For golf enthusiasts, either as professional or beginner, one of the most important things you could want to learn is how to drive range. On several occasions, Drivers have been misunderstood to be responsible for driving ranges; however, that is not the only club you could use. The purpose of driving ranges is to make sure you are great with different clubs available, while you relax muscles and get a good rhythm.
Most times, beginners are the ones who need to learn more about driving ranges because they get too comfortable with using a particular type of club, instead of using many. Therefore, this article contains a list of useful driving range tips for beginners. Additionally, there is further information on the Do’s and Don’ts.
Table of Contents
Types of Practice
Before you proceed with the driving range tips for golf enthusiasts, there is something else you should know – the two types of Practice (Rote and Situational Practice).
Rote Practice
Rote Practice, also called Muscle Memory, is a repetitive skill set that allows you to maintain swings in and out of a game naturally.
Situational Practice
Situational Practice, also called Game Management, comes in mostly during a game, so that it is applicable in other similar situations.
Overall, the importance of Practice, whether Rote or Situational, is to maintain consistency whenever you take swings with a club.
11 Tips of Driving Range for Beginners
Use only the Lower Arm to Putt
For beginners who would like to get started on driving range, Putting is a powerful thing to learn. This drill involves only using your lower arm for putting, within short distances, until you are finally able to take longer ones. For instance, you could start with 4 to 9 feet, depending on how progressive you are.
In a bid to start taking longer distances, you need to have more control over the putter, and that means the introduction of the other arm. By the time you are good at it, you will discover that you can now do an end-over-end roll.
Improve your Takeways
Many times, the reason why people take bad swings is that they haven’t been consistent with their takeways. First, you need to know how to maintain the same swing over and over with a particular club when driving range. Then, improve until it becomes perfect. Two types of drills could help out – Mop and Bench Drills.
Mop Drill
This drill aims to make sure the weight of the head of a club is at its highest before taking a low-and-slow swing.
Bench Drill
This drill is only possible if there is a bench in your driving range routine. It helps you get the feeling of what a good takeway is. In the same vein, it gets you into the perfect stance.
With the help of these two drills, you should start taking excellent swings in no time.
Get Better with Clubs
During your practice time, you get to do all sort of things; trying golf clubs have to be one. When driving range, the aim is to make sure you are good with different clubs, not a particular one. The 21 and Done drill is quite useful because it helps you get accustomed to your clubs.
The 21 and Drone Drill consists of:
- A deduction of 1 point from the number of yards achieved with a Driver
- Use different clubs and take 5 shots each. With each club, aim to achieve 21 points and find out what it took you.
It is a situational practice; thus, the overall importance of this drill is to make sure you can adapt to changes in distance or terrains.
Maintain a Perfect Posture and Stance
It is important to be sure of how you take a stand or maintain a posture when you play golf. Now, it all starts when you practice. During training, you are expected to keep a distance from the ball, to your knees.
Make sure your grip is slightly above the kneecap. Also, while the clubface is on the ground, ensure to keep the club resting on your knee. Further, do not hunch your shoulders.
It could take you some couple of months to maintain a perfect posture, but do not be discouraged.
Discover how to Align Your Body
Another thing you should learn how to do apart from maintaining posture is the perfect alignment of the body to a golf club. Unfortunately, it is not an easy task, but you need to do it. With a good alignment, you get a good feeling about hitting your target.
You could try something that works: ensure your feet is aiming at the target; make your clubface parallel to that feet OR try .
Avoid Outside-In Swings
You want to make sure your swings are perfect and accurate, but sometimes, you may need to be a little extra in the details. One of those things is avoiding outside-in swings. These swings are mostly responsible for inaccurate shots, which could cost you a lot if not careful.
Interestingly, a driver comes in handy in this case. First, take a good stance, about 2 to 3 inches from the ball and avoid widening. Then, take a swing. It could take you several trials to perfect it, but you will develop a great swing path without outside-ins. More Practice makes you even better.
Maximize Your Comfort Zone when Chipping
Be the judge of your progress, as a chipper if you could save a good number of strokes per round. A lot of golfers get discouraged when they miss out on every stroke; it is okay to feel bad but not discouraged. All you need to do is maximize your comfort zone and do better.
First, make sure you are willing to try again, even if you fail. Next, be ready to try out different golf clubs on all kinds of terrains, facing all obstacles. Most importantly, find out the golf clubs that perform excellently on each terrain you overcome.
Use Sand to Your Advantage
By now you know that you won’t always have to play in the Greens, there are other terrains and one of them is the Sand. Most mid-handicappers get quite perturbed when driving range in Sand, and that shouldn’t be happening. Sand should be used to advantage.
Peradventure, you need a drill to help you use Sand to advantage, the is perfect. It helps you get comfortable in the Sand, with factors such as depth and sand-type in consideration. For every shot, you take, make sure you are prepared to score more points.
Make Your Putt Perfect
Have you found out the number of putts you can take per round? If you have not, well you need to because it determines how good you are. Most golfers take 30 putts per round, while low handicappers are great with 25. Generally, what Putting requires is good distance control.
A Go The Distance drill is a perfect way to make your Putt good. All you have to do is lay down at least 15 balls and score points for every ball that exceeds 18 inches in the distance. In the end, you should have an aggregate of points to describe your worthiness.
Dial in Your Wedges
As a beginner, you may not be too confident with your wedges because it seems totally out of control. However, driving range with a wedge means being able to dial in perfectly. It helps you build confidence and makes sure you are ready for any circumstance that comes your way.
Foremost, you need to know how good your wedge is and how hard it needs to be swung. Next, maintain that exact swing that got you where you want your ball, consistently. Finally, keep it locked on that regardless of the situation.
Be Confident
Nothing is possible when driving range for beginners until there is an ounce of confidence. Prior you to the confidence you will gain during the consistent Practice of different drills, you need to show some. Finally, it would be best if you always tried again when you fail, because only then is success guaranteed.
Do’s and Don’ts
While mastering the 11 driving range tips for beginners, you should also be aware of the things to do and not to do.
Do’s
Show some confidence even when you have absolutely no idea
Find a hitting bay at the end of a range
Don’ts
Do not pick golf balls on a range
Try not to rush through a bucket frequently
Conclusion
Most beginners are often scared of taking new challenges; however, it is an added advantage in learning how to drive range. With the tricks above on driving range, you shouldn’t have problems now or in the future. Lastly, practice consistently, master all the drills and apply them in any situation you find yourself. We wrote a Part 2 of this post here, hope you enjoy it!