Michigan Slice

This Guy Cant dance...
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My instructor and I had a conversation yesterday involving pace while on the range.
How long should it take you to go through a large bucket (100 balls)?

His take is that when you get tired or winded bad things creep into your swing, thus you should pace yourself so that the bucket last you 3 hours or more.
This way you can go over your proper setup, grip, and pre shot routine just as you would on the course.

He also said he would like me to not hit to the 150 flag (or any other distance) more than 5-6 times in a row, stating I am slower to adjust to the longer/shorter clubs, this will help me adjust to those lengths faster.

What does THP think about pace and his thoughts on switching it up?
 
Range time pace

Sounds like solid logic to me. I know that when I canoas myself and take my time going through a bucket It does seem to help and I think I get more out of my practice.


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The three hours seems a bit long to me.

That at said I do generally work through a bucket slowly. I step back and go through my normal preshot routine for each one as opposed to just raking another one over and swinging away. I will sit and rest for a few minutes when I feel I'm starting to get a bit tired.

I'd say about and hour to 1:15 might me about normal for my large bucket which by the way is actually about 80 balls at the ramge I go to most often.

I I also agree about varying the target.
 
I agree that mindlessly pounding balls with the same club to the same target doesn't work, but I think 3 hours for 100 balls is a bit excessive. If I hit a large bucket of 100, that's probably an hour or so for me, give or take. Usually if I'm hitting a large, it's because I have some very specific things I'm working on from my pro, so in those cases I'm usually sticking with a 7i or wedge. Most of the time though, I hit a small bucket which is 5 wedges to warm up, then going through the bag playing a simulated round. That's about 40-50 mins.
 
Moves sense to me. The more tired I get the worse my swing gets on the range. You also rarely hit the same club back to back on the course so doing it on the range doesn't get you "game" ready. It's easier to groove a club when you hit multiples of the same one.
 
3 hrs or more to hit a large bucket? Who has that time and effort to stand on the range for that long?
To spend that much time is more of a mental commitment than anything else.
I can go to the range and if my mind isn't into hitting balls after a few swings I resort to finishing off the bucket with wedge shots or give the balls away before bad things happen with my swing.
 
My range sessions usually look like this... Buy medium bucket of about 60 balls. Head to the short game area and chip the bucket from 20/30/40/50 yards 1-2 times, then collect and hit 1/2 to 3/4 of the bucket out of a bunker. Then collect them all once again and then spend the next hour hitting onto the range. For the full effect it takes about 2-2.5 hours. I truly think everyone would benefit from slowing down and trying to put themselves in a real golf environment. I try to not hit more than 5 shots in a row with the same club and once I'm warm I will bounce around the bag on every shot. Sometimes you are trying to groove a motion and need a few shots in a row, no worries. The idea of just beating balls does nothing for anyone, I think stepping back and focusing elsewhere for a moment helps train your brain to refocus like on the course.

Sorry for the long winded, half reply, buddy! Long story short, yeah three hours sounds fair for a large bucket if done with focus and varying targets. (That's why I get a medium)
 
Pace for me on the range can be a problem too. I tend to hit a bad one and I'll feel what I did wrong or know the correction that is needed and quickly drag one over or tee up another to make the correction. Before long half the bucket is gone and I'm sweating.

Ive gotten better, but I really have to tell myself to slow down from time to time. This sounds like a good plan to me, but honestly I cannot imagine 3.5 hours to hit a large bucket. I've spent that long with a ton of short game, putting and the range, but man that's a long time for 100 balls. :act-up:

JM
 
I'd love to take my time on a large bucket of balls, but not 3 hours. I think it's a good idea to jump around and vary clubs though. For example, once you feel warmed up and loose. Then, start playing your favorite course two shots at a time. So, for example, if I'm playing The Clive course at The Hideaway, I'd be hitting my driver (twice) then, I'm going to take a either a 4 iron (from the tips) or 6 iron into the green (from the 2nd tees) (twice). Then I'd move to hole #2 (from the tips) was around 170-180, so I'd probably hit my 6 iron or 7 iron if it's forward....and so on. You get the point. The other reason for this? It's good for visualization practice, too.
 
I couldn't do that. 3 hrs for 100 balls is too long.

I will usually step away after 2-3 balls, realign, and keep at it. But, really, it depends on what I am doing and why I am on the range. Warming up is a different range session than swing work, which is different than focusing on a ball flight or ball movement.

I try not to hit too many shots with one club anyway, unless I am working on a swing issue, in which case I will pound one club for a while.
 
3 hours seems long. Last year I would buy the biggest bucket or do the unlimited balls a lot and just try to pound out shots. It was like a race and I would take the same shot for 10-15 swings.
Looking back i realize how dumb it was because it just reinforced bad habits and wasn't productive.
This year I am usually doing the 70-80 balls and will try to go a little slower through it. If after that I feel I need to hit more then I might get some more but that's rare. The 70-80 Probly takes me about an hour or so if my pace is right


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100 balls over 3 hours is almost 2 minutes per ball. Even if you're going through your entire preshot routine and changing targets on every ball, it shouldn't take that long.
 
I couldn't do the 3 hour large bucket - way too slow for me. BUT, I totally agree on hitting to different targets and would actually cut that number down to 2 or 3 shots and then change clubs and targets. You never hit the same shot/club twice on the course (unless you're OB or something like that) so why give yourself 5 chances to hit a good shot on the range?
 
I agree wth most of the others here, 3 hours is long but 45 minutes is too short. 1-1.5 hours seems correct to me! Goog luck!
 
That's ridiculous!
 
Sounds long to hit 100 balls. I'm usually around the 1 hour mark and mix it up about every 6/7 shots to a different club but put more focus on my 9 through 58 unless I feel I need to work on something else.
 
3hrs is overly slow imo. I suppose if one had that kind of time than have at it :) but if I had 3 hrs Id probably look to spend 4 or more playing a round instead.

That being said, I do agree with not allowing yourself to hit too fast and being tired and stressed is a huge issue when trying to perfect a swing. It just imo doesn't do any good. I don't at all fly through a bucket and do take some time and even at times rest in between for a bit and have even left balls on occasion because I had to leave. I also like to move my targets around. A few balls here a few over at the other side etc.. I also mix up all clubs.
 
I hit 2 large and 2 small in 3 hours last night and took my time on every swing. 3 hours for a large IMO is ludicrous
 
Increasingly now I buy the smallest bucket I can get, and hit it over the course of an hour to 1.5 hours. Hit some balls, take a break and head to short game, hit more balls, putting green, and finish hitting the rest of the balls.

Mixing it up, and not hitting tons of shots the same distance is a good idea (at least in my opinion). I like to switch it up, 6-10 balls then switch to a different club or shot type. I will also try to maintain the same pace that I would have on a course, and between each shot try to maintain my on course routine.
 
I hit 2 large and 2 small in 3 hours last night and took my time on every swing. 3 hours for a large IMO is ludicrous

That's a ton of work buddy. I like that range though.
 
That's a ton of work buddy. I like that range though.
Its hard to leave. Especially with grass and quality balls. Currently here now.
 
Good thing I'm not close....we'd have to bring a fridge and a grill out there
 
I'm not a big fan of going through your routine on the range. I like to find a good rhythm, then start changing clubs, but maintain a good pace. Less technical and fewer thoughts this way.

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That makes a lot of sense, it's easy to try and rush through hitting them and I can totally understand how it could cause problems.
 
If I had 3 hours, I'd be on the course. But time is my biggest golfing constraint.
 
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