Tips on taking range swing to course..

[drvrwdge]

Been playing for 25 years so I probably should have figured it out by now but I’m your classic driving range touring pro. I’m not sure I ever miss a shot on the range. Lately though when I get on course, the swing abandons me. I have a super bad “hit” instinct and hard pull from the top. I sway, lost of lateral movement away and towards target, I get super steep, 2 way miss. I’m talking 40-50 yards off target. It’s obviously nerves but how to you get passed it???

 

[Zitlow]

Develop a preshot routine and waggle to preview the hand action.. Get a trigger like a forward press to help put your swing on auto pilot.

[MK7Golf21]

Nice swing, i would say start playing more than you practice on the range. On the range everything is flat and predictable, on the course you end on on side hill lies, down hill etc. Doesn’t really compare.

[chadly643]

Some food for thought...

 

Mindset. You’ve posted videos as if there is a technical or mechanical solution to your question. There isn’t. The solution to your question is in skill development. Play more rounds of golf instead of banging balls at the range. When you are at the range, instead of videoing your swing and working on technical aspects, do skill based things...different clubs, different shots, different targets. Figure out games to measure performance at the range and introduce a bit of consequence to your shots on the range. Hit 10 balls at a green and record how many of them hit the target, keep track of this and attempt to beat your best score. When you’ve hit your target 10/10, make it smaller.

 

Try “playing” a course you know really well on your range. For example, at my home course the first hole is driver/9i. There’s trouble left so I create a boundary on the range and hit the shots I would try and hit in a round. I go through all 18 holes picking targets and boundaries.

 

Adam Young’s book, “The Practice Manual” is a great read for more ideas.

 

Beat of luck,

Chad

[LeftDaddy]

Many threads about this over the years...

 

First, you are very likely “worse” at the range than you think. I used to believe essentially the same; that I never hit a bad shot at the range. But when I started “playing holes “ on the range, or measuring my results shooting at specific targets, I began to realize that I was just ignoring the bad shots because it is easy to do so when there is no consequence for missing.

 

Second, as was mentioned above, your routine at the range is very likely different than on the course. And on the course you have trouble and targets and tightness and anxiety...none of which you typically find on the range.

 

And finally, as was mentioned above, the lies on the course are very different than on the range often. In short, driving range golf and golf course golf are essentially very different sports.

 

Folks above mentioned the fixes...go through your course routine on the range, measure your results firing at targets, etc etc.

[Arthur_Vandelay]

I have the same issue with my driver but was able to improve it with my irons. Try to find some time at a course when it’s empty (usually twilight on a mediocore/crappy course) and just roam around and have range sessions on random holes. Park yourself on a par 4, hit 10+ tee shots then 10+ approach shots and repeat on another hole. The goal is to get your brain to associate that automatic range swing feeling with an actual golf course. IMO you can manipulate your range sessions all you want to mimic a round, but your brain knows when you’re on a course and when you’re not.

 

 

[b.helts]

There’s no range swing / course swing.

 

Next time you play, hit every shot “non stock”

 

I mean every single one.

[Golfjack]

Yeah, also this guy back in May was hitting off grass too. Not even the range mat excuse. But people just aren't as good as they think they are when all we hit are hundreds of balls without purpose. You want to groove a swing, maybe that'll work, but to get results, better to hit ten shots and evaluate how those ten shots did. I mean, how often do amateurs go on the range and stripe every single shot? Unless you're scratch or plus or one of those teen handicaps who hit it 300 yards, it's not happening.

[MPStrat]

Some have commented that this guy doesn’t hit it as good on the range as he thinks he does and normally I would make the same suggestion, but not in this case. I would bet the op stripes it on the range but I could see some issues with that shaft angle coming down under pressure. I could be wrong but that’s my guess.

[Moonlightgrm]

If it’s truly mental then I suggest, Bob Rotella.

 

Get his book or find his audio CDs.

 

From a physical standpoint, every swing on the range is from a level surface. Also, you are dragging balls from the pile into a very nice lie. On the golf course, this is rarely the case. Play more golf with less range sessions.

 

[Barfolomew]

helts idea of playin non stock is a good one....

 

 

Try this too.... practice on the course! When the course is empty drop a few and hit away...... it will familiarize you to the course and make you comfy there.

 

Try this too part 2...... when hitting at range aim all over the place. 1 shot way left at the bottom of net, next shot way right at something, next go middle at flag.... teaches you that you're a sniper and can hit any ball anywhere from anywhere too.... no limits.

 

We could drop one in parking lot and you could go over club house bounce it once into the pond and scare the pretty ladies standing on the bridge giggling.... ijs

 

Very nice swing by the way...

[TIM929]

> @"b.helts" said:

> There’s no range swing / course swing.

>

> Next time you play, hit every shot “non stock”

>

> I mean every single one.

 

like if I hit draws, try to hit fades?

 

[Krt22]

> @"b.helts" said:

> There’s no range swing / course swing.

>

> Next time you play, hit every shot “non stock”

>

> I mean every single one.

 

I am proof this is not true lol. There is a difference, on the range there are not really an consequences, on the course there are obviously are. Getting mechanical changes to stick and transfer from the range to the course is complicated once your subconscious starts to kick in.

[Leeaxd]

> @TIM929 said:

> > @"b.helts" said:

> > There’s no range swing / course swing.

> >

> > Next time you play, hit every shot “non stock”

> >

> > I mean every single one.

>

> like if I hit draws, try to hit fades?

>

 

I think the idea is to try to hit each shot with a purpose.

 

In regards to moving to the course, A preshot routine will help immensely. you will feel silly on the range when you go through the motions but having those triggers and then focusing solely on the next shot

[dlow206]

Somehow i generally swing better on the course than at the driving range. Once i hit a bad shot at the range i hit a million balls a minute and things just go downhill and im focused on myself. I think i relax on the course just having to walk to the ball before the next shot, and i also feel more comfortable when i see someone else hit a terrible shot.

 

Not saying im great at the course, but i can generally put the ball in play, whereas at the range i feel like im hitting hooks off the planet.

[TIM929]

> @Leeaxd said:

> > @TIM929 said:

> > > @"b.helts" said:

> > > There’s no range swing / course swing.

> > >

> > > Next time you play, hit every shot “non stock”

> > >

> > > I mean every single one.

> >

> > like if I hit draws, try to hit fades?

> >

>

> I think the idea is to try to hit each shot with a purpose.

>

> In regards to moving to the course, A preshot routine will help immensely. you will feel silly on the range when you go through the motions but having those triggers and then focusing solely on the next shot

 

@“b.helts” mentioned hit every shot “non stock”

[b.helts]

Sure. Draws, fades, high, low. What doesn’t matter. What matters is visualizing and focusing.

 

It’s easy to get in a groove on the range. Easy to visualize. You just hit one good on the range? Easy to do that again, you just visualize the one you just hit. That doesn’t work on the golf course. So really me saying hit something “non stock” is just a way to trick you into visualizing.

 

So if you have 147 to a back left pin and that’s a perfect 9 iron, hit a choked 8 iron. The specifics don’t matter much. More so just thinking about *what* you’re trying to do rather than *how*.

[b.helts]

> @Krt22 said:

> > @"b.helts" said:

> > There’s no range swing / course swing.

> >

> > Next time you play, hit every shot “non stock”

> >

> > I mean every single one.

>

> I am proof this is not true lol. There is a difference, on the range there are not really an consequences, on the course there are obviously are. Getting mechanical changes to stick and transfer from the range to the course is complicated once your subconscious starts to kick in.

 

Your swing doesn’t change between the range and course. Rhythm? Almost certainly. Tension? Sure.

 

Pedantic, true. But it’s about mindset. Telling yourself your swing on the range is good but swing on the course is not is self-defeating. You’re already behind the 8 ball with that kind of perspective.

[nitram]

> @"b.helts" said:

More so just thinking about *what* you’re trying to do rather than *how*.

 

Truer words in golf have never been spoken.

 

 

[N0rs3man]

I personally believe range vs course swing is 100% alignment. You have "same swing" except your feet from one line, and your eyes form another. These lines can be parallel or diverge. The relation ship of these lines produces your shot shape. During range time you get in a groove and these lines are the same evey swing. Once on course you all of a sudden start looking down the fairway and your eye line shifts in relation to feet. Bang, slice or draw and ob. Toy need to understand this relationship and take it to course

[Krt22]

> @"b.helts" said:

> > @Krt22 said:

> > > @"b.helts" said:

> > > There’s no range swing / course swing.

> > >

> > > Next time you play, hit every shot “non stock”

> > >

> > > I mean every single one.

> >

> > I am proof this is not true lol. There is a difference, on the range there are not really an consequences, on the course there are obviously are. Getting mechanical changes to stick and transfer from the range to the course is complicated once your subconscious starts to kick in.

>

> Your swing doesn’t change between the range and course. Rhythm? Almost certainly. Tension? Sure.

>

> Pedantic, true. But it’s about mindset. Telling yourself your swing on the range is good but swing on the course is not is self-defeating. You’re already behind the 8 ball with that kind of perspective.

 

Not at all self-defeating, just being realistic. I don't go to the range just to beat balls, I go to the range to work on the key issues with my swing. On the range it's obviously a lot easier to work on these changes and see the outcome since there are no consequences and the intent of each swing is totally different than on the course. Once you are on the course and need to hit a shot, its very easy to revert to your old bad habits since you have yet to fully ingrain the changes (and perhaps don't trust them). Factor in rhythm/tension/tempo as you have mentioned, and then the outcome can obviously vary quite a bit

[ferrispgm]

Honestly you need to leave the practicing and swing stuff on the range. Tiger had a good quote and of course i'm paraphrasing but he said part of what made him so good is he out prepared/worked everyone. He did all of his practice on the range so when he got to the course all he had to do was focus on the shot and not worry about his swing because he has already put that work in. Let me tell you from firsthand experience this works.

 

I essentially started the year with a Monte clinic and as always focused on hitting balls every weekend for a while thereafter. However, it's traditionally taken me a long time to see any improvement in my scoring and striking on the course. I decided this year that I'm going to work on the new move on every single shot on the range. For me that is hitting almost exclusively nothing by 100 yard 9 irons and maybe a few full swings here and there. When I go play, I'm not going to focus on the swing feel...just see shot hit shot and hope that whatever I've been trying to fix slowly progresses to the course. guess what...it did. after about a month of taking this approach and playing every weekend I was striping it on the course. The key is to really focus hard on the range.....there is a reason the always refer to pros "grinding it out on the range" and when you play you take all of that swing stuff out and play the shot. You need to make golf as reactionary as possible...baseball players aren't focusing on swing positions to hit a ball, neither are tennis players, basketball players, etc. Now there will be times you are over a shot and you get anxious or don't feel totally confident....then you need to step back and tell yourself to trust it or just think in your mind to make your best swing and let the results handle themselves.

 

To summarize...the next few times you play...make an effort on every shot to step up, select the shot you want to hit based on the conditions and when you get over the ball all you think about in your head is simply "trust it", "commit" or "best swing"...keep it that simple. Some say to go blank and not think about anything...however i have an active mind so for me that's difficult and I have found I need something running through my head...hence my previous statement. Once you have done this for a few rounds analyze the trend over 3 or 4 rounds and see if things are starting to improve....i bet they will.

[b.helts]

> @Krt22 said:

> > @"b.helts" said:

> > > @Krt22 said:

> > > > @"b.helts" said:

> > > > There’s no range swing / course swing.

> > > >

> > > > Next time you play, hit every shot “non stock”

> > > >

> > > > I mean every single one.

> > >

> > > I am proof this is not true lol. There is a difference, on the range there are not really an consequences, on the course there are obviously are. Getting mechanical changes to stick and transfer from the range to the course is complicated once your subconscious starts to kick in.

> >

> > Your swing doesn’t change between the range and course. Rhythm? Almost certainly. Tension? Sure.

> >

> > Pedantic, true. But it’s about mindset. Telling yourself your swing on the range is good but swing on the course is not is self-defeating. You’re already behind the 8 ball with that kind of perspective.

>

> Not at all self-defeating, just being realistic. I don't go to the range just to beat balls, I go to the range to work on the key issues with my swing. On the range it's obviously a lot easier to work on these changes and see the outcome since there are no consequences and the intent of each swing is totally different than on the course. Once you are on the course and need to hit a shot, its very easy to revert to your old bad habits since you have yet to fully ingrain the changes (and perhaps don't trust them). Factor in rhythm/tension/tempo as you have mentioned, and then the outcome can obviously vary quite a bit

 

You do you chief.

 

I’m not going to argue with you about it.

[Krt22]

> @"b.helts" said:

> > @Krt22 said:

> > > @"b.helts" said:

> > > > @Krt22 said:

> > > > > @"b.helts" said:

> > > > > There’s no range swing / course swing.

> > > > >

> > > > > Next time you play, hit every shot “non stock”

> > > > >

> > > > > I mean every single one.

> > > >

> > > > I am proof this is not true lol. There is a difference, on the range there are not really an consequences, on the course there are obviously are. Getting mechanical changes to stick and transfer from the range to the course is complicated once your subconscious starts to kick in.

> > >

> > > Your swing doesn’t change between the range and course. Rhythm? Almost certainly. Tension? Sure.

> > >

> > > Pedantic, true. But it’s about mindset. Telling yourself your swing on the range is good but swing on the course is not is self-defeating. You’re already behind the 8 ball with that kind of perspective.

> >

> > Not at all self-defeating, just being realistic. I don't go to the range just to beat balls, I go to the range to work on the key issues with my swing. On the range it's obviously a lot easier to work on these changes and see the outcome since there are no consequences and the intent of each swing is totally different than on the course. Once you are on the course and need to hit a shot, its very easy to revert to your old bad habits since you have yet to fully ingrain the changes (and perhaps don't trust them). Factor in rhythm/tension/tempo as you have mentioned, and then the outcome can obviously vary quite a bit

>

> You do you chief.

>

> I’m not going to argue with you about it.

 

Not arguing, actually very constructive debate in my opinion. The range vs course performance issue is not uncommon at all. I agree, they are not radically different swings, but understanding how/why the outcomes may vary based on the circumstance is important (at least it was for me), as I am no longer scratching my head when I hit the occasional foul ball on the course. I am revamping my practice/play routine, so I will try some new things out with your comments in mind.

[Krt22]

> @ferrispgm said:

> Honestly you need to leave the practicing and swing stuff on the range. Tiger had a good quote and of course i'm paraphrasing but he said part of what made him so good is he out prepared/worked everyone. He did all of his practice on the range so when he got to the course all he had to do was focus on the shot and not worry about his swing because he has already put that work in. Let me tell you from firsthand experience this works.

>

 

This is the one that is tough for me. On here you will here the "play more golf, dont play golf swing". But if you are in the process of making mechanical changes, how do you strike that balance? When I just play, I tend to fall back into old habits since trying new things on the course is tough. I also cannot see myself taking a month off of playing and working solely on mechanics, as all other aspects of the game will suffer

[ferrispgm]

> @Krt22 said:

> > @ferrispgm said:

> > Honestly you need to leave the practicing and swing stuff on the range. Tiger had a good quote and of course i'm paraphrasing but he said part of what made him so good is he out prepared/worked everyone. He did all of his practice on the range so when he got to the course all he had to do was focus on the shot and not worry about his swing because he has already put that work in. Let me tell you from firsthand experience this works.

> >

>

> This is the one that is tough for me. On here you will here the "play more golf, dont play golf swing". But if you are in the process of making mechanical changes, how do you strike that balance? When I just play, I tend to fall back into old habits since trying new things on the course is tough. I also cannot see myself taking a month off of playing and working solely on mechanics, as all other aspects of the game will suffer

 

I understand what you are saying....but you will revert to your old swing sometimes on the course...just means you need more reps in practice. Pros hit balls for hours a day and it takes them month to change something in their swing....When you have limited time you need to be very focused on what you are trying to correct. You don't need to take a month off...take a week off and really focus on the feeling you are trying have when practicing. Maybe play a round or two but treat the round like you would treat the driving range...hit a ball or two using the feel and just play normal around the green, etc. But when you are playing for score...you can't be focused on the change...it will be disaster.

[tthomasgolfer605]

Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus were similar in their practice routines except Tiger spent more time on the range. He played 9 holes in the morning and in afternoon as well. He didn't just 'grind' it out on the range for hours on end without testing it on the course the same day. He also was competing during those changes. Jack Nicklaus spent minimal time on the range, maybe 45 mins because focusing longer than that is difficult. He would then play 18 in the morning, go have lunch. Get a quick look from Jack Grout and go and play 18 more. Another thing I don't believe is ingraining anything through more reps unless you can visualize actual golf holes and practice accordingly. You have a good swing. It's a little steep but look at Phil. He's way steeper than you are. If you get to a nice place at P6 I wouldn't change much. Go practice a little then test it immediately on the course. The only way to lower your scores is by playing golf and developing a solid short game.

 

 

[ferrispgm]

> @tthomasgolfer605 said:

> Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus were similar in their practice routines except Tiger spent more time on the range. He played 9 holes in the morning and in afternoon as well. He didn't just 'grind' it out on the range for hours on end without testing it on the course the same day. He also was competing during those changes. Jack Nicklaus spent minimal time on the range, maybe 45 mins because focusing longer than that is difficult. He would then play 18 in the morning, go have lunch. Get a quick look from Jack Grout and go and play 18 more. Another thing I don't believe is ingraining anything through more reps unless you can visualize actual golf holes and practice accordingly. You have a good swing. It's a little steep but look at Phil. He's way steeper than you are. If you get to a nice place at P6 I wouldn't change much. Go practice a little then test it immediately on the course. The only way to lower your scores is by playing golf and developing a solid short game.

>

>

A. hitting the ball better is the quickest way to lower scores unless you literally chunk or skull every pitch/chip.

B. You do need to test it on the course which I said....but it takes time to get a feel for a new move...especially in a full swing on the golf course. If you can't ingrain anything with more reps then one could extrapolate that out and say 99.9% of all tour players are wrong. I may not win much on my trips to vegas but I think I'll follow what a vast majority of proven players do over a select few...regardless of how good those few are.

 

[Man_O_War]

play more till anxiety goes away. Also watch out for swings that are totally different from the ones you do at the range. You can go through nice fundamentals at the range..even correct but resort to poor everything on the course if that's your default swing. Persevere. Again. play more. Even if it is a few holes. 3-5 holes daily. I tend to start the year with a lot of range time and struggle to take it to the course...then i stop going to the range all together and just play once i get to some level of finding my swing. It's the best way. Pros do this. they will hit balls for hours practicing one thing or the other, then play 2-3 holes so long as they are maintain their swings. If not, back to the range.

[Wesquire]

It looks like you might be cupping your lead wrist in transition. That would steepen the shaft and probably makes squaring the face less consistent. That could be magnified on the course.