Range Time

[Golf 'N Gator]

I probably put in 5 to 7 rounds before I have a range session. I know some folks who never go to the range but for the life of me I cannot understand why. During Dec, Jan, Feb I probably hit the range after every 1 to 3 rounds because of the weather.

I had not hit a club last week since the end of October. When I played my first 9 holes last week, I did not go to the range and only took three or four practice swings before teeing off. I missed the first fairway and never missed another until the ninth hole. I hit seven of the nine greens in regulation. The only thing that hurt the round was several missed putts on the fuzzy slow greens.

I just don't see the need to spend a lot of time at the range. The only time I go is if something really gets out of wack and I need my teacher to check it out. If he thinks I need to change something, I'll hit the range a few times, but for the most part my swing has not changed in thirty five years.

I also know that I have pretty well reached my limits in golf. I have no false hope of being a scratch player. I've been as low as a high 4 to 5 for many years doing just as I do now. I'm one of millions of everyday players that is playing to my max ability and I'm very happy with what I've got. I beat a large number of people I play with and that is all that counts.

World class players make up only 0.001 percent of the 60 million players worldwide. Each of the remaining 99.99 percent fall into some range of the world handicap indexes and while a large number of players progress each and every year, but sooner or later they are going to hit the proverbila concrete wall in golf. It is just the way it is. Everyone has a max, and for some it will be to the tour, but for 99.99 percent of us, it will be somewhere between scratch and a 30 handicap index. Millions of players could spend 10 hours a day on the range and never get much better. I play the guitar and have for some time, and I will never be David Gilmour or Eric Clapton same as I'll never be Tiger in golf. It is just not in the cards no matter how much time I spend working on it.

Right now putting is the only thing holding me back. I drop 4-5-6 shots a round on the greens. Everything else is solid for me and I'm playing just as good tee to green as I did when I was 4 index but the difference is putting and even that part of my game is not in a crisis situation, just a lack of effort. I did spend a hour last week on the green with my teacher and while he thought my putting was sound, he did give me a thing or two to work on and I'm ding that here at home, but I still have no plan of hitting the range anytime soon.

This is just my thoughts on the range and it of course is very different than what many of you think and that is ok as well. We are all different.

 

[hypovolemicshok]

I try to get to the range a few times per week and hit a couple buckets each time and do some work around the greens. I usually play about 1-2 rounds per week.

 

[lindy72]

I think I had one range session last year... and I played in the ballpark of 50 rounds.

The biggest problem for me is that my back gets tight after just a few consecutive shots so I can't sit there and pound balls for long periods of time.

Despite not hitting the range, I do spend a fair amount of time on my short game.

+1 for me and the sore back....I do play more (over 90 rounds/year) but maybe 1 range session last year.....Short game and putting is where I spend my time....

 

[McRock]

I went to the range once 2 years ago for a quick 'tune-up' lesson. Then this year I've gone to the range once. I plan on going more. I used to not goto the range that often. At my home course, at any given time on any given day (including weekends) i could just go out to one of our par fours, drop a bunch of shags, and just hit balls back and forth on the fairway. My course simply doesn't have many golfers anymore.

Unfortunately, I learned last year when I started playing some different courses that playing a par 31 course doesn't do much for me. When I had to hit a 5 iron for the first time all year last year in August, it was eye-opening to say the least. I'll probably get to the range more often this year just to make sure I can hit my longer irons.

 

[tnc200]

3-1. I'll play one or two rounds a week and got to the range three to five times a week. Different facilities so they are separate.

 

[cheffor]

I put probably 3-4 range sessions per 18 holes of golf last year. I usually run to the range on lunch 2 days a week during the summer and maybe another time after work and when I play golf it's usually 9 holes at a time. I actually enjoy the range quite a bit I just wish we had better facilities around here, there are only 2 golf courses with open ranges near where I live, they are usually pretty good at the beginning of the season but get beat up pretty quickly.

 

[RatFink]

I'm probably at a 2:1 ratio of range:rounds... it could be more, but I just don't have the time.