Anyone else hate driving ranges?

[GGTTH]

Prior to tonight, I hadn’t visited a driving range for a practice session since about late March apart from the odd warm up balls prior to a round.

 

From April onwards, I got better at golf, purely because I played. The last two years I’ve been on a plateau sitting at a 16 index, not this year. My handicaps dropped from 16 to 11 this year, my biggest ever drop. My scores have been averaging lower, including a new personal best 4/5 times. My heads in a good spot with golf, for once.

Obviously weather sucks and dark nights are here, so trundled up to the range tonight. Had a plan to work on wedges and get some distances dialled in. Shanks appeared a few times, hosel rocketing into the darkness. Hit it off the toe, heel, high on the face, low on the face, I’d never do that on the course, I know that for a fact these days.

Even thinking back over the last few winters, when i practiced properly on the range over winter I never did get better after that. I’ve always got better just by playing the game on the grass.

 

 

Anyone else hate driving ranges?

[caniac6]

Nope

[andrelo]

I love hitting the range, maybe you had some sort of mental block? Cant say I've ever had a problem hitting worse on the range than the course. 

 

Are you hitting off of a mat at the range?? I guess that would change things, I cant stand hitting off of mats and generally hit worse off mats. 

Edited September 26, 2024 by andrelo

[raj34]

I love hitting balls. I love practicing. But as a serial tinkerer I typically don't make any durable positive progress.

 

I only improve at golf when I play a lot of golf.

[klebs01]

Yes. I grew up with a pass for a local muni, but range balls were extra. Didn’t use the range much and when I did it hurt my game because it was aligned all wrong. I may hit 10-15 balls to warm up before a round, mostly wedges, but that’s about it. If I do more it’s generally going to hurt more than help. I’m sure if I put a full season into building my body to hit 1000 balls a day and work regularly with a coach I could improve with range time. But that’s a big gulf between those two scenarios. 

[SNIPERBBB]

I hate going to ranges that only have mats and the grass section is 4" tall 

[GoGoErky]

Nope, love a good range session.

 

i had a stretch where I shot lower scores just playing more, but I reached a plateau. Lessons and practice helped break through that and really dropped my handicap 

Edited September 26, 2024 by GoGoErky

[Christen_The_Sloop]

If you don't like the range and you think it doesn't improve your game, it will not improve your game and you won't like it.

 

I like the range, when I go it usually keeps my game in good shape and I can apply what I've worked on there to my game on the course. I don't have much time to play or practice, so I keep really focused there - helps the range I go to has Top Tracer, so I can see progress. It doesn't matter that there are mats. My focus is the same.

[golferdude54]

No offense but your timing of your swing is getting better on the course, not your swing itself. The misses you say you hit on the range will inevitably pop up on the course as well, it's just a matter of when.

[Orchardist]

1 hour ago, SNIPERBBB said:

I hate going to ranges that only have mats and the grass section is 4" tall 

How else do you get a feel for the first or second cut rough? 

[Valtiel]

6 minutes ago, golferdude54 said:

No offense but your timing of your swing is getting better on the course, not your swing itself. The misses you say you hit on the range will inevitably pop up on the course as well, it's just a matter of when.

Agreed. The best thing we can do as golfers is to be almost nihilistically practical about stuff like this. It's a ball that you hit with a stick....if you shanked it then it's because your swing (and it's flaws) can produce shanks. If you're hitting it all over the face then same reason. Unfamiliar conditions, like range mats, can exacerbate this if they change anything about your swing....but if unfamiliar conditions change your swing then your swing is fragile and *that* is what needs to be worked on. 

Now practically speaking if that doesn't sound fun or interesting and you'd rather stick to the areas that you're comfortable with to enjoy the game then by all means do that. Just don't go down the path of starting to demonize other things for poor performance when all the range is doing in this case is exposing issues that, for one reason or another, are less prominent in the course. They ARE in there though, as they are for literally any player, so don't rule out the range in case you need it in the future. 

[Ri_Redneck]

The range is the place to work on your consistency and mechanics. NEVER go to the range unless you have something specific to do there. If your swing is sound, you will likely benefit more from playing (OP) because you're honing your scoring skills (green reading, course management, etc. There's a time and a place for everything.

 

BT

[PJE]

I like the range. It’s fun to hit shots and try different shots. I like it almost as much as playing. 

But, mats seem to mask indifferent iron strikes. Grass ranges are so much nicer than hitting off of mats but grass ranges are hard to find at public courses. 
I agree though that frequent play is a great way to improve. 

Edited September 27, 2024 by PJE

[iNeedMoreGolf]

I to do not like typical fun house type ranges with regular hard green mats. If your beginner or just dont care knock yourself out... but if your a golfer that serious about simulating anything that will happen on course.. go to a grass range. I too have not used a range for practice in about 5 years other then testing a new club out. I dont practice and dont need too. I know what im doing and im happy with my game. The best way to get better is to play and learn from mistakes and dont repeat it. Hit different shots use imagination. Practice putting and chipping. Full shots will be there if your a ok ball striker even. Its the short game that counts. I also hate top golf. Overrated and expensive.

[SNIPERBBB]

4 hours ago, Orchardist said:

How else do you get a feel for the first or second cut rough? 

Get enough practice with that on the course lol 

[GGTTH]

8 hours ago, andrelo said:

I love hitting the range, maybe you had some sort of mental block? Cant say I've ever had a problem hitting worse on the range than the course. 

 

Are you hitting off of a mat at the range?? I guess that would change things, I cant stand hitting off of mats and generally hit worse off mats. 

Yeah the driving ranges here are all mats, we don’t really have grass driving ranges in Scotland

[st1800e]

15 hours ago, GGTTH said:

Anyone else hate driving ranges?

No, I don’t hate them , I just don’t go to them specifically to practice. Regularly warm up though, maybe 10 balls. 
 

In fact I don’t hate anything.  

[virtuoso]

This golfwrx place is infested with range rats.

[MK7Golf21]

Know two guys that hit it like crap on the range so they don’t go, only play rounds of golf. When they play for money on the course they hit it better as well. 

[gripandrip]

I enjoy the range. But as others have said, you need to have something specific you are working on. I have no problem with mats, although like everyone else I prefer grass. But for the things that I am usually working on, it has little effect.

[Orchardist]

Damn it can be an interesting place to observe sometimes, I’ll give it that.

[RSinSG]

If I don’t practice my game turns to crap. 

[jas904]

Other than working on a specific swing move, I don’t see the point of the driving range. For me there’s no value in hitting a ball to a target in a field with no consequence. Should you not pull off a shot, there’s a bucket full of second chances on the ground next to you. 
 

I remember when I first joined my club years ago and thought that unlimited driving range balls would be the greatest thing ever. Half way through a bucket I would get bored and would see a relatively empty golf course. I would tell myself, screw it I’m going to play a few holes. 
 

I only use the driving range for pre-round warmups, which sometimes is three SW, three 8i, and three drivers. I spend more time stretching to get my body moving than hitting range balls. 

[NoTalentLefty]

17 hours ago, GGTTH said:

Prior to tonight, I hadn’t visited a driving range for a practice session since about late March apart from the odd warm up balls prior to a round.

 

From April onwards, I got better at golf, purely because I played. The last two years I’ve been on a plateau sitting at a 16 index, not this year. My handicaps dropped from 16 to 11 this year, my biggest ever drop. My scores have been averaging lower, including a new personal best 4/5 times. My heads in a good spot with golf, for once.

Obviously weather sucks and dark nights are here, so trundled up to the range tonight. Had a plan to work on wedges and get some distances dialled in. Shanks appeared a few times, hosel rocketing into the darkness. Hit it off the toe, heel, high on the face, low on the face, I’d never do that on the course, I know that for a fact these days.

Even thinking back over the last few winters, when i practiced properly on the range over winter I never did get better after that. I’ve always got better just by playing the game on the grass.

 

 

Anyone else hate driving ranges?

I hates them too! Maybe I’m a little self conscious when there , but the ranges near me are not the best setups. Can’t focus with what I’m working on and the worst part is I’m old! 

[ballzo]

Not for me, range rat here. Its got to be the right one though and sometimes I'd drive an hour to get to one. I'm not driving an hour to hit off mats and no short game area.

I'm 80% range time to 20% play.

Edited September 27, 2024 by ballzo

[mat562]

Not ranges per se, but I refuse to hit off mats. Hate them.

[MattM97]

I enjoy the range, it can be very relaxing and calming when you go at the right time. But as a lefty if it's semi busy it sucks cause I have to go to a corner of the range, usually with the worst grass, usually on a slope, or I have to ask someone to move so I don't whack shafts and break a club or someone's head with my club on accident. But honestly I usually just go to a simulator, cause it's closer, cheaper, easier. 

[vandyfan]

A world without any driving ranges would be much worse. Somedays on the range are better than days on the course but I just really enjoy practicing, especially if I am striking it well. The feel, the sound of a crisp golf shot is what I really enjoy and you get a lot more chances to do that on a range than in a standard round of golf. 

[ballzo]

2 hours ago, jas904 said:

Other than working on a specific swing move, I don’t see the point of the driving range. For me there’s no value in hitting a ball to a target in a field with no consequence. Should you not pull off a shot, there’s a bucket full of second chances on the ground next to you. 
 

I remember when I first joined my club years ago and thought that unlimited driving range balls would be the greatest thing ever. Half way through a bucket I would get bored and would see a relatively empty golf course. I would tell myself, screw it I’m going to play a few holes. 
 

I only use the driving range for pre-round warmups, which sometimes is three SW, three 8i, and three drivers. I spend more time stretching to get my body moving than hitting range balls. 

Driving range only membership to me is be-all-end-all. Wish more clubs offered it. I could hit balls all day long on a grass range.

[HGLucky13]

I enjoy the driving range almost as much as I enjoy playing golf. It is super relaxing for me to set up and work on my swing. I get alot of enjoyment when shots are working well. If for some reason I couldn't play a round of golf ever again I would still go the range. It 100% has to be a grass range though. I won't hit my irons off of mats. if I get stuck at a course that only has mats I will only warm up with my driver/woods.  

Edited September 27, 2024 by HGLucky13