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The Official Driving Range Session Thread

TC

TC

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I have been reading a lot about how guys are getting prepared for their golf seasons, for tournaments, for events like the Outing and the Morgan Cup, and I thought it would be cool to have a designated thread where we could discuss our range sessions, how it went, what we're working on, etc.

I did an advanced search and couldn't find anything like this, so if there is, I apologize and please merge this one.

I had a killer range session on Tuesday. I honestly think I hit one poor iron shot. I don't spend a ton of time hitting my driver or my 3wood on the range, I tend to spend the bulk of my time with my irons and wedges. I wanted to take a picture of the area I left behind b/c I literally left a 2 foot by 2 foot square where there was no turf. Traditionally, I'm not a big divot taker but since using the speed sleeve, that's really changing. I don't dig but it's nice to see some nice divots flying these days.

Anyway, how was your range session?
 
I havent been to the range once yet. With the outing around the corner, I better get on it.



Great thread!
 
No hit vehicles as they pass by and only hit powerline twice. :D I've been mostly hitting TM Burner 2.0 tester 6 iron past few weeks. I'm working on swing change by trying not to lift on my take away. Hopefully this will stop my blocks and going left.
 
My driver and mashie play have been so poor, that I have been spending more time with them. I recently started alternating the clubs more. I hit a driver, mashie, and then iron and then do that over and over.
 
johndeere10 said:
No hit vehicles as they pass by and only hit powerline twice. :D I've been mostly hitting TM Burner 2.0 tester iron past few weeks. I'm working on swing change by trying not to lift on my take away. Hopefully this will stop my blocks and going left.
Click to expand...

You digging the 2.0 iron?
 
TC said:
You digging the 2.0 iron?
Click to expand...


:dohanim: At first I didn't think I would. I mainly thought it would be used just to hit balls out of the yard. Something I could hit just to keep "going through the motion" since I'm getting less range and play time. But after hitting it I've really come to like it. Put x100 in it to get ball flight down and I would play them.
 
I start out by using the speed sleeve on my seven iron. About 20 balls. Then take the sleeve off and hit about 10-12, still with the seven iron. Once I get warmed up I move to 3-wood and/or driver; speed sleeve on it again for 10-20 balls. Then end up by going 9 iron and wedge. That routine works for me and mixes it up enough so it's challenging. On the range, I mostly try to make good contact and work on distance. About every other time at the range I'll work on fades, draws, and just try to work the ball a bit with my irons.

One think I'm attempting to work on is taking divots. I'm a sweeper and it seems like the only divot I ever take is when i accidentally hit it fat.
 
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My recent range sessions have been kinda similar. 90% of the hits have been discouraging, and 10% pretty darn good. I seem to have a revelation once per session that sees me kill about 10 shots, then forget it completely. Would be ok if it wasn't a different revelation each time.

Anyway, I've decided to stop thinking so much and just hit the thing.
 
I hit the range on Sunday before my round working my 6i almost completely. I finished with 3 or 4 driver hots, but the main thing was keeping my swing plane right and the elbo's tucked just a tad. It really helped in that round, but still needs a lot of attention.
 
Great thread TC. My mission for each session is now go with a purpose (irons, contact, posture, set up.. etc. I have a schedule now). I don't leave until I hit my target with my wedge either. This is fairly new to me but it seems to be helping. I need to work on not taking such a large backswing for now because that habit is coming back. Someone said, whoa buddy taking lessons from Johnny D? I wanted to cry. Lol.

My last session was mixed. I think that big back swing was allowing me to cast or take an over the top move because my arms were trying to catch up. But overall, 3/4 of my bucket was center contact. Not sweetspot all day but really tight on the clubface. I hadnt practiced in a few days and noticed how much it killed my wedge game so that will never be a miss again. I also could never figure out why as I got looser my contact suffered. It was the big backswing that was killing it. I just need to think 1/2 swing.
 
RadRob said:
I start out by using the speed sleeve on my seven iron. About 20 balls. Then take the sleeve off and hit about 10-12, still with the seven iron. Once I get warmed up I move to 3-wood and/or driver; speed sleeve on it again for 10-20 balls. Then end up by going 9 iron and wedge. That routine works for me and mixes it up enough that i takes it challenging. On the range, I mostly try to make good contact and work on distance. About every other time at the range I'll work on fades, draws, and just try to work the ball a bit with my irons.

One think I'm attempting to work on is taking divots. I'm a sweeper and it seems like the only divot I ever take is when i accidentally hit it fat.
Click to expand...

I honestly believe the speed sleeve will help with that. Just keep swinging away with it buddy.
 
Good thread TC. I tell you what seems to help me at the range is playing practice holes. I will warm up first or put in practice with a certain club if I have been struggling with it. Once I am nice and loose and have hit a few shots with a variety of clubs I then will play holes from a certain course by trying to play certain club sequences & lines of shots by setting barriers on the range of where my miss cannot be. I have found one thing that I struggled with on the range was "grooving" a certain club by hitting it so many times in a row. When you go to the course this is never the case so this has made my range sessions more like an actual round. I will go through my pre shot routine and try to visualize the shot before playing it. If I miss a green then I will try to play a pitch shot to put myself on the green. Range sessions have been pretty good lately and I'm really trying to put in more time on the short game, 60 yds and in because this is where I struggle the most.
 
Yoccos1981 said:
Great thread TC. My mission for each session is now go with a purpose (irons, contact, posture, set up.. etc. I have a schedule now). I don't leave until I hit my target with my wedge either. This is fairly new to me but it seems to be helping. I need to work on not taking such a large backswing for now because that habit is coming back. Someone said, whoa buddy taking lessons from Johnny D? I wanted to cry. Lol.

My last session was mixed. I think that big back swing was allowing me to cast or take an over the top move because my arms were trying to catch up. But overall, 3/4 of my bucket was center contact. Not sweetspot all day but really tight on the clubface. I hadnt practiced in a few days and noticed how much it killed my wedge game so that will never be a miss again. I also could never figure out why as I got looser my contact suffered. It was the big backswing that was killing it. I just need to think 1/2 swing.
Click to expand...

I too have a tendency to overswing. Didn't realise it until I saw it on video for myself! The thought that helps me keep the width of my swing, but stop at the top is trying to keep my left arm straight all the way to the top of the backswing. I don't actually manage it, but it makes me stop just short of parallel even though it feels very short.
I've practiced with this on every club and it seems to be cultivating a fade.....hmmm!
 
Same here man with the fade. I think Ill take that on some long iron shots :) I'm gonna try the left arm straight thought as my main focus along with the short swing. I think you're absolutely on to something.

the_paulo said:
I too have a tendency to overswing. Didn't realise it until I saw it on video for myself! The thought that helps me keep the width of my swing, but stop at the top is trying to keep my left arm straight all the way to the top of the backswing. I don't actually manage it, but it makes me stop just short of parallel even though it feels very short.
I've practiced with this on every club and it seems to be cultivating a fade.....hmmm!
Click to expand...
 
Great thread idea TC! I'll be sure to post my thoughts here each time after I get back from the range.
 
Hanks said:
Great thread idea TC! I'll be sure to post my thoughts here each time after I get back from the range.
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Thanks, I thought that we could learn some stuff from each other this way.
 
Yoccos1981 said:
Same here man with the fade. I think Ill take that on some long iron shots :) I'm gonna try the left arm straight thought as my main focus along with the short swing. I think you're absolutely on to something.
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I actually set out trying to play a fade with my longer shots this year. Now I'm just trying to tame it! I accept no responsibility for negative results in your trials, but I demand all the credit if it works! :wink:
 
Great Idea for a thread TC. I have only been to the range once so far, but I figured out how to help my slice. I have since been hitting fairly straight. We will see how that goes today in 25mph winds, but ya never know. Do balls go farther in the cold? :D
 
I usually work my way through the bag starting with my wedges and go all the way up to the driver before finishing with some pitches.

If the kids go with me I get them to pick the targets for me to hit so that varies the clubs I use too

Going to the range tomorrow and am only taking 4 clubs (sw, 7, 4 hybrid and driver) with me as I want to concentrate more on the driver this time


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
This is an awesome idea TC! The info we can all share in here will help everyone's game.

RadRob...I really like your training regimen with the speed sleeve and I am going to try it out this weekend. Thanks for posting.
 
Lol. Deal! I'll name whatever comes of it the PauloThain fade. You both will get the credit if it works because both of you have some really good advice. It'll be sweet though I have faith in it. If it doesnt work, Ill just accept I may have JD's swing and go sell signed balls outside of the Masters next year haha.

the_paulo said:
I actually set out trying to play a fade with my longer shots this year. Now I'm just trying to tame it! I accept no responsibility for negative results in your trials, but I demand all the credit if it works! :wink:
Click to expand...
 
Yoccos1981 said:
Lol. Deal! I'll name whatever comes of it the PauloThain fade. You both will get the credit if it works because both of you have some really good advice. It'll be sweet though I have faith in it. If it doesnt work, Ill just accept I may have JD's swing and go sell signed balls outside of the Masters next year haha.
Click to expand...

haha, I like it, there's no lose! Either way, it's money.

I like this thread. It's nice to read about the progress and frustrations of others being much the same as yourself. I like the word 'cathartic'.
 
the_paulo said:
haha, I like it, there's no lose! Either way, it's money.

I like this thread. It's nice to read about the progress and frustrations of others being much the same as yourself. I like the word 'cathartic'.
Click to expand...

#URWelcome

I like the idea of this thread a lot. I can't wait to get my DART, I'll be in here often.
 
What is this "driving range" thing that everyone keeps talking about?:confused2:
 
i am anti range, the grass areas around here suck, and hitting off a mat alot of flaws get covered up!! ill go to the par 3 course for iron time
 
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