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Driving Range Etiquette

jeremyheslop

jeremyheslop

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I know the basic rules at play when at the range, but wanted to get others ideas on what someone new to the game should or should not do.

The range I frequent the most is a grass range and it saddens me when it looks like a mine field between the ropes.

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Thoughts?

UPDATES from replies:

[YOUTUBEHD]J6XVuXM2Z8g[/YOUTUBEHD]

TIPS:
- earbuds to block out noise
- keep divots in small area by using strips a few inches apart (see videos above)
- while talking is ok not on every shot and respect those around you
- don't walk out to get a tee or ball without alerting those around you
- cell phone conversations are a no no (walk away from the hitting area)
- keep a good distance behind the next person to allow room for the backswing
 
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Very good info. You don't see it done that way very often.
 
I like to make sure I'm not hitting balls at the same time as someone else, stay quiet, don't offer anyone tips, and try to keep your divot area a nice little square. Also, I try not to watch others hit. I just got into my own little zone, and usually you the others around you will fall into a rhythm where there's almost an order of who hits. Guy A hits his ball,then Guy B hits his, and so on and so on. I hope that makes sense.

Edit: Probably should have watched the video first. Haha But that's exactly what I mean by keeping your divot area in a nice little square.
 
I don't worry so much about when others are hitting unless the range is full. Even so, it doesn't bother me when others are hitting if I am already set up. I'm more worried about what I am doing than for them to bother me. What doesn't make sense to me is when there is plenty of open space yet someone (or worse, a group) sets up camp right next to me. It gets my attention, but afterwards, I don't worry about it. Unless they are rude and noisy, then I will pack up and move to one of the empty spaces.
 
Yeah, it doesn't bother me either, but I know it does some so I just try to avoid bothering anyone. I always set up pretty far away from everyone too and am usually at ranges with very few people on them. The guy that sets up right next to you when there's space though is the worst.
 
bugs the crap out of me when people talk / coach / curse to themselves audibly after every shot. makes me want to choke them.
 
i usually have my ipod on since i hate hearing parents screaming at their kids with "do this" and "do that" speeches on the range. the range i go to is pretty packed with jr golfers + their parents, so it gets a bit loud.

if i'm on the grass range, i stay consistent with my divots as far as keeping them compact and localized so that the next person has a good clean grass area to hit from.
 
That's good advice and I completely agree, but it does seem to assume that the average golfer has a fairly consistent low point in their swing. I haven't seen to much of that at the ranges I have been frequenting lately. There are some that could hit a bucket or two from pretty small patch of turf, but others that need quite a bit more than that to get through even a small bucket.
 
BamBooBender said:
That's good advice and I completely agree, but it does seem to assume that the average golfer has a fairly consistent low point in their swing. I haven't seen to much of that at the ranges I have been frequenting lately. There are some that could hit a bucket or two from pretty small patch of turf, but others that need quite a bit more than that to get through even a small bucket.
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That's fine as long as you hit off your divots. The problem is when people just hit balls from random spots all over their area.


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You can also "write" things with your divots. Richard S Johnson tweeted a pic a few months ago where a guy who'd missed the cut stayed over the weekend to practice. He hit divots in the shape of a hand with a raised middle finger. :D
 
Fairway2Green said:
That's fine as long as you hit off your divots. The problem is when people just hit balls from random spots all over their area.


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I know what you are saying, just pointing out that some people, and in some places it's more than few, will really devastate their hitting area no matter what they do. I've seen chunks flying from people trying to hit a driver off a tee, usually younger guys who seem to be trying to imitate Bubba Watson's swing.
 
This has always bugged the heck out of me. The range down the road from my college is nice, but always has so many spots that are destroyed. I think they should make new people watch this video before hitting, because it gets bad.

I also dislike when people mumble, curse, or make excuses after every shot. Normally things don't bother me because I get in a zone, and do my thing, but this those people always get me.
 
InitialDL said:
bugs the crap out of me when people talk / coach / curse to themselves audibly after every shot. makes me want to choke them.
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had this last week, young kid, moaned and groaned after every shot. heard his dad later say he had just taken golf up that day!! talk about big expectations.

if I ever stop having fun and start moaning about bad shots, someone, please take my clubs away from me and sell them on ebay.


with regards divots etc, if i go to my course i can hit in their practice area on grass, otherwise most ranges around here are mats. the practice area is a bit of a mess and they could learn from this video.
 
oh no i'm the guy who hits shots from all over the place, only because the ground at the range i use is always quite soft and the grass isn't very short so your shoes dig in. but i hold my hands up as being guilty and need to mend this.

as for the noise there lots of junior golfers so they make alot of racket talking and messing so i usually have my ipod with me
 
Josh_Ross said:
I also dislike when people mumble, curse, or make excuses after every shot. Normally things don't bother me because I get in a zone, and do my thing, but this those people always get me.
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Yes. How people endured their range sessions pre-portable music players is beyond me.
 
I will usually take it a step farther and hit from the same area the next time I visit the range too. Our public course has divots everywhere and you can probably find only about 20 areas where people are playing behind their previous divot.
 
Great video! A lot of people don't know or understand how to do this. They also think you need the largest piece of grass to balls. I use head phones while I hit ball so a lot of noise doesn't bother me. I someone said he doesn't hit balls when people are next to you hitting, some people might be there all day if they did that. It is a practice range you should expect some noise and people hitting balls at the same time. The only thing that really drives me crazy is when someone putts to the same hole as you're using on the practice green, especially when there are other holes.

Tapatalk... Loved by me hated by the wife.
 
I've been doing a similar thing for years. Only what I do is to try and make a straight line. You start with the first ball, then every ball after that, place it about an inch behind the original divot. That way I am only hitting an inch or two of new turf. If all goes well, there should be a straight line at the target.
 
I'm with cardsfan on this one. Basic straight line theory from the front of the hitting area to as far back in between the ropes as I can hit. Then repeat. Unfortunately I'm a digger and the worst night mare for most grass ranges.........so I try to not eat up too much turf.
 
I am new to the game. Helps to see the right way to take divots. Now I know...
 
I like grunting really hard and then ripping my driver a good 215 yards hehe.

Actually, I don't even notice other people when I'm at the range. I don't care who hits when or who stands where. Just never really noticed. I always cover my divots with the sand/seed mixture if it's there. As for keeping them in a little box, I don't know. I try to keep them centralized in a general location, but I'm not skilled enough to have perfect divots most every time i hit the ball.
 
StLCardsFan said:
I've been doing a similar thing for years. Only what I do is to try and make a straight line. You start with the first ball, then every ball after that, place it about an inch behind the original divot. That way I am only hitting an inch or two of new turf. If all goes well, there should be a straight line at the target.
Click to expand...

I try to do the same thing. My biggest problem is that the way I move my feet really digs up the turf and I wind up with two random foot holes from hitting my driver. I do say things to myself every now and then, but I really try to keep it low enough where people can't hear it and its definitely not every swing.
 
krispeee said:
i usually have my ipod on since i hate hearing parents screaming at their kids with "do this" and "do that" speeches on the range. the range i go to is pretty packed with jr golfers + their parents, so it gets a bit loud.

if i'm on the grass range, i stay consistent with my divots as far as keeping them compact and localized so that the next person has a good clean grass area to hit from.
Click to expand...

Im the same way, I have my Ipod on and I am in my own little zone, keeping all my divots together as to not tear up a large area of the turf. Seeing the "mine field" all over where people just drop and hit a ball without keeping them together drives me NUTS!
 
InitialDL said:
bugs the crap out of me when people talk / coach / curse to themselves audibly after every shot. makes me want to choke them.
Click to expand...

haha....headphones! accept headphone cords always tend to wrap around my neck. So I typically just go to an end of the range where there are not as many ppl if possible.
 
Fairway2Green said:
That's fine as long as you hit off your divots. The problem is when people just hit balls from random spots all over their area.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Exactly F2G. I've always tried to keep a small footprint even when I started. Even I would thin/chunk a shot but I would still try and put a ball on the smallest piece of turf to minimize impact.
 
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