Who hits the practice ground before playing - and for how long?

[Craigg]

I guess I'm a little odd in this respect. When I played regular competitions I would be on the range around 3 hours before. Hit a bucket of 50 with an eight iron, nothing else. Then would go home for something to eat, get the bag ready, then straight onto the tee, no practice shots. I found practicing just before used to clog the mind up with swing thoughts.

 

[Chrisb83]

Most my rounds are squeezed in so not much time to practice which reflects in my scores. However today I went to the range at lunch time and hit 50 balls, they went all over the place shanks, hooks,duffs you name it probably about 8 good ones in total.

Anyway got to the course after work and proceeded to play my best round yet, was striking everything well with a little draw. Nearly broke 100 but for a blow up on the last with a 7 when I'd hit a tee shot and had about 90 yards to go :-S

So don't know if the practice has helped me or not what I do know is I need to practice my putting which I find hard with not been a member so don't have access to putting greens

 

[garyinderry]

In an ideal world I would chip for 10 mins, putt for 5 then hit a few drives.


Usually its chip for 5 and a putt if I have time.


I usually just go on the putting green to see how firm the greens are and if they are slow or quick.

 

[Slab]

Prefer to get a warm up done for 15 minutes but not as dependent on it as I used to be (when I'd talk myself into a bad score if I didn't get time to do a warm up)

I think I get the most out of a couple of minutes on checking pace of greens and same on chipping action with a few full club swings/practice balls on the range just to loosen up

 

[3565]

Hour and 3 quarters.
50 mins on the range, stretches, warm up, hit half wedges , full wedges, then 7i, 4i, Driver then back to wedges, go pick balls up. Not bothered about direction or accuracy, I'm just getting swinging, then pick balls up then head to do chipping for 20-25min, then remaining time is speed putting to fringes then hole out 3 footers in a circle going anti clockwise. Both these drills are with one ball only.

 

[Lambchops]

I have a 45 min drive to the course so its usually a pint, bacon butty, a bucket of balls on the range then I'm ready

 

[Spear-Chucker]

Never. Time limits me to 20 mins putting and chipping with a few knocks into the net. Should get up earlier but it never happens. Always seem to get talking to someone beforehand as well...

 

[Albanach]

Bounce game - no warm up just a few practice swings.
Weekend competition - I'll try to get a small bucket of balls in and a few chips in and a few putts.
Midweek match - see bounce game above as time and daylight won't allow warm up.

 

[FairwayDodger]

I always do, if time permits. Ideally I get there an hour before teeing off. I start by hitting a few balls to loosen off, not too worried about how they go. Then I get more serious and try to find the swing. I want to build up a bit of confidence before starting and especially want to see a few fully committed drives heading in their intended direction. Then want to hit some chips to get the feel for the more delicate shots and finally some time on the putting green to gauge the pace of the greens and build confidence of holing out.

After work rounds usually see me jumping straight out of the car onto the first tee and it usually takes me a bit longer to feel I'm hitting the ball confidently.

 

[wuuki456]

Ideally hit about 15 balls taking time over each one. A little bit of chipping then some time on the practice putting green.
Reality is pull into car park with seconds to spare, pay my fees then hit my first drive and see what happens.
I've just realised I've never warmed up for a single comp this year and I've played in more than ever.

 

[Snelly]

Never. I should do though, especially given the infrequency of my games. I always have a poor front nine relative to the back nine as it takes a little while to remember what to do, most notably around tempo.

Not sure that whacking a few balls would actually do the trick though. If I play two days in a row then on the second day, I invariably play really well with no warm up so I am not sure it would assist if I did go to the range if I think about it.

 

[Stuey01]

Turn up, shoes on, walk briskly to first tee, few swishes with a 4 iron as that is the club I hit off the 1st and away we go.
I wish I had the time for a proper warm up.
If we had a range I would hit a bucket before a game but I'm not going to hit my own balls then have to go pick them up again before going out, too much faff.

 

[luke123]

My problem with practicing before a games is im a pro on the range and on course im a hacker with a driver.

Stick to getting my rythum with chipping and putting on the practise area now before a games and this has become my strong point on course

 

[Fyldewhite]

I bring out whatever swing is there on the day, if it's a bad one then I'll probably play crap. Don't see the point of practicing it beforehand......I like the suspense! I do generally have 2/3 minutes putting but it's a couple of swishes on the first tee for me nearly every game I play.

 

[User 105]

I tend not go to the range if it's a quick round after work otherwise I won't have time to get 18 holes in. Sometimes I might play 9 then go to the range afterwards and work on something.

On Sunday mornings I'll have about 20-30 mins, just hit about 25 balls just to loosen up and see what kind of shape I'm hitting then spend 5 mins having a quick chip and putt.

 

[cookelad]

Used to spend a lot of time on the practice ground when I was up North and had a practice ground the size of two par 5s running parallel to each other. Now all I have 3 practice nets to make use of it doesn't seem worth it!

 

[gdunc79]

Does anyone elses practice putting green bear absolutely no resemblance to the greens out on the course? Always a task in itself to not 3 putt the 1st after leaving the lightning fast practice green behind to reach the slow as treacle (in comparison) 1st green!!

I went to range for 30 mins before medal on Sat for first time. NR'd after 12. Go figure.

 

[BoadieBroadus]

wish i made the time for a proper warm up. sadly my only warm up is generally a light jog from the car to the first tee...

 

[User 105]

Does anyone elses practice putting green bear absolutely no resemblance to the greens out on the course? Always a task in itself to not 3 putt the 1st after leaving the lightning fast practice green behind to reach the slow as treacle (in comparison) 1st green!!

I went to range for 30 mins before medal on Sat for first time. NR'd after 12. Go figure.

Yeah we've had this a bit as they have been doing a lot of work on the greens due to deep thatch over the past 18 months. Even some of greens have been running a wildly different speeds which can really get in your head after a while.

But they're starting to recover again. I think next year they should be back up to scratch. Hopefully

 

[Fish]

Arrive an hour before a comp, hit some irons in the net, then chipping, then putting, then once the group in front walks off, swing the driver a few times.

Don't like rushing.