How many range session to practice per week? Beginner

totally agree with haragolfer - spend more time on the greens learning the short game and shots that are around 100 yards and in, that's where most strokes are lost/gained for most amateur golfers

good luck and enjoy the game!

Very Active Golfer Posts : 533 Join date : 2011-09-16

From what some touring professionals have told me- they range 300 balls everyday

Hope it helps

Senior Golfer Posts : 398 Join date : 2011-07-22

It depends on what level you are playing at the moment. As a beginner, it's ok to hit at the range more, however what you should be doing is concentrate on your fundamentals and swing technique.
Check
1. Your grip -
2. Your Stance - comfortable with feel of balance
3. Initial take off
4. Your back swing, check club positions at half and at full back swing
5. Start of your transition, should be initiate by a slight bump of your hip
6. Once down swing, it's all the way through to your finish post. However you may want to note where your club touches the ground, i.e. landed before your ball position or after your ball position. Ideally it should be after the ball.

I suggest you take 2 practice swings before you hit each ball. 1st swing is just air swing to check all fundamentals, club positions, etc. Then 2nd swing is a pre-dry run. A actual swing without the ball and observe where your club touches the ground. Then proceed to hit with a ball.

After you hit the ball, you may want to observe how your ball fly and any mistakes you made.
If you top the ball, it may means your body has move upwards or your hands is pulling it up.
If you duff, it may means you release too early or body is not turning enough to have weight forward, which caused Club landed before ball.
If you slice, it may means your swing path is out to in and club head is open
If you hook, it may means you are using too much hands and club face is close.
Of course there may be other reasons to the above, but these are the more common ones.

Next is go back to check your swing before hitting the next ball.

Quality is better than quantity as the majority has mentioned. Think 100-200 balls is enough. You need not go everyday, remember to allow your body to recover from fatique. Alternate days you may do some chipping and putting. Days when you don't go range, you can do some air swing at home (without club).

Once your get your swing proper, everything will come, distance and accuracy.

Just sharing. Happy exploring.

Junior Golfer Posts : 200 Join date : 2010-08-25

Good thread, this. And very helpful advice given by bros here... Smile

Practising 100yards and in is a good idea. But ideally it's difficult as there is nowhere that you can slowly hit many balls to get that around the greens "feel". At best you will practice 18 times in one round. It's no wonder why people all stress when they get near the pin...

Newbie Golfer Posts : 59 Join date : 2013-09-22

I was at the range this morning and did about 150 balls. Was actually quite happy with myself as I seem to be topping or fatting less and getting the ball quite straight at times. However when I was cleaning my clubs, a sifu who has been observing me told me my swing is too wide and I did not cock my wrist on the upswing. As a result I seem to use more effort. However, when I try to practise based on his advice and cock my wrist and then force down my left arm and try to hit ball before ground, I was completely off and could hardly hit the ball, let alone send it on its flight. Sh.,., now I don't know what to do. Should I go on and adjust my swing to be more perfect or revert back to my 'compensating' swing that I was used to?

Junior Golfer Posts : 115 Join date : 2013-02-27

bellevue18 wrote:: I was at the range this morning and did about 150 balls. Was actually quite happy with myself as I seem to be topping or fatting less and getting the ball quite straight at times. However when I was cleaning my clubs, a sifu who has been observing me told me my swing is too wide and I did not cock my wrist on the upswing. As a result I seem to use more effort. However, when I try to practise based on his advice and cock my wrist and then force down my left arm and try to hit ball before ground, I was completely off and could hardly hit the ball, let alone send it on its flight. Sh.,., now I don't know what to do. Should I go on and adjust my swing to be more perfect or revert back to my 'compensating' swing that I was used to?

Bro change is always painful, but change for better . ... I used to hit my balls consistently till my coach pin point some of my mistakes than when I start changing all goes my haywire swing cannot even have good contact with balls and practice till now I understand what he's teaching me already when I start to hit the ball better ...

I do practices with drills with certain targets twice a week and went to the green on alternate weeks to learn course management when I was a beginner.

Yes, swing change is very disturbing especially u see those high scores which u never expected. But end of the day, u will see light at the end of the tunnel.

This year, I went through another major swing change plus gears upgrade, until now I have not fully recvered but I still think positive.

Newbie Golfer Posts : 59 Join date : 2013-09-22

Ok thanks bro Golf Noob and kenneth18 for the enlightenment. So it will be back to square one and long hours of hopefully perfection.

Haha I remembered one of my coaches said: "there is no perfection in golf but only satisfaction. Results doesn't mean anything, just enjoy the game n practice with quality not quantity"!

Newbie Golfer Posts : 55 Join date : 2012-12-10

kenneth18 wrote:: Haha I remembered one of my coaches said: "there is no perfection in golf but only satisfaction. Results doesn't mean anything, just enjoy the game n practice with quality not quantity"!

+1..my coach said the same stuff...

Golf is forever learning.

Newbie Golfer Posts : 59 Join date : 2013-09-22

Haha.., guess in golf, I am still in my kindergarten days..

kenneth18 wrote:: Haha I remembered one of my coaches said: "there is no perfection in golf but only satisfaction. Results doesn't mean anything, just enjoy the game n practice with quality not quantity"!

Well descript fm yr coaches, kenneth bro.
Nothing is perfect!

Caddy Posts : 1659 Join date : 2010-12-02

GEARS upgrade always means score downgrade for me. and go look for this book by Bob Rotella, golf is not a game of perfect.

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bellevue18 wrote:: I was at the range this morning and did about 150 balls. Was actually quite happy with myself as I seem to be topping or fatting less and getting the ball quite straight at times. However when I was cleaning my clubs, a sifu who has been observing me told me my swing is too wide and I did not cock my wrist on the upswing. As a result I seem to use more effort. However, when I try to practise based on his advice and cock my wrist and then force down my left arm and try to hit ball before ground, I was completely off and could hardly hit the ball, let alone send it on its flight. Sh.,., now I don't know what to do. Should I go on and adjust my swing to be more perfect or revert back to my 'compensating' swing that I was used to?

Don't worry too much about it for the moment Bellevue18.

One thing at a time. The golf swing involves many complicated movements and adding any extra element when your current swing isn't sound is like building a delicately balanced house of cards which comes tumbling down the moment you add another card.

Your 'compensating swing' achieved some form of equilibrium allowing you to make decent contact with the ball (that's good), the additional swing tip though, threw out that equilibrium. What that sifu advised you is a more advanced move which at this point may not be right time to introduce to you. I don't know of any coach that teaches wrist cock and left arm extension in the first few lessons without emphasis first on the basic building blocks of a swing.

Take heart, all amateurs have some form of compensating move in the their swing, beginner to advanced. Some more, some less, or else we'll be pros.

Build a swing that's as consistent as possible that allows you to make decent contact out on the course to enjoy your game, compensating moves and all. Then tackle what is lacking one error at a time, but only after achieving a level of proficiency and equilibrium that again allows you to make playable contact with the ball. No use trying to tackle each mistake every time some sifu points one out each time you go to the range, you'll just lose your swing and end up totally confused without any understanding of the cause and effect of each additional tip. Very Happy

While hammering balls at the range is good practice, remember that practice also makes permanent. So, if you're doing something wrong and you keep doing it consistently, it may soon become a habit which you can't shake.

Therefore, it's not about the number of range sessions but more the effectiveness of each session. Similarly, it's not about the number of balls you hit but the quality of each shot you make.

How that translates for you into the number of range visits is personal. For me, I think going to the range at least once a week (or twice) is useful. But I'm afraid that I don't have that luxury so I have to use my golf games as practice sessions. And boy do I suffer in doing so!

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Newbie Golfer Posts : 59 Join date : 2013-09-22

Hmm.. thanks for the insightful take, Birdman. I will probably give the new moves some time to see if I can adapt. If not, I will just revert to my old moves and live with it and just enjoy the game as it is.

Cheers

Super Active Golfer Posts : 1829 Join date : 2012-03-22

I have different view.. I think before you start tinkering on the advice of somebody else, go see your coach... Why waste your time n money practising something that's wrong n worse, on some novice advice...

Newbie Golfer Posts : 59 Join date : 2013-09-22

True too, Chien. I haven't got a coach now, having finished some time back. The player who gave advice does have a solid swing and good consistent ball flight, so I am sure he is pretty experience, and is probably offering free advice to help others.

Senior Golfer Posts : 437 Join date : 2013-12-01

@bellevue

Everybody wants to be a "sifu". It feels good giving advice and feels even better when that advice is taken by somebody. However, in my journey so far learning the golf swing, I got 2 comments:

1. Find someone you trust and who inspires you, make him your sifu and stick to him for all advice.
2. Do not listen to anyone else! Never!

I used to blister everywhere as well. I finally learnt how to relax and grip the club like so soft…..totally zero strength. Then I hit one on the sweetspot/Gspot/whatever spot, so crisp and such a clean contact, there is only one word to describe the feeling - effortless. And I turn towards my coach who smiled and said "that's how the professionals hit 1000balls a day".

@haragolfer

I like what you said. My challenge is no club membership. So do you know of anyplace I can go for chipping and putting practice? The short game is what differentiates between a good golfer and a great golfer.

Cheers

Senior Golfer Posts : 437 Join date : 2013-12-01

@Chien

Are you a lefty?

I wonder how much of 1000balls a day are spent on short game for professional...

Newbie Golfer Posts : 59 Join date : 2013-09-22

Thanks Nam Flog for your 2 pointers. Am still awaiting for that 'ah-ha' or Eureka moment to strike but I will persevere. And in the meantime, enjoy the process of enlightenment.

Junior Golfer Posts : 115 Join date : 2013-02-27

Agree with u bro Nam, just like when u choose a coach..if have doubt in the coach than it's very difficult to work with him/her..

Nam Flog wrote:: @bellevue

Everybody wants to be a "sifu". It feels good giving advice and feels even better when that advice is taken by somebody. However, in my journey so far learning the golf swing, I got 2 comments:

1. Find someone you trust and who inspires you, make him your sifu and stick to him for all advice.
2. Do not listen to anyone else! Never!

I used to blister everywhere as well. I finally learnt how to relax and grip the club like so soft…..totally zero strength. Then I hit one on the sweetspot/Gspot/whatever spot, so crisp and such a clean contact, there is only one word to describe the feeling - effortless. And I turn towards my coach who smiled and said "that's how the professionals hit 1000balls a day".

@haragolfer

I like what you said. My challenge is no club membership. So do you know of anyplace I can go for chipping and putting practice? The short game is what differentiates between a good golfer and a great golfer.

Cheers

Sometimes range practise may give you a false sense of being able to lower your score on course!

Also not to forget that sometimes we also perfect our mistakes on the range.

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