I like pretending I'm on the course, and running through the shots for each hole. For instance, my local muni starts with a 162 yard par 3, then a 430 yard par 4, etc., and I take a shot with the specific club I would play if I were out on the course. The only difference is I sometimes allow mulligans -- that is, I require myself to complete a correct shot with each club for the distance I would want it to go on that hole before moving on to the next mental position.

Other times I just beat hell out of the balls.

I don't have a grass range so I essentially beat balls... I can't work on things without grass and taking divots.

I go to the range to work on swing flaws, and to try new shots and such, so I can add them to my arsenal.

I find I am only going to the range if I have trouble with my swing.

Agreed. Playing is the best practise.

I like the range best when we are getting lessons. I'd rather practice on the course, but I use the range to get confidence in a club I'm having problems with so I can strart using it again! My best practice at a driving range is on the chipping and putting greens, not taking full swings.

I enjoy practicing as much as playing. I spend about 40-50 hours per week practicing my golf game. I usually play two rounds per week where I work on course management and lies that you do not get on the range.

I am guessing golf must be your job Callaway Girl. Because most do not have that time.

Actually, I work a full time job. I just practice and play just as much. I am hoping that golf will be my job someday soon.

Wow, 40 hours a week at work and 40-50 hours a week of practice. Plus playing time? Doesnt leave a whole lot of time to sleep.

Nope, not really. I go to work at 6:30am. Practice on my two hour lunches everyday and practice when I get off of work for about 3-4 hours. Then hit the sack around 10:00pm. I do it all over again until the weekend. On the weekend, I usually play one or two rounds and practice at least 3-4 hours a day. Sometime, when I don't play, I practice for 8 hours on Saturday and 4-5 on Sundays.

I was being sarcastic....It was just a joke

No problem

Does Practice really help?
 

WHile you are at the range, do you find that you are actually practicing or just beating balls? I try and work on my swing and its flaws (mainly weight shift with driver). But I look up and down the range and see most people just beating balls. I find that when I am tired, I do the same.

I find doing a combination of both can really help. Usually with the first bucket I'll practise things that are slightly off during my round, when they are fixed, or when I get so tired that I can no longer focus, I start to just beat balls to loosen me up.

This is the thing. You have to "work" on something specific. Take your time. Think things through. It should take 1.5-2 hours to go through a large bucket of about 100-120 balls, if you are doing it right.


ironinsand

I think it's a mix of three different things for me.

1.) Trying out new types of shots that I am not confident to try out on the course.

2.) Working on my swing flaws, tweaking swing.

3.) Needing to get out of the house....and yeah, just beating balls.

I find I do number three when I am tired, am practicing just because I have nothing else to do or went to the range with a friend (i.e. distraction).

Both.
My spring routine will be...bunch of balls to loosen up. Then my swing guy will give me a new thing to work on, along with what else I have been working on. At least that's my game plan. Trying to make it simple, yet effective.

I'm very much the same on all three of those.

When I'm serious about working on something, I'll take my notebook, a few cigars, and plan on spending some quality time working on some part of my swing or a particular shot.

My next session like this will be hitting the new 4 wood off the deck. I'm not doing this well at all right now, but I'm killing it off the tee on short par 4's and long par 3's.

the way my country club does it is with bags of about 65-75 balls each. the first bag i hit with only lob, sand, and pitching wedge. they have a pretty decent distance setup with flags and greens at 70 and 125 yards. the second bag i will hit mostly long irons and a few woods then about 10 shots with my driver

I've noticed in the past when I get the "jumbo" bucket most of the time I spend just beating balls. But if I get the medium or large bucket I'll spend more time actually trying to work on something. I think alot of times I get the jumbo bucket and after hitting slice, after slice, after slice with my 3 wood or driver I give up and stop practicing anything and just hit the balls to get it over with. The last couple times I was at the range I started with my wedges and worked up so I had fewer balls to hit with my 3w and driver. So I had to make sure I made good swings.