Translating Range Performance onto the Course

[Stu]

So I went to the driving range yesterday for the first time this year. I did much better than I expected, hitting almost everything straight, getting nice height and distance on my shots, etc. It took me about 2 swings to get into my rhythm.

However, it seems like I can always do this at the range but as soon as I get out onto the course I start topping the ball, slicing it and playing all around lousy.

How do you guys translate your range performance onto the course? I'm probably just thinking about my swing too much when I'm on the course but I can't seem to make that transition.

[fistofrage]

Re: Translating Range Performance onto the Course

So I went to the driving range yesterday for the first time this year. I did much better than I expected, hitting almost everything straight, getting nice height and distance on my shots, etc. It took me about 2 swings to get into my rhythm.

However, it seems like I can always do this at the range but as soon as I get out onto the course I start topping the ball, slicing it and playing all around lousy.

How do you guys translate your range performance onto the course? I'm probably just thinking about my swing too much when I'm on the course but I can't seem to make that transition.

Well when you are at the range, you have to be shooting at targets. You may think you are hitting the ball straight, but you honestly can't tell the results unless there are targets out there.

Also, you are hitting off the same lie at the range. On the course, even the shots from out of the fairway will vary quite a bit from shot to shot.

When I go to the range, after I warm up byy hitting 5 drives in a row, 5 4 irons and 5 7 irons, I try to play a simulated round. For example, I will say its a 400 yard straight away hole. If I drive the ball around 250, I'll pull out an 8 iron and try to hit a target 150 away. Next hole 180 yard par 3, so I hit a 5 iron off of a tee and so on.

After your warm up, Don't hit the same club consecutively because you will get into a groove, but you will never do that on the course..

[Stu]

Re: Translating Range Performance onto the Course

I usually use the distance signs down the middle as targets, rather than just swinging away. I'm definitely going to try playing a simulated round though. That makes a lot of sense since you never hit the same club twice in a row on the course.

[therizing02]

Re: Translating Range Performance onto the Course

Well when you are at the range, you have to be shooting at targets. You may think you are hitting the ball straight, but you honestly can't tell the results unless there are targets out there.

Also, you are hitting off the same lie at the range. On the course, even the shots from out of the fairway will vary quite a bit from shot to shot.

When I go to the range, after I warm up byy hitting 5 drives in a row, 5 4 irons and 5 7 irons, I try to play a simulated round. For example, I will say its a 400 yard straight away hole. If I drive the ball around 250, I'll pull out an 8 iron and try to hit a target 150 away. Next hole 180 yard par 3, so I hit a 5 iron off of a tee and so on.

After your warm up, Don't hit the same club consecutively because you will get into a groove, but you will never do that on the course..

Very interesting. I shall try this the next time I go to the range.

My normal practice routine is to hit every club in the bag starting with the sand wedge. The reason I do this is to try to find the exact distance I'll a club with equal conditions.

If I practice with any club more than the others it's the sand wedge and the pitching wedge and aim at targets from 50 yards to 120yds. IMO those are the toughest and most important shots in the game outside of the putter.

[jdros13]

Re: Translating Range Performance onto the Course

Well when you are at the range, you have to be shooting at targets. You may think you are hitting the ball straight, but you honestly can't tell the results unless there are targets out there.

Also, you are hitting off the same lie at the range. On the course, even the shots from out of the fairway will vary quite a bit from shot to shot.

When I go to the range, after I warm up byy hitting 5 drives in a row, 5 4 irons and 5 7 irons, I try to play a simulated round. For example, I will say its a 400 yard straight away hole. If I drive the ball around 250, I'll pull out an 8 iron and try to hit a target 150 away. Next hole 180 yard par 3, so I hit a 5 iron off of a tee and so on.

After your warm up, Don't hit the same club consecutively because you will get into a groove, but you will never do that on the course..

I was having trouble getting off to good starts in my rounds about 10 years ago...seemed to always be scrambling for par or bogey on the first couple of holes. Someone gave me the tip to play the first 3-6 holes on the range right before I went to the tee, taking a minute or so between swings to start simulating playing on the course. Best advice I ever got, because it definitely puts you in a scoring mentality, rather than just a 'hit balls' mentality.

And always make sure, even if you are just practicing, that you don't just sit there and rake balls and hit. Go through your routine between shots, make sure you have a target, and focus on hitting a good golf shot. You will get much more out of your practice that way (and actually practice, rather than just 'hit balls')

[sroz39]

Re: Translating Range Performance onto the Course

Well when you are at the range, you have to be shooting at targets. You may think you are hitting the ball straight, but you honestly can't tell the results unless there are targets out there.

Also, you are hitting off the same lie at the range. On the course, even the shots from out of the fairway will vary quite a bit from shot to shot.

When I go to the range, after I warm up byy hitting 5 drives in a row, 5 4 irons and 5 7 irons, I try to play a simulated round. For example, I will say its a 400 yard straight away hole. If I drive the ball around 250, I'll pull out an 8 iron and try to hit a target 150 away. Next hole 180 yard par 3, so I hit a 5 iron off of a tee and so on.

After your warm up, Don't hit the same club consecutively because you will get into a groove, but you will never do that on the course..

Ahhh yes, Ranger Rick syndrome. Gets the best of us. Definitely some good tips, but I would even recommend something else.

Three years ago, I was about a 20 handicap. I used to go to the range a few times a week. It wasn't the time spent that was the problem, it was how I was using my time. When I watch people go to the range now, I remember how I used to "practice" back when I was a 20 handicapper.

I dropped down to an 8 handicap in one summer after completely revamping how I practice. The quickest way to lower scores is...to improve your putting. That will come in play in the practice routine I outline.

For a warmup, you have to stretch first and foremost. Tight muscles become fatigued quicker and then there's the injury potential. After a good warmup, I start with my sand wedge and hit 5-7 balls. I move up to my seven iron and do the same, then my four iron and then the driver. For the purpose of practice, it is alot better to start with a short swing club and gradually move up to the longer swings. If you start with a longer swing, you run the risk of picking up some bad habits right off the bat that are difficult to shake as you go to a shorter swing.

After you are fully warmed up, envision a golf course you play often or one you know off the PGA Tour and play a make believe 18 holes. Hit the clubs you would need to hit, but take it seriously. After a shot, pick the club you will need for your next shot and line yourself up like you would out on the course, for me that's from behind the ball, spotting a target a couple of feet in front of the ball as my guide to where I should line up.

If you have to, get another bucket of balls to get through the 18 holes. Once you're done, a good rule of thumb I picked up from Golf Digest is whatever time you spent hitting balls you should spend an equal time on your putting/chipping. Before I started doing this, I always thought if I hit more fairways and greens, my scores would drop significantly. To some extent, this is true.

However, when I started looking back at my scorecards from before and after my drop in handicap, I noticed that I was hitting roughly the same amount of fairways and greens as before, but was putting alot less and getting up and down alot more. On some of my career rounds, I was also hitting more fairways and greens, but the initial dramatic drop in my scores was directly attributable to my play on and around the green.

One other small note: It's alot easier to go out to a range and pick targets and get close to them, because on a range there's no hazards to worry about so your swings will be stress free. One of the first things that happens to people out on the course after a good range session is they start seeing all these trees, bunkers, water, rough etc. and they tighten up. The nice loose swing they had on the range has become an abbreviated swing with tense alligator arms. No extension in your arms results in topping the ball etc.

[Stu]

Re: Translating Range Performance onto the Course

Great tips guys. Thanks a lot. I'm definitely going to try playing some simulated rounds. Unfortunately the closest range to me doesn't have a chipping/putting area, but there's one a little further that I can hit on the weekends.

My putting is actually pretty solid but chipping is one of the weakest parts of my game. I never really learned how to do it properly (and probably still haven't) but I have a few lessons leftover from my birthday and will be sure to ask my instructor to work on it.

[Herbsinator]

Re: Translating Range Performance onto the Course

This could go for any sport but when you practice you should set a few specific goals before you practice and keep on practicing those goals till you achieve those goals. So don't just practice out there with the goal of hitting for an hour and quiting....have real goals...it will help you put pressure on yourself like you do in a round.

[sroz39]

Re: Translating Range Performance onto the Course

This could go for any sport but when you practice you should set a few specific goals before you practice and keep on practicing those goals till you achieve those goals. So don't just practice out there with the goal of hitting for an hour and quiting....have real goals...it will help you put pressure on yourself like you do in a round.

What's funny is that I can appreciate the length of time it takes a guy like Tiger to have swing changes "click". I remember I went through a couple myself and the first ones, I was shooting in the 100's, got a little worse for a bit, then started shooting in the 90's. Went with that for a bit, plateaud, made some changes, went back to shooting in the 100's, the changes clicked and started shhoting in the 80's.

Moral of the story: Don't expect earth-shattering results instantly and stay patient. Anything that changes something right away is probably good for a few rounds and then you're looking for the next hot tip. Anything worthwhile will take you alot of practice, but when it clicks, it gets stored in your muscle memory and you're in the clear.

[Stu]

Re: Translating Range Performance onto the Course

I played my first round of the year yesterday. I shot a 112 on a par 72 course. That isn't terrible for me, but it isn't very good either. The conditions were very wet since it rained all week up here which made anything off the fairways very difficult. My short game needs some serious work. I must have chipped over the green on at least 6 holes. I think I could easily knock 10 shots off my score just by learning how to chip properly and practicing my putting more.

I tried practicing with your suggestions and it seemed to help. I only topped the ball once and had some very good iron shots. I still have problems with the longer clubs (3 iron, woods, etc) but I'm definitely getting better.

[sroz39]

Re: Translating Range Performance onto the Course

I played my first round of the year yesterday. I shot a 112 on a par 72 course. That isn't terrible for me, but it isn't very good either. The conditions were very wet since it rained all week up here which made anything off the fairways very difficult. My short game needs some serious work. I must have chipped over the green on at least 6 holes. I think I could easily knock 10 shots off my score just by learning how to chip properly and practicing my putting more.

I tried practicing with your suggestions and it seemed to help. I only topped the ball once and had some very good iron shots. I still have problems with the longer clubs (3 iron, woods, etc) but I'm definitely getting better.

If you'd like a couple of pointers to get your game to the next level, PM me/ I'd be more than happy to give you some things to work on that worked for me a few years back.

[Hack22]

Re: Translating Range Performance onto the Course

Last week was my 3rd time i ever played golf and i shot a 111. The week before i shot 118 so i did better. If i could get my putting game better i would prolly lower that alot more. Also i sometimes have trouble using irons. I hit it and it bounces right ahead of me

[sroz39]

Re: Translating Range Performance onto the Course

Last week was my 3rd time i ever played golf and i shot a 111. The week before i shot 118 so i did better. If i could get my putting game better i would prolly lower that alot more. Also i sometimes have trouble using irons. I hit it and it bounces right ahead of me

Putting is key for ANYONE'S game whether you're a double-digit handicap or a scratch golfer. When I went from shooting in the mid-80's to the low 80's/high 70's, the biggest difference was my putting.

Unfortunately, the ONLY way to get better at putting is to practise it. You may get on a roll here and there and feel good about it, but to develop a consistent feel for it, practise is the only way. Speed is actually more important than line and practising putts from different distances will give you a better feel for those distances during your round.

It sounds like your iron play is a simple case of staying on the same "level". What I mean by that is that there is probably too much vertical movement in your body. I'm sure when you've topped the ball, every now and then somebody will tell you to keep your head down. That's only partly correct. You don't neccessarily have to keep your eye on the ball the whole time. Annika Sorenstam has already turned her head when she makes contact and is looking forward.

The key though is to keep your head steady, at the same height. This will keep your body steady vertically and will result in more consistent contact. If you have the urge to move up and down in your swing, translate that to lateral movement. Instead of lifting your body up and inch or two, move your body back an inch or two and then move back forward that distance on your downswing. You'll start to make better contact because your hands will be ahead of the ball at contact, which produces more consistent ball striking.

Try it at the range...

[Herbsinator]

Re: Translating Range Performance onto the Course

I think the key to putting, in my opinion, is consistency. Try to develop a real routine with your putting and I think you will see your putting improve greatly. This is my routine:
Mark my ball
Clean the ball
Line up my putt
2 practice strokes
Line up to the ball
2 looks to the hole
Fire

Really, putting is all about making a repeatable stroke that you can count on. A better way to do that is to use a routine. It especially helps to have a consistent routine under pressure packed situations.

[JRod]

Re: Translating Range Performance onto the Course

Here's a stat for putting... (I heard this from author John Feinstein, Golf Writer on a talkshow program)

How many putts did Tiger miss last inside of 5 feet?

If your answer was NONE you would write. For high handicappers, you can shave 10 or more strokes if you work on just your putting a chipping.

When I was a 4 handicap, I was incredible inside 5 feet. Not Tiger good but I wasn't all that good from tee to green. I would maybe hit 8-12 greens a round but end up shooting a 72-78 (par 70 at the home course). I would get up and down from anywhere. I remember when I played in the State Championship and on the back nine in the final round, I maybe hit 2 greens. I was just having a terrible day with my irons. Yet, I finished 4 over par for the entire round. The guys playing with me were getting pissed but I would be off in lala land, yet when the guy with my card asked for my score, it would be "par". Geez they were pissed.

Here's a little training tip I do. Get three balls and three tees. Put the first tee in the ground about a putter's length from the practice up. Or you could do this in your house with a quarter or silver dollar as the cup. You are really just trying to get muscle memory. Place the next two tees a putter length away from each other. So right now you will have about a 3 ft, 6ft and 9ft putts. Start with your 3 balls at the 3 ft line. Your goal is to putt all 9 balls into the cup. No mulligans. If you miss you start over.