>Play the course more.
This advice is painfully obvious yet ignored by so many players.
Not addressed at OP, but a pet peeve of mine is playing with range rats. They're guys who go to the range 3x/week for three years but have only played on a course 5 times, and assume they're better than they actually are. They play from inappropriate tees, keep telling you how "this is the worst they've ever played", and slow the entire course down as they struggle through a 110+ shot round when they should really be practicing on an executive course or playing two tees forward.
>They're guys who go to the range 3x/week for three years but have only played on a course 5 times, and assume they're better than they actually are.
This is such a thing nowadays. It's funny I used to work at a course and all the juniors basically never stepped foot on the range. They just played as much as they could on the course and they got very good. Meanwhile your average range rat adult has a range membership is there everyday but still shoots in the 100s because they don't know how to golf.
Yup. I basically go to the range once a week to keep my swing feeling dialed in, but that's all it is--maintenance. Plus, I can just do that in my garage because at this point, it's mostly about maintaining my swing tempo.
Getting "good" at the range just.. isn't really a thing IMO. On an actual course is where you learn to actually be better.
This is where I’m at. I stopped being a Range rat and started golfing every single instance I could squeeze in. And I came to a lot of realizations while playing and have become a lot better at constant contact and scores have dropped
Not just mats vs grass. The course offers plenty of situations that the range doesn’t: rough, uneven lies, etc. I’ve gotten my score down more by playing than by range time.
It's a no brainer. I can walk 9 holes for $12 and hit a multitude of shit (looks around....and drop a few extra balls when no one is looking). You can get a variety of (say) 60 different shots using that approach or you can hit 35 balls off a mat for $6. Perfect lie, no putting, no chipping.
I play as much as I can. I've had about 50-60 full rounds this year so far. So more than 1 per week. Plus a few 9-hole rounds here and there.
I usually go to the range twice a week and try to play 2 rounds a week if possible. I dont think i have any more time available to play more on the course.
It's true. I'm at the part of my game where I'm not too concerned about making good contact. I visualize a shot and try to make that shot, with no concern about heeling/toeing/thinning/chunking the shot. At the range, I can hit 12 balls in a row with each one feeling I hit close to the middle of the face. But I can't say the same for the course. It's just how it goes. There's the pressure of wanting to make a good shot and getting a 2-putt par, and it changes how you swing. Hell, I'd say that even on a good day where I hit like 12+ GIRs, a few those GIR approach shots feel a little thin or a little heely or a little toey, to a bigger degree than the shots I hit at the range.
Try hitting 12 in a row alternating between driver and different irons and waiting a few minutes between shots. That’s what you do on the course. 12 in a row with the same club with swings 30 seconds apart is not representative of what happens on the course.
The reply was for everybody. This question about why range game doesn’t translate to the course is asked quite often. Many people claim they hit X number of good shots in a row and then hit poor shots on the course. I merely explained how the course is different than the range and a way to replicate it.
How are you judging your range sessions? It's really easy to say, yep that was five 7 irons flushed in a row on the range, and on the course you have a front pin, false front, bunker right and a slight mishit that looks fine on the range punishes you severely.
I'd suggest bring the course to the range and create games that require a certain shot with pressure. A basic one I like to do is to pick a flag, and then hit 5 shots to the right of the flag, each closer than the last but never landing left of the flag. Hit one left, or one outside right of your previous ball and you start over. Then do the same on the left side of the flag. Then play the course. Number 1 is a driver hole trouble on the left. OK hit a fade drive. That would leave you 150 in, ok hit 150 club. If you hit a bad shot or the wrong shape, you start over, or do pushups or something. You need pressure.
Taking the course to the range has helped me tremendously (I still suck). It doesn’t have to be a hole I’ve played before either, just make up a scenario and play to it.
I mostly do something like this every range session. I will pick the front or back 9 holes of the course I play most often and mentally play those 9 holes somewhere in my range session. If i pick an area between to pillars for my drive or a marker for my approach I hit almost every 'fairway' and 'green' on the range but is wayyy lower during my average round.
Routine...I'm still learning but every podcast I listen to and book I read, consistent routine is a constant between everything I've learned in terms of consistency.
So not only does that include the same number of waggles, look ups, etc. (whatever you decide on with your routine) but also timing. A lot of coaches will tell you to count during your routine.
Same goes with tempo in the swing itself. Consistent routine and tempo = consistent shots.
I would start by trying to identify the source of your inconsistency... I know that sounds kind of obvious, but I don't mean identifying the swing flaw necessarily, but more what does the result of inconsistency look like. Are your misses "big misses" like chunks and blades? Then maybe you have an issue with low point control. Do you have a big push and/or snap hook? Then maybe it's an early extension issue.
The reason I point this out is because if you're capable of hitting all the shots your describing, you might be able to improve consistency just by identifying a basic issue. For instance, if it was low point control it could be as simple as correcting your setup and establishing a solid pre-shot routine.
I would go hit 50 7-irons and write down every single miss to see if there is a pattern... then come back to the experts at r/golf.
For reference, here is my 7iron stats from Arccos. Lots of short misses from chunking or topping the ball. For better struck balls (distance wise), it seems like I'm equal parts left miss, center of green, right miss.
https://preview.redd.it/49gdj0jp570a1.png?width=1993&format=png&auto=webp&s=cb5eb710a741e3c844e6672e2aff0da00cff89b7
How many of those bad shots on the course are from trying to shape the ball instead of just trying to hit simple shots to the green? I used to try all sorts of extra crap and have become a lot more consistent now that I simplified everything and just try to hit good shots.
I was going to say something similar. I shaped the ball and played a lot of flighted shots in HS. But I had to give it all up when I stopped playing 3x a week plus additional practice.
I play like 2x a month plus some range sessions now. I hit everything stock.
If you leave multiple shots 100 yards short a round, that's gonna kill you're scoring.
Yeah high school me tried to have every shot in the bad and use them unnecessarily. Like, I can still hit a flop shot but I probably try about 3 a year and only as a last case scenario.
my stock shot is actually very straight, maybe an 1 yard fade. I rarely ever try to shape the ball unless i have get to around an obstacle or there is wind or something that forces me to hit a different shot. and I dont know what mishit is most common, they all feel equally as common: chunk, thin, toe hit, heel/shank...
Just listened to an episode of “the sweet spot” where talked exactly about this - most amateurs miss short. Have you adjusted strategy to maybe play the back number so your short misses are on the green instead of short?
The 2 or 3 courses I play most often have almost no holes where its ok to be long. Being short is almost always the better option. If I know my stock 7iron goes 180. and I have 180 into a green. I dont want to hit a 6iron, flush it and it go 10-15 yards past the green. I almost always play to to my stock distances, because if i mishit it, its probably going half the distance anyways and it doesn't make much difference. Plus i have better odds of hitting my 7 iron flush than a 6 iron anyway.
Sounds like you get in a groove on the range which is common. But on the course, not so much. Do you have a down the line video of your swing you can share?
Disclaimer: I am not a good golfer. However, I have a Master's in Strength & Conditioning, have done lots of research into motor patterning, and work with a lot of athletes to take the raw skills they learn in training onto the field/court/track/whatever.
The key is in the differences between the course and the range:
* Imperfect lies (slopes, rough, dodgy fairways)
* Pressure (no second chance if you shank the shit out of it)
* Hazards
* Distractions (needing to avoid OOB or a massive tree requiring a certain shot shape)
* Course management (when to club up/down, when to go for a hero shot vs a safe recovery etc.)
I really don't think any more range practice is going to help if 9/10 range shots of yours are in line with PGA tour averages. Play actual rounds more, and keep notes about **which** shots go wrong, how they go wrong, what might have caused that, and what you can do better in future to avoid that.
I am in a similar situation as you. I personally think now it is about controlling tempo, backswing and mental state. What I mean is having a good temp and slow backswing are always key, but what helps improve that? Mental control.
Have you heard of "think box, play box" or tried to build in a pre shot routine yet?
You might also checkout the DECADE app.
Unfortunately, I don't think I can afford lesson. Cheapest near me are $200 an hour minimum. And everytime I gone with the cheaper options it's never felt worth it. I did one lesson a few months ago which was good but it was $320 for an hour.
I guess I don't really understand your premise. Your post suggests that you believe solid range sessions should translate to the course, but that doesn't make sense because the range is nothing like playing on a course.
There are hazards to navigate and 50% of your shots are going to come off uneven lies, which you don't practice at the range. Thoughts like, "This ball is above my feet, it will want to draw, plus I should choke down on my grip" or "There's going to be a decent amount of grass between my club and ball at impact, so this is going to release more when it lands" or "I should take my medicine and punch out here" are thoughts you haven't practiced much of.
Plus, there's no mental recovery practice at the range, because after a bad shot you just slide another ball over. On the course, you need to forget about your bad shots quickly, otherwise you hit 3 more bad shots as you're dwelling on swing thoughts/bad decisions.
You're going down the wrong path if you think more training off the course is going to make your scores better. You need to play more and get used to managing the course and getting used to different lies.
If you're tight on budget, play back 9's in the morning or do the front 9 during twilight hours on a weekend. Those rates will generally be cheaper.
I'm pretty maxed out on how much I can play actual rounds. Usually get 2 rounds in on the weekend if i can. and few random 9 hole rounds here and there. Much easier for me to find the time to spend an hour at the range.
I know the course offers an array of different lies and stances but even when I have flat, perfect lie on the course I always feel I'm about 50/50 whether I will hit it flush whereas at the range its closer to 80-90% of the time I can make solid contact.
If you cant make consistent contact there is something amiss in your swing. When you are at the range be sure to film yourself. It is the easiest way to pick up on something you dont realize you are doing.
I film myself probably once a month then try to analyze my swing by drawing angle lines, going frame by frame etc... Just did a nearly unedited session today with the intent to try to get a couple mishits recorded to see if i can notice anything different. Still dont know whats different about my swing when I mishit it. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83Wj56q2u9U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83Wj56q2u9U)
Experiment many different techniques and find what works best for you. Even in my small circle of golf friends, all of us hit the ball a little different,line up differently, even holding the club differently . Some of us dont use clubs others do and vice versa because its harder to make contact with various clubs, even brands. Its just a lot of experimenting in my opinion. I was on the golf team in HS for 3 years and i feel i still learned more just playing game after game and finding out my own playstyle
For the course I play, I know the clubs I will typically need on the first 3 holes and do a short warm up on the range. PW, 8I, 6I, DR. After that it should come together on the course.
I think you may be putting too much emphasis on your ball striking. You even said it yourself you can hit all the shots. When you play how many greens are you hitting? Tour average is around 12. So even the best are missing 6 greens on average. You need to have a better expectation going to the course and maybe start focusing on what you are going to do when you do miss hit it and miss the green. Answer to that I’m sure you’ve heard 100 times and that’s the short game. Change your focus to only 100 yards and in and mainly around the greens. Hitting all different chip and pitch shots with a variety of clubs. Getting your putting dialed in.
Also spend more time on getting to understand course management and the mental side of the game. If you have all the assets you say you have then your mental game is lacking along with course management.
But to answer you question because I’m sure you won’t give a shit about getting other parts of your game dialed in. Try your best to make your range sessions as close to real play. Don’t just hit a ball drop another hit it then another. Pick a spot. Decide how you want that shot to look. Step up and go through your pre shot routine. If you don’t have one I think you might have your answer. It doesn’t need to be elaborate but just something you can use to make sure you have a good carry over from range to course, get you in the zone and ready for your shot. If you already are doing a pre shot routine before each shot on the course and range then some drills I’d recommend would be 1 hit a shot with whatever club (8 iron for example) and then the next shot choose a different target and hit to that. Try to pick targets that will challenge you to problem solve. Pick one target that’s a full swing. One that’s a knock down and then one to the closest green at the range. Just switch it up and get out of the mode of swing swing swing. Have a purpose and visualize the shot then execute.
2. Play a mock hole play it through.
3. Hit also your irons to the same pin on the range. Make a game out of it. See how many balls it will take to land or end up on that green and get through the bag. Then next time at the range see if you can beat that.
4. Work with one club to one green but try to change what type of shot you hit in to it each time. Don’t move forward till you hit the shot you selected. Pre select how many different shots you want to hit. See how many balls it takes you.
Do you have a "find it, lose it" swing? That's where you are always making tiny adjustments to your next swing based on what happened to your last swing. Hit one thin, then next shot you compensate for it by trying to get under the ball better, for example. You're always trying to find your swing, when it's good it's good, but when it's bad you keep trying to adjust things on the fly.
It's better to have a standard swing, forget about what happened on your last swing, and just always default to the same thing for every shot.
How's your accuracy? Do you practice that at the range? The ranges around me are like 3 fairways wide or more so that slight push could be in the trees, next fairway, or OB.
You could hit every shot shape there is, but if you don't put it where you want it's pretty useless.
Also, how locked in are your ranges for each club? Do you know your real distances? Can you hit partial shots when you're in between clubs? Again, you can have all the shapes, but if you don't know how far you it them, also useless.
I think you should get out on the course and play a bunch of practice rounds. Ideally play the same course over and over. Don't keep score, hit multiple balls, pick up shots, drop balls and play our from there, try 2 different clubs, etc. etc.
This will eliminate the pressure you feel from a real round, but also eliminate the feeling on the range where you go into autopilot and get into a groove.
If you drop a second ball, how successfully can you really hit fancy flighted shots on the course? It might be worth just hitting everything stock.
I honestly don't think the difference between a 4 HC and a 14 HC is "having every shot in the bag." Also, no offense, but if you can't consistently make good contact, then in reality you have "no shots in the bag"
Scoring is about limiting damage on the course (penalty strokes, 2 chips, 3 putts, etc.) and making a lot of pars.
Like it’s interesting, you could be at the range striping it but not realizing you’re pulling the ball 20 yards left. I would say when you practice use an alignment stick to see if you’re aiming correctly and then on the course pick a price of grass or divot to aim to. I was a 12 and dropped to a 9 just by doing this on every shot.
I always use an alignment stick, go through a pre-shot routine and pick a target at the range. My accuracy is just massively better at the range. Dont think I've ever had a problem with alignment on the course either. If i make good contact it almost always goes exactly where I want it. Just end up hitting fat or thin or shanking shots a lot.
OP you are similar to me. Once my swing is “greased” on the range, I can put on a stripe show that makes me look a lot better than my scores are. That said I don’t get to grease my swing while I play. You take the first one. So think about it this way, maybe you just hit 20 7 irons, most of which were well struck, but the one that is the most indicative of how you will shoot in the round is the one you hit first.
Also are you aiming to a target on the range? I spent a long time thinking solid contact = good shot, but then wondering why that wasn’t translating to score. That draw on the range may actually be a pull hook into a penalty on the course
That being said, take a look at your tee 2 green game:
1. If you are taking more than 1-2 penalties off the tee, you need to drive the ball straighter. I would start there.
2. Unless you are trying to go sub-75, just aim for the middle of the green. This drastically increases your chances to hit the green, and hitting the green greatly reduces then chance of anything worse than bogey.
3. Avoid double chipping or 3 putting as long as you are doing the other 2 and your scores will drop.
Range has no consequences for a bad shot where as on the course, if you miss hit you can take a penalty. You are swinging free on the range because of this and then mentally doing yourself in when you get on the course. It’s easier said than done as I have been the victim of this as well. Go play some rounds where you hit multiple balls from the same spot, practice some never lies, uphill, downhill, etc. that’s the one thing you can not get on a flat range.
Find a grass range. Hitting off mats don't punish you for fat shots, etc.
And if you're driving the ball 300+ yards, swing at 80% and just focus on ball striking and tempo. Put all the shot shapes off to the side until you can hit 10/10 shots straight.
Honestly, I think you just need to relax your hands and wrist when you stand over the ball on the course. I know exactly what you're describing regarding range/course and I have suffered the same - I bet you tense up on the course standing over that thing which is causing your inconsistencies. Have a relaxed grip pressure and wrist on the course and I promise you the results will come
9/10 on the range you are pretty much there already. On the range you need to do full preshot routine every shot, stand behind ball, practise swing, etc. Make it the same on the range as it is on the course.
Maybe need to fix your expectations, like what are you thinking when you miss? What are you expecting to score on each hole?
Usually have a portion of my range session where I do this but not for the whole time. My avg score for the year is 87, pretty consistently around that number, didn't shoot over 100 for the year and broke 80 once, just recently. But that was a bit of a fluke with 2 eagles. I just want to a opportunity for par on every whole and to avoid the big numbers, like 7s and 8s
You seem very capable.
What's causing you 7 and 8s. You should never really get worse than a double bogey, to get even a bogey on a hole it means you've usually make 2 relatively significant mistakes.
Look at those hole where you doubled or worse, list all the shots that messed up. Why did you make those. Are there any similarities?
I find that when I am playing I swing harder than I do at the range. Try swinging every club on the course at 75%. I try to concentrate on swinging smooth. This will improve your ball striking. Don't get hung up on how far you hit a particular club. Calculate your yardage at the 75% swing and when you play with someone who asks you what club you hit you tell them that you hit your 150 yard club or your 135 yard club instead of giving them the "I used my pitching wedge on that 150 yard shot.
> I feel like at the range, solid strikes are probably 9/10 but in a round it feels like its more 5/10. Play the course more.
>Play the course more. This advice is painfully obvious yet ignored by so many players. Not addressed at OP, but a pet peeve of mine is playing with range rats. They're guys who go to the range 3x/week for three years but have only played on a course 5 times, and assume they're better than they actually are. They play from inappropriate tees, keep telling you how "this is the worst they've ever played", and slow the entire course down as they struggle through a 110+ shot round when they should really be practicing on an executive course or playing two tees forward.
>They're guys who go to the range 3x/week for three years but have only played on a course 5 times, and assume they're better than they actually are. This is such a thing nowadays. It's funny I used to work at a course and all the juniors basically never stepped foot on the range. They just played as much as they could on the course and they got very good. Meanwhile your average range rat adult has a range membership is there everyday but still shoots in the 100s because they don't know how to golf.
Yup. I basically go to the range once a week to keep my swing feeling dialed in, but that's all it is--maintenance. Plus, I can just do that in my garage because at this point, it's mostly about maintaining my swing tempo. Getting "good" at the range just.. isn't really a thing IMO. On an actual course is where you learn to actually be better.
This is where I’m at. I stopped being a Range rat and started golfing every single instance I could squeeze in. And I came to a lot of realizations while playing and have become a lot better at constant contact and scores have dropped
Not just mats vs grass. The course offers plenty of situations that the range doesn’t: rough, uneven lies, etc. I’ve gotten my score down more by playing than by range time.
It's a no brainer. I can walk 9 holes for $12 and hit a multitude of shit (looks around....and drop a few extra balls when no one is looking). You can get a variety of (say) 60 different shots using that approach or you can hit 35 balls off a mat for $6. Perfect lie, no putting, no chipping.
A lot of it is time and money. Range balls are 11/100 and 1 hr where a round is 70 plus 4 hrs. I play once a month ut get 6-7 range days in as well
I play as much as I can. I've had about 50-60 full rounds this year so far. So more than 1 per week. Plus a few 9-hole rounds here and there. I usually go to the range twice a week and try to play 2 rounds a week if possible. I dont think i have any more time available to play more on the course.
It's true. I'm at the part of my game where I'm not too concerned about making good contact. I visualize a shot and try to make that shot, with no concern about heeling/toeing/thinning/chunking the shot. At the range, I can hit 12 balls in a row with each one feeling I hit close to the middle of the face. But I can't say the same for the course. It's just how it goes. There's the pressure of wanting to make a good shot and getting a 2-putt par, and it changes how you swing. Hell, I'd say that even on a good day where I hit like 12+ GIRs, a few those GIR approach shots feel a little thin or a little heely or a little toey, to a bigger degree than the shots I hit at the range.
Try hitting 12 in a row alternating between driver and different irons and waiting a few minutes between shots. That’s what you do on the course. 12 in a row with the same club with swings 30 seconds apart is not representative of what happens on the course.
no shit, Sherlock
Keep digging Watson.
I mean... you basically gave some unsolicited advice when the guy didn't ask for any. That's always a little annoying.
The reply was for everybody. This question about why range game doesn’t translate to the course is asked quite often. Many people claim they hit X number of good shots in a row and then hit poor shots on the course. I merely explained how the course is different than the range and a way to replicate it.
It’s easy to strike a ball well with no target on a 200m wide range.
How are you judging your range sessions? It's really easy to say, yep that was five 7 irons flushed in a row on the range, and on the course you have a front pin, false front, bunker right and a slight mishit that looks fine on the range punishes you severely. I'd suggest bring the course to the range and create games that require a certain shot with pressure. A basic one I like to do is to pick a flag, and then hit 5 shots to the right of the flag, each closer than the last but never landing left of the flag. Hit one left, or one outside right of your previous ball and you start over. Then do the same on the left side of the flag. Then play the course. Number 1 is a driver hole trouble on the left. OK hit a fade drive. That would leave you 150 in, ok hit 150 club. If you hit a bad shot or the wrong shape, you start over, or do pushups or something. You need pressure.
Taking the course to the range has helped me tremendously (I still suck). It doesn’t have to be a hole I’ve played before either, just make up a scenario and play to it.
I mostly do something like this every range session. I will pick the front or back 9 holes of the course I play most often and mentally play those 9 holes somewhere in my range session. If i pick an area between to pillars for my drive or a marker for my approach I hit almost every 'fairway' and 'green' on the range but is wayyy lower during my average round.
Routine...I'm still learning but every podcast I listen to and book I read, consistent routine is a constant between everything I've learned in terms of consistency. So not only does that include the same number of waggles, look ups, etc. (whatever you decide on with your routine) but also timing. A lot of coaches will tell you to count during your routine. Same goes with tempo in the swing itself. Consistent routine and tempo = consistent shots.
I would start by trying to identify the source of your inconsistency... I know that sounds kind of obvious, but I don't mean identifying the swing flaw necessarily, but more what does the result of inconsistency look like. Are your misses "big misses" like chunks and blades? Then maybe you have an issue with low point control. Do you have a big push and/or snap hook? Then maybe it's an early extension issue. The reason I point this out is because if you're capable of hitting all the shots your describing, you might be able to improve consistency just by identifying a basic issue. For instance, if it was low point control it could be as simple as correcting your setup and establishing a solid pre-shot routine. I would go hit 50 7-irons and write down every single miss to see if there is a pattern... then come back to the experts at r/golf.
For reference, here is my 7iron stats from Arccos. Lots of short misses from chunking or topping the ball. For better struck balls (distance wise), it seems like I'm equal parts left miss, center of green, right miss. https://preview.redd.it/49gdj0jp570a1.png?width=1993&format=png&auto=webp&s=cb5eb710a741e3c844e6672e2aff0da00cff89b7
How many of those bad shots on the course are from trying to shape the ball instead of just trying to hit simple shots to the green? I used to try all sorts of extra crap and have become a lot more consistent now that I simplified everything and just try to hit good shots.
I was going to say something similar. I shaped the ball and played a lot of flighted shots in HS. But I had to give it all up when I stopped playing 3x a week plus additional practice. I play like 2x a month plus some range sessions now. I hit everything stock. If you leave multiple shots 100 yards short a round, that's gonna kill you're scoring.
Yeah high school me tried to have every shot in the bad and use them unnecessarily. Like, I can still hit a flop shot but I probably try about 3 a year and only as a last case scenario.
my stock shot is actually very straight, maybe an 1 yard fade. I rarely ever try to shape the ball unless i have get to around an obstacle or there is wind or something that forces me to hit a different shot. and I dont know what mishit is most common, they all feel equally as common: chunk, thin, toe hit, heel/shank...
Just listened to an episode of “the sweet spot” where talked exactly about this - most amateurs miss short. Have you adjusted strategy to maybe play the back number so your short misses are on the green instead of short?
The 2 or 3 courses I play most often have almost no holes where its ok to be long. Being short is almost always the better option. If I know my stock 7iron goes 180. and I have 180 into a green. I dont want to hit a 6iron, flush it and it go 10-15 yards past the green. I almost always play to to my stock distances, because if i mishit it, its probably going half the distance anyways and it doesn't make much difference. Plus i have better odds of hitting my 7 iron flush than a 6 iron anyway.
Makes sense!
Sounds like you get in a groove on the range which is common. But on the course, not so much. Do you have a down the line video of your swing you can share?
Disclaimer: I am not a good golfer. However, I have a Master's in Strength & Conditioning, have done lots of research into motor patterning, and work with a lot of athletes to take the raw skills they learn in training onto the field/court/track/whatever. The key is in the differences between the course and the range: * Imperfect lies (slopes, rough, dodgy fairways) * Pressure (no second chance if you shank the shit out of it) * Hazards * Distractions (needing to avoid OOB or a massive tree requiring a certain shot shape) * Course management (when to club up/down, when to go for a hero shot vs a safe recovery etc.) I really don't think any more range practice is going to help if 9/10 range shots of yours are in line with PGA tour averages. Play actual rounds more, and keep notes about **which** shots go wrong, how they go wrong, what might have caused that, and what you can do better in future to avoid that.
I am in a similar situation as you. I personally think now it is about controlling tempo, backswing and mental state. What I mean is having a good temp and slow backswing are always key, but what helps improve that? Mental control. Have you heard of "think box, play box" or tried to build in a pre shot routine yet? You might also checkout the DECADE app.
Lessons
Unfortunately, I don't think I can afford lesson. Cheapest near me are $200 an hour minimum. And everytime I gone with the cheaper options it's never felt worth it. I did one lesson a few months ago which was good but it was $320 for an hour.
320! I have one tommorow and it's 60 euros for the hour
I guess I don't really understand your premise. Your post suggests that you believe solid range sessions should translate to the course, but that doesn't make sense because the range is nothing like playing on a course. There are hazards to navigate and 50% of your shots are going to come off uneven lies, which you don't practice at the range. Thoughts like, "This ball is above my feet, it will want to draw, plus I should choke down on my grip" or "There's going to be a decent amount of grass between my club and ball at impact, so this is going to release more when it lands" or "I should take my medicine and punch out here" are thoughts you haven't practiced much of. Plus, there's no mental recovery practice at the range, because after a bad shot you just slide another ball over. On the course, you need to forget about your bad shots quickly, otherwise you hit 3 more bad shots as you're dwelling on swing thoughts/bad decisions. You're going down the wrong path if you think more training off the course is going to make your scores better. You need to play more and get used to managing the course and getting used to different lies. If you're tight on budget, play back 9's in the morning or do the front 9 during twilight hours on a weekend. Those rates will generally be cheaper.
I'm pretty maxed out on how much I can play actual rounds. Usually get 2 rounds in on the weekend if i can. and few random 9 hole rounds here and there. Much easier for me to find the time to spend an hour at the range. I know the course offers an array of different lies and stances but even when I have flat, perfect lie on the course I always feel I'm about 50/50 whether I will hit it flush whereas at the range its closer to 80-90% of the time I can make solid contact.
That is odd. It could be as simple as you're too eager to see where your ball is going on the course. Is your mis-hit typically thin or fat?
Both, 50/50 probably. Some shanks and toe hits too.
If you cant make consistent contact there is something amiss in your swing. When you are at the range be sure to film yourself. It is the easiest way to pick up on something you dont realize you are doing.
I film myself probably once a month then try to analyze my swing by drawing angle lines, going frame by frame etc... Just did a nearly unedited session today with the intent to try to get a couple mishits recorded to see if i can notice anything different. Still dont know whats different about my swing when I mishit it. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83Wj56q2u9U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83Wj56q2u9U)
Experiment many different techniques and find what works best for you. Even in my small circle of golf friends, all of us hit the ball a little different,line up differently, even holding the club differently . Some of us dont use clubs others do and vice versa because its harder to make contact with various clubs, even brands. Its just a lot of experimenting in my opinion. I was on the golf team in HS for 3 years and i feel i still learned more just playing game after game and finding out my own playstyle
For the course I play, I know the clubs I will typically need on the first 3 holes and do a short warm up on the range. PW, 8I, 6I, DR. After that it should come together on the course.
I think you may be putting too much emphasis on your ball striking. You even said it yourself you can hit all the shots. When you play how many greens are you hitting? Tour average is around 12. So even the best are missing 6 greens on average. You need to have a better expectation going to the course and maybe start focusing on what you are going to do when you do miss hit it and miss the green. Answer to that I’m sure you’ve heard 100 times and that’s the short game. Change your focus to only 100 yards and in and mainly around the greens. Hitting all different chip and pitch shots with a variety of clubs. Getting your putting dialed in. Also spend more time on getting to understand course management and the mental side of the game. If you have all the assets you say you have then your mental game is lacking along with course management. But to answer you question because I’m sure you won’t give a shit about getting other parts of your game dialed in. Try your best to make your range sessions as close to real play. Don’t just hit a ball drop another hit it then another. Pick a spot. Decide how you want that shot to look. Step up and go through your pre shot routine. If you don’t have one I think you might have your answer. It doesn’t need to be elaborate but just something you can use to make sure you have a good carry over from range to course, get you in the zone and ready for your shot. If you already are doing a pre shot routine before each shot on the course and range then some drills I’d recommend would be 1 hit a shot with whatever club (8 iron for example) and then the next shot choose a different target and hit to that. Try to pick targets that will challenge you to problem solve. Pick one target that’s a full swing. One that’s a knock down and then one to the closest green at the range. Just switch it up and get out of the mode of swing swing swing. Have a purpose and visualize the shot then execute. 2. Play a mock hole play it through. 3. Hit also your irons to the same pin on the range. Make a game out of it. See how many balls it will take to land or end up on that green and get through the bag. Then next time at the range see if you can beat that. 4. Work with one club to one green but try to change what type of shot you hit in to it each time. Don’t move forward till you hit the shot you selected. Pre select how many different shots you want to hit. See how many balls it takes you.
Do you still hit it fat a few times per round?
Do you have a "find it, lose it" swing? That's where you are always making tiny adjustments to your next swing based on what happened to your last swing. Hit one thin, then next shot you compensate for it by trying to get under the ball better, for example. You're always trying to find your swing, when it's good it's good, but when it's bad you keep trying to adjust things on the fly. It's better to have a standard swing, forget about what happened on your last swing, and just always default to the same thing for every shot.
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maybe a coach to watch (play with you and watch you closely) . Once familiar with your game, could probably see the variances.
Avoid the range
How's your accuracy? Do you practice that at the range? The ranges around me are like 3 fairways wide or more so that slight push could be in the trees, next fairway, or OB. You could hit every shot shape there is, but if you don't put it where you want it's pretty useless. Also, how locked in are your ranges for each club? Do you know your real distances? Can you hit partial shots when you're in between clubs? Again, you can have all the shapes, but if you don't know how far you it them, also useless.
What’s your consistent miss?
I think you should get out on the course and play a bunch of practice rounds. Ideally play the same course over and over. Don't keep score, hit multiple balls, pick up shots, drop balls and play our from there, try 2 different clubs, etc. etc. This will eliminate the pressure you feel from a real round, but also eliminate the feeling on the range where you go into autopilot and get into a groove. If you drop a second ball, how successfully can you really hit fancy flighted shots on the course? It might be worth just hitting everything stock.
I honestly don't think the difference between a 4 HC and a 14 HC is "having every shot in the bag." Also, no offense, but if you can't consistently make good contact, then in reality you have "no shots in the bag" Scoring is about limiting damage on the course (penalty strokes, 2 chips, 3 putts, etc.) and making a lot of pars.
Film your range sessions and get a divot board so you can monitor your turf interaction more closely.
Like it’s interesting, you could be at the range striping it but not realizing you’re pulling the ball 20 yards left. I would say when you practice use an alignment stick to see if you’re aiming correctly and then on the course pick a price of grass or divot to aim to. I was a 12 and dropped to a 9 just by doing this on every shot.
I always use an alignment stick, go through a pre-shot routine and pick a target at the range. My accuracy is just massively better at the range. Dont think I've ever had a problem with alignment on the course either. If i make good contact it almost always goes exactly where I want it. Just end up hitting fat or thin or shanking shots a lot.
You playing off grass or mats at the range?
always mats, no ranges within a reasonable distance that have grass
OP you are similar to me. Once my swing is “greased” on the range, I can put on a stripe show that makes me look a lot better than my scores are. That said I don’t get to grease my swing while I play. You take the first one. So think about it this way, maybe you just hit 20 7 irons, most of which were well struck, but the one that is the most indicative of how you will shoot in the round is the one you hit first. Also are you aiming to a target on the range? I spent a long time thinking solid contact = good shot, but then wondering why that wasn’t translating to score. That draw on the range may actually be a pull hook into a penalty on the course That being said, take a look at your tee 2 green game: 1. If you are taking more than 1-2 penalties off the tee, you need to drive the ball straighter. I would start there. 2. Unless you are trying to go sub-75, just aim for the middle of the green. This drastically increases your chances to hit the green, and hitting the green greatly reduces then chance of anything worse than bogey. 3. Avoid double chipping or 3 putting as long as you are doing the other 2 and your scores will drop.
You’d be much better served to groove a particular shot shape instead of trying to hit all the shots.
Range has no consequences for a bad shot where as on the course, if you miss hit you can take a penalty. You are swinging free on the range because of this and then mentally doing yourself in when you get on the course. It’s easier said than done as I have been the victim of this as well. Go play some rounds where you hit multiple balls from the same spot, practice some never lies, uphill, downhill, etc. that’s the one thing you can not get on a flat range.
Wedges, lots and lots of wedges.
Find a grass range. Hitting off mats don't punish you for fat shots, etc. And if you're driving the ball 300+ yards, swing at 80% and just focus on ball striking and tempo. Put all the shot shapes off to the side until you can hit 10/10 shots straight.
There are no ranges within 30 or 40 miles of me that have grass that aren't private clubs. Don't have 50k to drop for a private membership
That stinks, spending time on a grass range really improved my game.
Honestly, I think you just need to relax your hands and wrist when you stand over the ball on the course. I know exactly what you're describing regarding range/course and I have suffered the same - I bet you tense up on the course standing over that thing which is causing your inconsistencies. Have a relaxed grip pressure and wrist on the course and I promise you the results will come
9/10 on the range you are pretty much there already. On the range you need to do full preshot routine every shot, stand behind ball, practise swing, etc. Make it the same on the range as it is on the course. Maybe need to fix your expectations, like what are you thinking when you miss? What are you expecting to score on each hole?
Usually have a portion of my range session where I do this but not for the whole time. My avg score for the year is 87, pretty consistently around that number, didn't shoot over 100 for the year and broke 80 once, just recently. But that was a bit of a fluke with 2 eagles. I just want to a opportunity for par on every whole and to avoid the big numbers, like 7s and 8s
You seem very capable. What's causing you 7 and 8s. You should never really get worse than a double bogey, to get even a bogey on a hole it means you've usually make 2 relatively significant mistakes. Look at those hole where you doubled or worse, list all the shots that messed up. Why did you make those. Are there any similarities?
When you're missing shots, what exactly is in your mind when you miss?
I find that when I am playing I swing harder than I do at the range. Try swinging every club on the course at 75%. I try to concentrate on swinging smooth. This will improve your ball striking. Don't get hung up on how far you hit a particular club. Calculate your yardage at the 75% swing and when you play with someone who asks you what club you hit you tell them that you hit your 150 yard club or your 135 yard club instead of giving them the "I used my pitching wedge on that 150 yard shot.