Too much time at the range - A great way to hinder your game

[medwayjon]

I am going to spend very little time at the range from now on, when I go all I shall do is hit balls off the tee's as for me, the mats are completely out from now on.

Had trouble hitting my irons yesterday, was fatting quite a few shots and duffing chips, the reason? I think that where I practice at the range so much, I have got so used to hitting off of the mats that I struggle to hit a decent iron shot off the grass unless it is a very firm fairway.

I think the agenda for me now is to have plenty of practice off grass to help my iron-play along.

 

[RGuk]

I've often wondered this as someone who got from beginner-24-8 all learned at the range. Some lads at my old, old club said I'd never be any good with only range practice.....I think they were wrong, especially once I started beating them no shots!

The range mats "forgive" you a little when you hit them fat.....the ball still flies ok-ish, but not as heart-distressingly bad as off real grass. The truth for me though is that I KNOW when I've not hit it well and work around it. Don't stop the range...please...you need it for direction/drills/evaluation...just don't be soft on yourself with the strike.....demand more and be truthful with yourself.

Oh, and make sure every last damn ball off the mat with an iron a) you are getting your weight through and b) you are striking down....don't get lazy....

 

[Parmo]

I never use the range, mind you I don't play in comps either so I use my rounds as a learning curve, I do though spend sometime on the pratice green or pitching green pre round.

 

[theeaglehunter]

I have the choice at my clubs practice ground of playing off of mats or grass. I do think that if I did soley play off of the mats...which I had been doing until recently my game would certainly go a bit dodgy. I also know for a fact that the majority of the single figure golfers will never opt for the mats over the grass, even if its a soaking wet day.

On another note I am definitely a better mat player than grass so maybe i should consider giving the mats a break and playing off the grass. Good thread Jon-got me thinking.

 

[Tommo21]

I use the range quite a lot, but I never ever hit the ball off the mat. I always tee it up...very low mind you.

The range serves a limited purpose.

 

[Nico]

I can understand you thinking this way but mate you are so wrong.

The real difference with mats is twofold,they forgive fat shots and if you use them a lot can jar your arms.

A pure strike is a pure strike full stop.

The range is vital for 99% of people who mant to improve,it gives the opportunity to groove changes and fix problems.

You dont need to spend forever up there but make the most of every ball that you hit!

 

[Tommo21]

Let me put it this way………..I took a guy from my work who was slicing all over the place, on the golf course. When we went to the range he was hitting the mat with so much regularity that he couldn’t understand why his slice was cured. It was simple as the mat was turning in the face of his driver curing the slice.

I went for some tuition the other week and the first thing the pro done was take me out to the practice area, not the range. We passed the range to go to the practice area. Only then do you get a true reflection on your ball striking ability.

 

[Nico]

Sorry mate dont agree,a pure hit is still a pure hit.

You know the difference,your mate must surely have felt his club hitting the mat!!

 

[theeaglehunter]

More than the mat turning the club face, It was probably because he was hitting the matt first and this was jolting his hands and making them slide round the club, altering his grip. So he gripped the club further round and this eliminated the slice.

I can see what your getting at but don't think that it would be the actual mat that turns the club, although I accept that you may hit better off of a mat than grass on a course.

 

[MVP]

the range is good for swing changes and getting a rough idea of ball flight . its never going to be near the real thing.
the thickness of the sole of your clubs and the bounce play a big part in ball striking and obviously ball flight.

so in an ideal world grass is the best practice surface, but range mats are better than nothing!

 

[pjaz]

I'm a big believer in using the range, its certainly improved my game this last 10 months living nearer to one - try to get down at least once a week, especially now with the light nights.

I do tend to focus on my long/short game than my mid irons (especially 5/6) as I do find them the more difficlut to hit of mats, but that translates to poorer shots on the course.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I believe the range has a justifiable purpose and that is to let you coninue to practice in the Winter when practice grounds are flooded or frozen. I have just come back from my first evening practice session of the season at my club hitting purely off the turf.

Have to say the results weren't good but I worked on the fundamentals and got to where I wanted to be by the end of the session. The thing with hitting off turf is that if you are fractionally out and hit heavy, there is no safety net. The mat at the range lets the club skid and a half decent (if low flying) shot results.

I have to disagree slightly with Nico that a pure shot is a pure shot. It is easier to hit a pure shot when the ball is lying well on a mat, but you can also hit the ball purely from grass but if it is lying slightly poorly the result will be significantly different. By playing off mats it can also lead to a slight distorting of yardages if you hit every shot from a perfect lie as opposed to the variable ones found from grass.

If I was to use the range for anything during the Summer months it is to work on any swing changes from a lesson with my pro where you can stand and hit 70-100 balls without the worry of having to pick them up.

 

[Nico]

Homer,my belief is that it is harder to hit it "pure" from the mat as you get a very "tight" lie.

I find it easier to play from the fairway (dont see it much tho).

 

[Tommo21]

Nico, no one is arguing about a pure strike. The guy, a beginner, was aware he was hitting the mat but he didn’t know how the slice went away when he hit the mat. The next time any of you are down the range try bouncing a driver off the mat and see what happens.

I personally don’t hit off the mat, it’s not so wrong as you say, it’s my preference and if anyone wants to hit off the mat then fine. But I’ll tell you one thing; I don’t know a single golfer who likes playing off the mats.

I’ll agree the range is good, especially for beginners, grooving a swing change or just to keep your swing going. But if I’m so wrong give me a good reason why I should hit off the mat.

As I said above the range serves a limited purpose. It’s not a criticism it’s the way it is.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

There are more variables playing off grass (the way the grass is lying etc) so to hit the ball right out of the sweet spot in my book requires a better strike.

Not going to fall out over it with you. Just my opinion

 

[RGuk]

As I said above the range serves a limited purpose. It’s not a criticism it’s the way it is.

I simply don't get it.....why/how is a range so limited....?


"I don’t know a single golfer who likes playing off the mats."....Agreed...no-one likes it, but better to practice off a mat than not at all.


TOMO...this is NOT at you...b.t.w.
Reading through this thread, you'd think mats were the work of Satan. As for folks who can't hit the ball on the course because they are a different height on a mat in spikes.....for goodness sake.....

Just go and hit the thing......feck.....

 

[DCB]

Interesting ! I've been getting lessons recently from my club pro and one of the things he has tried to get me to do is feel that the lowest point of the clubs arc is about 1"-2" forward from the ball. That way I should be stiking down on the ball and any divot (on the grass) should be formed below the ball and continue forward from the balls position .

What has happened at the range is that I have improved my ball stiking and on the course I have taken the ball more cleanly and have managed to take a shallow divot beyond the ball.

 

[RGuk]

What has happened at the range is that I have improved my ball stiking and on the course I have taken the ball more cleanly and have managed to take a shallow divot beyond the ball.

Thankfully, some sensible comment!!! I practice endless short irons at the range....I don't know where the divot bit of my swing goes? (bends the shaft, I guess).. on the course I take a small divot (unless I've hit it fat or thin ) which has got nothing to do with the "give" (or not) of a range mat.

My preference would be for the grassy style of mat (where you can take a "virtual" divot) like at Clays or Walsall golf shops/range.

If I become Prime Minister.....I will outlaw mats without this inserted section!!

 

[RGuk]

Now, look at the stuff on the left......a bit of this type would solve all these weird ideas......hit it fat?, you'll know, take a divot?.....go for it!

 

[TonyN]

I personally dont like hitting off the mats, Dont hate it, but dont like it.

I just got back from the range. Took my wedges, picth/sand/lob
and recorded my distances with a full swing and a 3/4 swing. (idea from this months mag)

Question is, how many yards am i out with range balls, is there a rule of thumb?

Now i have a better knowledge of my distances. i Intend to do this for all of my irons and start keeping a neat book full of golf info. Does anybody else do this and if so, any ideas on things i can start making notes of to help me out on my rounds?