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Driving range vs course inconsistency?

ForeOnFour

ForeOnFour

Leave no birdie behind
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Ok I can't figure this out so I'm throwing it out here hoping Freddie or anybody for that matter might be able to help.

This mostly applies to my driver and doesn't really affect any other clubs. This has now become a pattern I'm experiencing over the last 4-6 weeks.

When I hit my driver on the mats at the range the ball flight is straight as an arrow. Sometimes left or right of my intended target, my fault for aligning wrong, but still a nice mid high ball flight that goes straight.

Then when I get on the course I slice or fade the ball big time, sometimes as much as 40 yards left to right.

Im using the same tees, same setup, same club, same grip, I wear my golf shoes on the mats, etc ect, nothing at all changes except grass tee boxes vs carpeted mats at the range. I use wooden tees that have a yellow mark so I make sure I'm getting the tee at the same heights and ball position is the same in my setup. The only thing that changes is I'm not hitting range balls on the course. Right now I'm going between Super Softs, chrome Softs and b330rx balls on the course.

It's driving me nuts trying to figure out why the ball flight change. Even my playing partners have mentioned that they see the change also but can't see anything I'm doing differently.

Thanks in advance for any tips or ideas anyone might have.
 
I don't play off of mats, so I never practice off of mats. It is also very easy to get into a groove on the range hitting the same club over and over and over. Outside of that, I can't think of anything else but I'm sure Freddie will have other thoughts.
 
I tend to play better on the course after having a grass range session. Mats are good for repetition but I don't take the results serious.
 
Do you think you are getting into a groove on the range after a few shots? I find that mats or grass I can get in a groove on the range and look like I know what I'm doing, but then I get on the course and screw it up when I only get one shot. To take it a step further, after I take my penalty off the tee and hit my second tee shot I almost always do significantly better without even thinking about it (as if my brain knows what I screwed up and fixes it).

I like to joke and say that my second golfer is WAY better than my first golfer on the course.
 
Record your range session and compare to your tee shots. Most of the time being on the tee causes people to hit different purely because "now it counts". The comparison video will help you figure this out the most.

Once I stopped caring where my tee shot went it started matching my range/launch monitor sessions.
 
ChristopherKee said:
Most of the time being on the tee causes people to hit different purely because "now it counts".
Once I stopped caring where my tee shot went it started matching my range/launch monitor sessions.
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This is usually the case and why it's very hard for most people to take their range game to the course. If everything's the same except the tee box is grass and you're playing a hole instead of the range, then the difference is usually in the way you are approaching your shots on the course. On the range you may be playing 'make a good swing' or 'hit to that target' but on the course you're playing 'gotta hit it in the fairway' or 'don't hit it there' or 'need to get a par' or 'don't F it up'. If you hit it good on the range figure out what game you're playing there and make sure you approach hitting shots the same way on the course.

Not caring about results as much on the course is a great place to start.
 
Most of the time I do my range sessions like a hole. I'll hit driver, hybrid, short iron, chip and then repeat. I will occasionally do 7-8 swings with one club, then another, then another, until I've worked through the bag. I still see the same results as I posted above.

Unfortunately we only have mats, no grass range around here.

Next time I'm there and it's not busy I will ask if I can step forward and tee up on the grass, they generally don't like this but it depends on who is working the shop.

Next time I'm doing range and course I will get a video. At this point it very well could be nerves and knowing the shot "counts" but it's happening on every driver hole, 1st middle and last holes. I would think by the middle and for sure by the end I would be settled in and not so nervous.

Thanks for all the tips and ideas so far, keep them coming please.
 
I used to struggle with bringing my range game to the course and it drove me crazy.

Now I've found a way to bring my course game to the range which is even more horrifying but at least now I can get to work and fix it.
 
So everything off the mat is straight. I wonder if you aren't hitting the mat before contact with each shot. A drop kick is very easy off the mat and you really wouldn't be able to tell. It's a slight glance that happen to kick the face square.

Getting into a groove of straight balls is possible but a huge slice wouldn't show up on the first tee.
 
I would guess that your tempo is faster on the course than it is on the range. It's a problem I and almost every golfer is very familiar with. For me the range vs. course problem shows up the most on putts. I'm a great putter on the practice green but don't often putt nearly as well during a round. As a wise man once said, "Wether you think you can or can't, you're probably right".


A drill that is worth a try is to hover your driver at address like Kuchar. I have done this since high school and for me it prevents too much tension and helps me hit up on the ball with my driver.
 
My stepdad always tells me "doesn't matter how good you hit your last five drives on the range, you only get one on the box." I'd say it's mostly tempo from getting grooved on the range.
 
trying to hit a golf ball on the range and trying to hit a golf shot on the course are 2 different actions. just bring the "hitting golf ball" thoughts to "hitting golf shot" and you will be more relaxed.
 
I try to hit balls on the range like I'm on the course. I visualize particular shots and always change targets. I'll even go through a "demo" round of golf on the range by visualizing a course I am familiar with. I'll hit tee shots, approaches, and even some pitches. And I'll always pull a club and put it back after every shot. I want to make it feel like I'm on the course.


This approach has really helped my game transition from the range to the course.
 
ForeOnFour said:
Most of the time I do my range sessions like a hole. I'll hit driver, hybrid, short iron, chip and then repeat. I will occasionally do 7-8 swings with one club, then another, then another, until I've worked through the bag. I still see the same results as I posted above.

Unfortunately we only have mats, no grass range around here.

Next time I'm there and it's not busy I will ask if I can step forward and tee up on the grass, they generally don't like this but it depends on who is working the shop.

Next time I'm doing range and course I will get a video. At this point it very well could be nerves and knowing the shot "counts" but it's happening on every driver hole, 1st middle and last holes. I would think by the middle and for sure by the end I would be settled in and not so nervous.

Thanks for all the tips and ideas so far, keep them coming please.
Click to expand...

Great advice!!!
 
Tadashi70 said:
So everything off the mat is straight. I wonder if you aren't hitting the mat before contact with each shot. A drop kick is very easy off the mat and you really wouldn't be able to tell. It's a slight glance that happen to kick the face square.

Getting into a groove of straight balls is possible but a huge slice wouldn't show up on the first tee.
Click to expand...

I don't think I'm hitting the mat, but like you said I might not even notice it. I know real quick when I hit the mat fully as it literally hurts to chunk one off the mat.

Supposed to rain all weekend so I won't be able to get back out till next week sometime but I will record some close ups of impact to see if I am in fact hitting the mat first.
 
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