worst shots are part of your range game.

Let's say I hit 5 drivers on the range, 4 good ones and one snap hook. Taking that to the course the expectation is 20% of my drives are snap hooks into the trees and 3 off the tee!

 

[ScienceBoy]

But your worst shots are part of your range game.

Let's say I hit 5 drivers on the range, 4 good ones and one snap hook. Taking that to the course the expectation is 20% of my drives are snap hooks into the trees and 3 off the tee!

Sounds like a good assessment to begin with , but I would say 5 is a bit small of a data set. I purposefully didn’t dive into the details as its a golf forum and most can use the technique I suggested appropriately.

If your data set is to be just those 5 shots then that’s ok for formulating an appropriate gameplan, expand on it when you have more data!

 

[rudebhoy]

Answering the OP, looks like there are 2 issues from your post:

1. Lack of Confidence. It's easy to commit to a swing on the range, because it is wide open and there are no consequences for a mis-hit. Much harder out on the course, especially if you have a card in your hand, so you don't swing as freely. This is really common, I suffer from this too. Personally, my confidence comes from knowing I can do something because I've done it before... so practice is the answer, on the course as well as the range. But this is different for everyone.

this is definitely a factor. if I hit a bad shot, I obsess over it. the number of times I have been playing well, hit one bad shot, can't stop thinking about it, and things start going downhill from there.

2. Lack of Concentration. Errors creeping in, especially back nine, sounds like you are struggling to maintain concentration for the whole round. 18 holes is a long time, good players are able to switch off between shots so it isn't so mentally draining. You also mention tiredness which is a major factor in concentration: are you staying properly hydrated and do you have snacks etc while you are playing? Again, 18 holes is a long time to go without food or water. Golf is very gentle level of exertion so you shouldn't be knackered midway unless maybe you went for a long run before playing?

tiredness is not normally an issue for me, it was the first game for a month so put it down to that. I think I concentrate too much - see above - I really wish I could switch off between shots, but a bad one gnaws away at me, and I find myself trying to correct whatever went wrong, overthinking everything, and making a mess of the next shot.

I'm convinced my problems are mental rather than technical.

 

[jim8flog]

I never used to hit more balls before a game than I needed to check I was swing reasonably well and a maximum of 20 balls.

If I was still hitting it badly it was normally a one way shot so just allowed for it on the course. Sometimes you have to go with what you have got.

Save the other 30 for after round round practice.

 

[patricks148]

my mantra is don't waste all you good shots on the range, save them for the course

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Please let me take the range session tonight to the course on Sunday. Hitting it really solid and really happy where the swing is despite the lay-off. Hoping the course will dry a bit as we're carry only

 

[sunshine]

my mantra is don't waste all you good shots on the range, save them for the course

haha, I've certainly wasted all my good shots on the range before

one of the most frustrating things in golf, when you are hitting it well warming up on the range, step on to the 1st tee and then forget everything. Happened to me at Prthcawl this year

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Hit the ball OK yesterday. Not as good as at the range but having hurt my back on Saturday I'm not surprised. Didn't feel I had the club coming nicely in front of me as I had done but was ticking along nicely and only dropped points because a) I tried to be clever with a pitch and run when a pitch was the shot, b) I made a horlicks of the shortest hole on the course and c) I was pitching from a shockingly wet and muddy lie on the 9th.

Pleased that despite not swinging freely I found a way in the most part to get it round. Took one swing thought from Friday with my to the first tee and stuck with that all day. Not sure when I'll get to the range next as the back is pretty sore, not helped by old fashioned office chairs in work