Range Routine....share some ideas

[willamette]

With a 60-ball bucket, what is your range routine to actually hone your swing and not just hack around? Some things that I do:

 

Assuming I have an hour at the range:

 

- Swing "Swing Magic" about 10 times before I start - concentrate on correct plane and wrist release

- Hit two short irons, then Swing Magic 2 times, then a different short iron, then Swing Magic 2 times....repeat for about 20 balls, switching to longer iron then driver

- Try to never swing the same club more than 3 times in a row (unless I'm absolutely concentrating on a portion of my game).

- Use two old shafts to check my alignment, moving them to point at different targets about every 15 balls.

- With about 30 balls left, I "play" 3-4 holes including a par 5, 4, and 3. So tell myself I have a 520 yard reachable par 5, hit driver then 3 wood, maybe a short wedge, etc.

- With about 15 balls left I hit 10 wedges or so.

- With about 5 balls left I hit driver, I make myself hit two GREAT drives before I finish. When I get two in row, then I leave the rest of the balls.

 

- After this, I head over to the pitching green and pitch and chip about 20 of my shag balls.

- If I have time, on to the putting green (otherwise it's the living room rug at home).

 

- As another general rule, I try to only use about 5 clubs on the range each day - maybe 8 iron, 5 iron, gap wedge, 3-wood, and driver. Keeps the clubs cleaner, and helps me concentrate on the swing rather than what particular club I have in my hand. It also gives me confidence....my 8 iron is a big time scoring club for me, and I know I can hit it well anywhere between 140-153 yrds.

 

What do you do?

[EnglishBob]

With an 80 ball bucket I work my way through the bag from PW to Driver, hitting 4-5 balls with each usually. Then the remainder of the bucket I use for SW shots 15-50 yds, increasing the yardage every 2 balls or so.

 

Occasionnaly I'll hit the hole bucket off the Tee with the Woods, honing my slice. :russian_roulette:

[muxi87]

I couldn't imagine my practice routine being limited to 60 balls, so no help from me here...

 

as for my typical routine:

 

I hit 20-25 various length 60* shots--increasing in distance from short pitch to full shot as a warm up.

 

20-25 PW going from smooth to full swing--this finishes my warm up

 

30-50 7 iron shots (# shots depends on what I'm working on)

 

15 or so with a hybrid or 3 wood -- kinda rotating days

 

15-50 with Driver...huge variance as some days I practice iron heavy, so the hybrid/wood and driver swings are limited

 

30-50 7 iron shots

 

15 or so with Driver to finish

 

A typical day sees 2 range sessions...this is my evening session.

 

My lunch session is approx 10 shots with 60* as warm up, 50 or so 7 irons shots, 15-30 driver swings

[cdesana]

With your practice routione my mind would be fried before I hot the first ball. That is far too much effort for me before I get to the first tee.

 

My routine, depending on time of course. (At my home club)

 

Start by hitting half swing Drivers.

 

Half swing 3 Woods.

 

Half swing Rescue Club.

 

Half swing 4 - 6 - 8 - PW - LW.

 

The I move my way back up with full swings (90%, which is normal full swing for me) SW - 9 - 7 - 5 -3 Irons.

 

Full swing 3 Woods.

 

Full swing Driver.

 

Few extra shots based on what is needed on the first tee before I head to the chipping and putting green.

 

Few chips each with 7 - 9 - PW - SW - LW.

 

Couple Bunker Shots.

 

Then about a dozen putts from varied distances.

 

All of the above is based on my swing tents to get fast and steep, so by warming up with the longer clubs first I am forced to make more of a sweeping swing. This also helps my tempo once on the course.

[ezra76]

I go over in the grass area and get in range of 1 of the "mounds" with my PW and the other with my 7iron. It's cool that this is usually easy to find 1 spot where I can reach with these 2 clubs. Then I can move back for 6 and 9 and further for 5 and 8. I like to hit 2 drives, then 2 PW's, then 2 more drives, 2 9's.... the I'll do the same and mix it up with my 3W, 2 tee shots, 2 6irons.

 

I work with the swingyde afterwords off the mats. I usually put it on my GW or my 7iron. I'll swing it a dozen times, hit a couple balls, then go through the irons for a couple balls each. There is a plexiglass window to the enclosed booth in front of the stall I usually use. I can see my reflection in there and it helps to work on my swing.

[willamette]

I couldn't imagine my practice routine being limited to 60 balls, so no help from me here...

 

as for my typical routine:

 

I hit 20-25 various length 60* shots--increasing in distance from short pitch to full shot as a warm up.

 

20-25 PW going from smooth to full swing--this finishes my warm up

 

30-50 7 iron shots (# shots depends on what I'm working on)

 

15 or so with a hybrid or 3 wood -- kinda rotating days

 

15-50 with Driver...huge variance as some days I practice iron heavy, so the hybrid/wood and driver swings are limited

 

30-50 7 iron shots

 

15 or so with Driver to finish

 

A typical day sees 2 range sessions...this is my evening session.

 

My lunch session is approx 10 shots with 60* as warm up, 50 or so 7 irons shots, 15-30 driver swings

 

You must live in the world of my dreams.....hundreds of balls a day...heck, I can't imagine how often you get out on the course!

[rosskoss]

100 balls is nothing!

 

This Saturday I practised 2 large buckets (300 balls) AFTER a round of golf. Then I came back again in the evening and hit another 100 balls. So that's 300 in one day. The pros hit way more than that.

 

I could never do that before but I've been exercising and working out a lot lately focusing on improving my core strength, resistance to fatigue etc. and it's paying off.

 

Vijay hits 600+ balls a day. But he works out a LOT and is incredibly strong and built like an ox.

 

My practise is usually 40% wedges, 30% irons, 20% woods, 10% driver (if at all)

 

As far as the getting out on the course comment...I enjoy practising as much as I enjoy playing golf so it doesn't bother me.

[muxi87]

You must live in the world of my dreams.....hundreds of balls a day...heck, I can't imagine how often you get out on the course!

 

I usually play only play 36 holes or so per week...usually an 18 on the weekend + two sets of 9 OR an 18 during the week.

 

I'm a firm believer in practicing more than playing. If I blow off my practice sessions to play, by the end of the week I can tell.

 

It's funny, because when I was a little younger, I was a 'course practicer' whereas now I swear by the range!

[VanillaEps]

Right now my range agenda consists mainly of accuracy, distance, and practicing anything I may have learned in a recent lesson. Since I started playing just two months ago, I focus mainly on my short to mid irons. Mostly 9, 8, 7 and 6 irons along with the wedges. The last 10-15 balls are hit with my 3-wood. I cannot hit my driver yet so maybe I'll try and hack 2-3 balls with it and see where it is. Still can't hit it consistently. Lots of pop ups and major slices. The rest of the balls are spent on the wedges. Trying to learn how to lob the ball and mastering the 7, 9, and 11 o'clock swings.

 

For accuracy, my main focus is on ensuring that I am properly aligning myself, and able to hit targets that I line up for at the range. Distance is a guessing game. I am focusing on calculating on average for each iron to become comfortable with my club decisions. At my next range session, I will be focusing on creating lag (leading with the hands and pointing the end of the club at the ball at the onset of the downswing) between my hands on the club.

[xiaoxiong]

Interesting topics.

 

My range session nowadays are limited since I am doing most of my practice without hitting any balls :-)

Following the little red books, I found that the most efficient way of practice is to do slow-motion swing in front of mirror. I normally do half-hour of practice swing in the gym.

 

If I do go to range to beat balls, what I follow is TGM's way:

start with 9 iron, 1st basic motion - basically 2 feet back, 2 feet forward chip shot, 2nd pitch shot, 3rd, punch shot, and total motion - full swing.

 

then I will move up to 7, 5, 3, and driver.

[Chip_Shot]

If I am practicing...

 

I only take one club from my bag and leave the rest in the car.

 

I am always tempted to go through all of the clubs in my bag at the range.

 

So nowadays I just focus on the one club (usually a 7, 4, or driver)

 

 

If I am warming up to play...

 

I pretend I am actauly playing...

 

I hit a driver, then a 4, then a 7, then a wedge. and repeat.

[willamette]

If I am practicing...

 

I only take one club from my bag and leave the rest in the car.

 

I am always tempted to go through all of the clubs in my bag at the range.

 

So nowadays I just focus on the one club (usually a 7, 4, or driver)

 

Have to say I think this type of practicing could actually be detrimental....especially if you take a wedge or or 3-wood or Driver only. Hitting 60 balls with a Driver only....I just don't think that's good for your entire game. Go with wedge for 60 balls and then grab a 3iron.....your swing will probably be much to upright and steep.

 

However, I do think this could work in the 7-4 iron range...with those clubs you could really work on plane and the entire swing.

[iskysoma01]

Depending on how many balls I am going to hit, but here is a typical practice day.

 

1. Stretch and swing 2 clubs just to get loose.

2. Start with the 60* and work my way up to a driver, 10 balls with each at a flag or a target only, I do not hit balls with no target in sight. ( I might skip a few clubs on some days and some days only hit even or odd clubs).

3. Repeat the process.

4. I go to the chipping green and chip for 30 min to 1 hour.

5. Putting is last and put about an hour.