The range - bad for your game?

[sawtooth]

I had a couple of hrs spare today so headed for a quick range session. I came away wishing that I hadnt.

Beforehand I felt really good about my game and now I'm quite worried about the next round because my confidence has taken a hit.

Also reading the article on Paul McGinley in this months mag I wonder if I should just pack up going down the range. I think it may do more harm than good.

We've got a new chipping area at our place so I will just use that from now on.

 

[Lump]

I avoid like the plague. I personally gain nothing from hitting balls down range (Other than in winter when its good for keeping the driver and wedges going).
Much prefer heading upto our practice range and hitting off grass at a proper target

 

[macca64]

had a lesson last week,got to try and groove it down the range,can't see the course for doing such things,

 

[Bazz]

Can't stand going to the range. The balls are terrible and make my hands hurt....that could be my swing though

 

[ScienceBoy]

Its the only golf I am certain of at the moment, I hit about 200 balls a week. I love making up games to play and beating records.

I have had some mares but also some sessions that leave me wanting to run to the nearest first tee.

I do agree its not for everyone, if you have a course to go out on then why be at the range all the time? I have no choice at the moment

 

[woosey]

I use the range everyday at the moment to delveop my swing - once i'm happy with my swing again i spend 90% of the time hitting wedges (pitching distance control) and chipping, keeping the last 10% to keeping up the swing.

An important factor in the range is how many balls you hit - always hit 1 basket, never more (unless your making a lot of changes) if you think even as a 28 handicap you are supposed to go around in 100 shots, minus 2 putts on every hole leaves 64 shots - i've seen people hit 100 balls in a range session and by the end they are a wreck!

Working on the range is all about having a plan and treating each shot as if you were on the course.

 

[Imurg]

On the range mat you get a perfect lie every time, your feet are never above or below the ball and there's no consequence if you mess it up.
The range is important for trying to ingrain swing changes, but bears little resemblance to real golf.

 

[RichardC]

I can never manage to be fully concentrated at the range. I just seem to whack away until the balls have gone.

 

[Neddy]

I will say that half an hour chipping/putting 3 times a week has been far better for my game than the driving range ever has. Useful for practicing drills after lessons and letting off some steam but that's about it....

 

[connor]

i get bored as a goat down the range. It was ok over winter when i was learning a new swing but other than that i lack motivation to go

 

[Slicer30]

After a range session I tend to fat alot of my irons, except in the summer when the fairways are rock hard and you get similar impact to the range mat.

I went to the range when the course was closed due to the flooding, started off great, but gradually got worse. Left barely able to get one away.

I now practice on the par 3 course and on evenings on the bigger course. We also have a little hitting area alongside out 16th fairway. A friend of mine uses it, so gonna join him on there some evening.

 

[bozza]

I'd much rather be out on the course but the range is good if you are making swing changes or working on something as it's not ideal to be spraying balls all over the course and then having to go find them.

 

[RGDave]

The ideal place to hit balls and work on your swing is at the course, off the grass.

However, if you don't have the time/inclination/patience (to collect balls) and all the rest, the range is ideal.

Anyone who can't use a range productively should not bother.
Anyone who only practises long game is a fool.

However, as someone who started on muni's that didn't have facilities, I have to say without it I'd still be going round in 110.

 

[palindromicbob]

My local range has rock solid mats, hardly any with tees and a no driver rule. Had went for a few weeks at the start of April for some lessons and also to hit a few buckets of balls to work on my swing. The result- lesson helped my understanding of some fundamental errors but a few too many fat shots during my practice resulted in a sore elbow which has had a major negative impact on my game and has led me to thin more and more.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

THe range has its place especially for working on the game after a lesson etc and lets be honest in Winter where else can you practice and keep the swing going? I tend to use the practice ground a lot at my club at this time of year as nothing beats hitting off grass but I'm trying to play more and practice the long game less and focus any work on my game to putting and the short game

 

[Scottjd1]

Not sure if the reason for not liking the range should be 'fatting your shots'.

If you are striking the ball cleanly then the mat is not relevant.

 

[Neddy]

I have today decided that I am only going to use the range from now on to bed in a swing change after a lesson/work on something specific after a round, and I am only going to hit 50 balls maximum.

It's far too easy to just end up aimlessly hitting balls....and as i said earlier in the thread, the regular chipping/putting practice has proved FAR more useful to me in the last few weeks.

 

[DaveyG]

I agree it can do harm... if you are just aimlessly hitting balls as you can develop bad habits but at the end of the day its still practise... I was really struggling with my long irons but whilst away on work I went to a range and really took my time, I honestly think it had me hitting flush again as I really put a routine together for every shot.

Nothing beats even just 9 holes after work though...

 

[Yerman]

I enjoy the range, we have grass tees, I can play an imaginary round, so I never play the same shot twice unless I'm working on something specific, No walking and MP3 in the ears. What's not to like.

 

[Jahmoo]

Out on the course for me every time, overall game sorted. When a member at atylney, would always play the first 5 holes as practice, just suited my game, now I use the range when and if I can, time not being on my side and course is a 20 minute drive instead of Tylney being 3-5mins tops.

My game is on track and I have only played twice in the past 3-4 weeks, so happy with that, would it be better if I had managed to squeeze in a few range times, I think it would have just made me expect more out on the course, instead of just taking what came on the day, which Friday was all good for now I will enjoy the course and when and if I get more time, I might try the range.