Having the bottle

When I'm on the course an average drive on flat ground is probably around 195-200 carry with another 20 of roll......It is nearly always with a slight fade - sometimes a slice.

Now at the range with 80% balls I really go at it (and build you a good sweat)....it is generally much straighter....better flight and I can get the balls to carry the 200yard marker without too much trouble. I asked the proif the distance markers were accurate and he got out his laser jobbie and it was spot on from the middle bays.

 So it seems that when I launch into the ball at the range I get much more distance and more importantly it is far more accurate, on the course I seem to stay much more within myself but the results are far worse on average.

I get the feeling that because I'm swinging slower on the course....I'm actually not hitting my best tempo with the driver

Do any of you guys have similar experiences? 

Could be a number of things Lewis.

The balls on a range are harder and more durable so have different characteristics than the ones you normally use.

It's a lot easier to hit off plastic mats as you can bounce the club off of it and almost guarantee a decent strike.

You will get into a groove on a range because it doesn't matter where it goes, if they had say, a narrow gap through trees then you would back off a bit to go for accuracy rather than distance - it all messes with your head. 

Lewis

I had a problem a few years ago, when I was on the range I would hit good solid shots then when I went out on to the course the ball striking would become inconsistant,  basically I was trying to stear the ball to the target because of the tight tree lined fairways, obviously on the range there is no trouble so I was freely releasing the club head. I sorted it out by picking a mark about two feet in front of me, lineing up to hit the ball over that mark then I did not look down the fairway again, just committed to the shot a let the club head release it worked for me. You may find that you are trying to stear the ball down the fairway, instead of just lining up and letting it fly.   

Interesting point Lewis, had the same sort of discussion with Darren the other day.  For most of last year I played bogey golf off of a handicap of between 20 - 18, on most holes I knew I had 1 (or 2) shots and used them - hence the nickname of '36 or thereabouts' that I picked up.  I'd go for the safe option off the tees, go for the large, safe part of the green knowing if I was short I had a chip and run up to the hole and generally play very conservatively.  However, of late my ball striking has been getting more consistent and as a result I've had a bit of an epiphany, and have started attacking the course (although that doesn't stop me being conservative when the need dictates) and as result I'm down to 16.3 and hit 10 sub 90 rounds out of the last 18 I've played.  The major difference I think is that when I go the range now I concentrate on replicating the swing I use out on the course, it's more target practice than blasting it...

Lewis,

One of these days I'll put James. It has been my achilles heel for a number of years. When you try and swing "within yourself" your swing speed is either equal or slowing on impact rather than increasing. So you must commit to the shot, which you are doing on the Range.

I was told many years ago "It is always better to hit a hard shot when under pressure because you don't quit on it then", meaning if you think its a full 8iron or an easy 7iron, hitting a full 8iron will be more consistent.

TheLyth

Interesting thread this and I feel that this is an area that affects shaft selection when getting fitted, because the macho in you attempts to impress the fitter with the highest possible swing speed on the monitor but then fails to produce this kind of speed during natural play, making loading the shaft to achieve its fullest potential, extremely difficult.

Check out tourtempo.com - I've recently come across this and it's really helped me.  Basically it shows findings that the majority of pro's have a swing timing ratio of 3:1 - this means that the timing from start of backswing to top of backswing takes a 3 count, and then it's a 1 count to get back to point of impact.

Their system uses a series of beeps so when on the range you can practice by swinging to the beat, the theory being you get used to this tempo and apply to all clubs etc (therefore you could probably transfer this tempo to the course as easily as on the range etc)

It certainly seems to be helping me, also means you really have one swing thought rather than mechanics as you're really just silently repeating your tempo to yourself when swinging.

Prob easier explained if you look it up on the net for yourself but as mentioned I certainly feel better and more consistant since adopting the approach, certainly I can feel myself accelerating through the ball far better than I was before.  When I first started following the tones it struck me straight away that without realising my previous swing speed/tempo wasn't actually much different between the backswing & the downswing (probably because I was consciously trying to swing within myself too much on the downswing, or swinging back to fast so not leaving myself a chance to accelerate properly from there..)

May help some of you too?  Anyone else been using this technique anyway?? 

No such problems, been giving it the beans on the course to pitch it about 260 and rolling on to 300 on some of the faiways. First 3 holes on my course went Driver, chip putt last week with a nice draw on the driver.  Happy days

Bites you on the bum sometimes though Dave, tried to cut the corner on the 14th at Handsworth yesterday using the trusty 3 wood and dumped it straight in the ditch.  Another 2 feet and it would have made it over...

As it happens it bounced out of the water up the bank a bit so I could get a shot on it 

Nice one Tim, gutted I couldn't make it yesterday would have been good to show you how to play that hole..lol!

In fairness the smart money lays up to the bridge and another long iron in. I got lucky with a drive last week leaving me 100 to the green.