Conference 7.286::golf

    Paul,
    	I know the problem of snapping the big hook at he range too. 
    Shoes, provided they are a reasonable fit, shouldn't affect that at
    all.  However the mats have a big impact especially with a slightly
    closed face.  We all tend to hit the ball a little heavy, with the
    clubface closing down coming into the ball gets amplified because the
    club slides along the mat into the ball.  On grass the club takes a
    divot so the closed clubface doesn't have that much of an impact.
    
    	What I finally decided to do was, if I'm going to hit off a mat I
    just work on tempo and perhaps set up.  If I start to hook the ball I
    don't worry about it.  Of course if I start to snap fade the ball, then
    I think about not lunging at it.
    
    					KO

    I'm glad to know that someone else has the same problem that I do at
    the range!!  You might try picking a specific target with each swing
    and changing the target every time.  Especially, start with short
    targets, as that helps get into the "swing" of things.  Other ideas
    that have helped..
    
         Arrange your balls in groups of 6-10 and take a break after each
         group.
    
         Change clubs after one or two shots, along with changing targets.
    
         Swing agressively.  S's are normally caused by a decelerating club
         at impact.
    
         Screaming helps, too.
    
         Finally, quit going to the range if nothing else helps.  Go out
    late in the evenings and hit several balls per hole.  It's a good
    work-out and helps the game.
    
    Good luck.  One final tip.  The pro that helped me get rid of the S's,
    pointed out that too much body motion, especially if the body gets too
    far ahead of club during the down-swing, leads to problems.  He had me
    concentrate on letting my arms come thru more quickly.  It works for
    me.

    I find it difficult to think what is so different about my 'range'
    swing and my 'real' swing. I think trying to hit the ball that little
    bit harder (you know, "I'm sure I can get it over that fence if I
    REALLY connect with this...") could be the main cause. The trouble is
    once you start 's'ing, it's more difficult to stop than just saying
    "OK, let's slow things down". The muscles tighten, the backswing jerks,
    etc...
    
    What is most infuriating though is basically that I don't 's' on the
    course, so I don't feel I need to 'fix' my swing! I go to the range to
    get extra practice (due to the geography of where I live and where my
    'home' club is, I can't play as often as I'd like to), because I know
    the only secret is to practice. The practice seems like a waste of
    time when the 's' hits, because this just isn't my natural game!
    
    I hate those plastic mats - they absorb so much momentum compared to
    real turf. Most of the time I'll use the 'tees', these have their
    problems too because they are unadjustable. When the rot sets in, I can
    still 's' it of those!
    
    Paul
    

    range mats are perhaps the worst things for a golf club and swing.
    
    try hitting off grass or hardpan BUT...tee your ball everytime
    no matter what club your using...
    
    I did this for about two years teeing lower irons(w,9,8,7) very close
    to the ground and increasing the height I'd tee it as the irons got
    longer...it allowed a clean hit on the ball which is what I wanted
    as at the time I was working on changing my swing and swing path.
    
    	The hardest thing to do is to be working on one area of the
    game and have to worry about another...so I tried to eliminate
    the things (hitting the mat/ground first, getting grass between
    clubface and ball, etc.) that interfered with what I was working on.
    
    
    
    my $.02

	A lot of times when you go to the range and hit off mats there can
	be a natural tendency to alter your swing.  This occurs because 
	subconciously you're afraid to *hit* the mat.  Your mind and muscle
	memory know that there is supposed to be grass under the ball and 
	that the clubhead will dig into it.  Subconciously knowing this, as
	well as knowing the mat will not give, your body automatically changes
	your swing.

	To overcome this you must force yourself to hit the mat.  One way to
	do this is to swing with your right hand on top of and overlapping 
	your left, so your left is doing all the work, and hit balls.  To 
	facilitate this drill think about pulling the handle of the club into
	your right pants pocket, "drop it in the pocket" I call it.  This 
	drill will help you overcome the fear of hurting yourself by hitting 
	the mat.  Good luck.

	Jeff

    I'd agree that it could be a psychological thing about hitting the mat,
    but I take exception to fiddling around with my grip, etc when there's
    nothing basically wrong when I hit the ball off grass. That just
    devalues my practice at the range.
    
    Interesting to see that other people seem to have troubles with plastic
    too!
    
    I tried again last night - driver was fine, I hit some nice long,
    straight shots. But then I tried an iron - FORE RIGHT!! Now I know a
    's' with a wood is next to impossible, but a swing that 's's with an
    iron isn't going to hit a 250yd straight drive.  
    
    I find foot grip is more of a problem compared to wearing spikes and I
    don't think this helps. 
    
    Fortunately I can still laugh off the stupid iron shots and practice my
    woods only at the range, but it doesn't make much sense. You'd think
    with all the money involved, someone could develop a better plastic
    golf turf for ranges.
    
    Paul

>    I'd agree that it could be a psychological thing about hitting the mat,
>    but I take exception to fiddling around with my grip, etc when there's
>    nothing basically wrong when I hit the ball off grass. That just
>    devalues my practice at the range.
    
	I was not suggesting that you fiddle with your grip.  What I was 
	explaining is a practice drill.  It is designed to teach you left
	arm/left side control.  It will also get you swinging the club into
	the ball.  It is a hard drill to explain but I will try again.

	Take your normal grip with both hands.  Take your stance and place
	the club behind the ball.  Now, relax your right hand and slide it up 
	the shaft and up your left hand until it is no longer on any part of
	the grip.  It will actually be gripping your left hand, i.e., only
	your left hand is on the grip.

	Another variation on this is called the "claw" drill.  Take your
	normal grip but with your right hand grip the club so that the 
	shaft is between the first two fingers.  Make sure you take some
	bandages along with you for this one.  It tends to tear the skin
	on the inside of those two fingers.

	Just continuosly hitting balls won't improve your game.  Drills will.
	Hit about twenty balls using these drills and then try hitting balls
	with your normal grip.  If you're still s****king then it may be
	time to see a psychiatrist.  Good luck.

	Jeff

    Going to the range can be a very mixed affair, at least for me. I'm
    sure 90% of it's in my head, but if there's much of a crowd, it really
    bothers me. Maybe I get caught up in all the other tempos, or the
    general frenzy; or maybe I try too hard to hit good shots, so I won't
    look too bad to the other people there (as though anyone cares), but
    for whatever reason, only rarely do I keep my mind on whatever swing
    element it was I wanted to work on. Within minutes I've forgotten that
    I meant to concentrate on keeping the elbow in, or working on my knee
    action or whatever, and am mindlessly bashing away as hard as possible,
    trying to outhit the guy on the next mat. I seem to do better with a
    practice mat and some whiffle balls, hitting from my driveway into the
    back yard.
    

    PAUL,
    
    I can share your frustration. Yesterday I played 18 and it was either a
    case of down the middle or I would shank the thing!! Playing like this
    is worse I think than hitting all bad ones as you know you can do it,
    but why not all the time??
    
    Is it Sindlesham you go to? If so, some of the newer mats are better
    than the old ones which are just a chunk of plastic. The new ones are
    flatter and are more realistic...give them a try.
    
    I think also at the range the extra distance we try to achieve could
    have the effect of getting the body through the shot before the hands,
    so that you're almost getting into the end turn before the ball has
    gone. This, I think is the problem I have, but it may be yours too.
    I guess at the range we often just hit the ball without a real 
    distance marker to aim at which also might mean the swing is that much 
    quicker.
    
    Just try and stay behind the ball and check that the shoulders aren't
    aiming left of the target.
    
    
    Phil.

    I too suffer with the dreaded "range bug". I think that the problems
    stems from lack of concentration. Lets face it you stand there on
    the mat and hit 50-100 balls in about 1-2 hours. There is no pressure
    on you to hit the perfect shot every time although it would be nice
    to.
    
    I like to use the range about an hour before I play in order to
    warm up my muscles. I don't feel that the mats help in making the
    perfect shot. Another problem I find with practice on the range
    is distance. How often have you hit a perfectly executed shot which
    is tee'd up and not reach that megical 250 yard marker ? 
    
    Too much practice on those mats with those balls will not, in my opinion
    be of enourmous benefit. The only real benefit as I can see in a
    range is not having to pick the balls up after you have hit them.
    
    Steve. 

    Phil,
    
    Yes, I do use Sindlesham (it wasn't your car window was it?? ;-)). 
     
    I know what you mean about the new mats, they are a little better -
    although sometimes they're a bit too bare. I do prefer them though.
    Usually I try to get a bay with a tee in it that is reasonably low and
    hit everything off that - it gets rid of all that plastic stuff
    completely. Unfortunately the trouble with Sindlesham is the crowds -
    you just use what's available.
    
    It's interesting to see that one or two people have similar problems
    with plastic/ranges, which reassures me a little that it IS the range
    and not me ;-). The tips and encouragement are welcomed!
    
    Paul

I've never hit off the plastic.  But I love the range.  It's the only way I can
practice and see actual results from the flight of the ball.  I had always hit
plastic whiffle balls before, and that's a good way if it's the only way.  At
least it'll exercise your swing.  If it's windy, forget the wiffle balls!

The range is excellent but many people don't know how to take advantage of it.
I see guys go out and just tee balls up and bang'em with no purpose.  I see'em
blowing most shots and often hear'em making up excuses, like it's their clubs
or something.  You can certainly practice "doing the wrong things" and perfect
them, too!

Everyone needs a pro to work with them, and give them some work to do.  Some of
my friends kid me about going to the range, paying the costly prices of private
instruction from a pro, and in general.... taking the game on the serious note
that I do.  Yet, their game and scores are not as sound as mine.  Recently, one
friend played with me and said several times, "I'm impressed."

I go to the range more than I go to the course.  That's where the work gets
done.  I'm weary of hearing golfers complain about their game and never go to
get help or to the range, but flock to the course for another day of "slapping
the ball" around.  I have no use for such belly-aching.  They deserve to shoot
50's and 60's for nine holes.

If one is in a town with available help, then one should get it.

-dwight

    A slice can be caused by hitting the ball off your back leg.  So instead
    of going through the ball and hitting the ball square, you hit the ball
    while your weight is still on your back foot.  One other point is that
    you may be doing a reverse pivot which will also cause you to slice or
    sometimes hook.
    
    You may need someone trained in looking a swings to look at you and give
    you a helping hand.
    
    Peter

    Yea, I agree....Practice ranges really screw me up, although I still
    do go to the range occasionally.
    
    
    I've found that there are a lot of times when my home course is not too
    busy. I'll play 9 holes using 2 balls and treat that as practice. You
    can make a change, then see immediate results. Try different clubs,
    stances, etc. to find out how the ball reacts. 
    
    Also, for some reason, short (under 30 yards) chips at the practice
    green work better for me than hitting my chipping iron at the range.
    
    Jim

    I also do not like practice ranges with matts. i can't get used
    to hitting irons off the matt and the tee's are generally way to
    tall. I end up just hitting my driver. I know a guy that brings
    his own cut down tee to the range and replaces the tall one with
    his. I try to go to the ranges where you hit everything from grass.
    actually if i do manage to get out of the house for a couple of
    hours i would rather play nine than practice anyway.
    
    LEO