We’ve all seen it. Maybe we were even the poster child. I’m talking about the stereotypical driving range golfer. The one that hits their driver…. A LOT. Although I’m far from being a professional golfer, research suggests that this isn’t the route to go. For my first blog post, I’ll be diving into the Touring Pro’s Driving Range routine and how following in their footsteps could help your game.
Hit Slow
Over the 10+ years I’ve been working at the range, I’ve encountered this golfer often. The one who hits a large in 20 minutes tops. Aside from this being a situation you’d never encounter on the course, this just spells out “bad habit”. Touring Pro’s set up for every shot they hit on the range using a pre-shot routine. Doing a routine is an effective way to quiet the mind and also zone in on the shot at hand. This prepares you for the course far more than rushing through a bucket.
Practice With a Purpose
When you come to the range, for every shot, focus on something! Whether it’s learning how to hook a shot 50 yards around that imaginary tree, or fading a punch shot so it wraps around the white flag, you need a goal. The driving range is the perfect time to experiment and try new things. Not to mention, our Toptracer system gives you thousands of different options to focus on new shots making you a more versatile player.
The Range is An Experiment
Very similar to my last point, Pro’s are sometimes seen doing mini games that they create. It’ll pay off to challenge yourself at the range. For example, let’s say you play a round of Virtual golf on our Toptracer System and you usually only hit draws. Try to hit a fade on every single shot for the whole round. Obviously, this list could go on and on, but there is always something that you haven’t done before. Try it.
Wedge, Wedge, and More Wedges
In my opinion, wedges are some of the most important clubs in your bag. It helps you take advantage of great shots, and it also helps you save yourself from bad shots. Pro’s take A LOT of time practicing this before a round and for good reason. With Toptracer, you can practice distance control with the “warm up” mode, which shows you exactly how far the ball is traveling. Mastering this can take a good round to a great round, and a bad round to a decent one.
Laugh at Bad Shots
This point brings me back to a typical Summer day a few years ago. We have cameras lining the teeline, so I can see people hitting from inside. I watched a golfer hit an entire medium and slam his club EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Some sports can feed off anger and aggression, but golf ain't it. Most Pro’s are cool, calm, and collect in any situation. They never let their emotions get the best of them because they know it’ll only result in a worse day. So if you hit a bad shot on the driving range, laugh about it. This type of response will only result in better play on the course.
Take Time for Swing Drills
At the driving range, you’ll see a lot of Pro’s doing swing drills a bit before a round. I’m not saying to go absolutely crazy, but working on a minor tweak to your swing will help you become more consistent down the road. It also helps with maintaining the current swing you have if it’s already where you want it. Throughout my golf experience, I’ve noticed that swings are always changing. Practicing these drills can prevent bad habits and dial in good ones. If you’re lost, we have three professional swing coaches that are available to teach at our facility as well!
Grind it Out
Lastly, Pro’s grind it out, period. Regardless of the practice session, they don’t lose interest. They make sure practice is always a step forward. Mindless practice can take you backwards. If you find yourself zoning out, take a break. There’s no use hitting if your mind is elsewhere. In my experience, focus is something that is a serious skill especially given this day and age. There are millions of distractions at your fingertips. Don’t let it take you away from what you came here to do.
Following these tips will definitely help you in the long run! After all, these guys are pro’s, so they must be doing something right. Stay tuned for next week as this will be a weekly thing. If you have an idea in mind, feel free to leave it in the comment section. Thanks for reading and if you have any questions, I’ll be the guy behind the counter.