Golfers You Will See at The Driving Range This Winter

Regular readers will know that I am big fan of spending time at the driving range, especially during the winter months when courses might be closed.

I usually go there with a routine in mind and generally keep myself to myself. There are times when I see golfers making obvious mistakes and am tempted to give them the benefit of my advice but I always bite my tongue because you just never know how they are going to react. And the last thing I want is to be told to mind my own business.

But it is impossible to ignore the various characters who head to the driving range.

Here are just a few.

Mr Alignment

Most of us will put down a club on the mat to help with alignment. You always know that you are standing next to somebody who takes his golf very seriously when the alignment sticks are produced.

Driven Man

You are quietly going about your business when you are suddenly aware that the guy in the next bay is giving it the full treatment with his driver. He has not warmed up with any other club. What’s more, he has no intention of using any other club. He has paid for 100 golf balls and every single one of them will be battered into submission by a driver. 

And the ball flight? Hmmm…..99% of those drives are sliced. But he does mange to nail one out of a hundred straight down the middle. And then off he goes and wonders why his opening drive on his next round will be a wild slice!

Mr Meticulous

We have all stood next to this one. He (or she) arrives at the bay with a bucket containing 100 golf balls. He carefully rests his bag against the stand and then pulls out a wedge of some description, a nine iron, seven iron, five iron, utility club, three wood and driver. He starts off with the wedge and hits 14 shots. He then moves to the nine iron and hits another 14 shots. And so it goes on until he reaches his driver. He hits 14 shots with the big dog. He has two golf balls left. Out comes the wedge for those. 

He then heads to the short-game area, hits dozens of bunker shots, pitches and meticulously goes through a well-rehearsed putting routine. I feel exhausted just watching these golfers.

Married Couple

I recently visited the range and became aware of an elderly couple heading towards the adjacent bay. He started hitting golf balls - really badly. Really, really badly! He was topping balls, slicing balls, shanking balls, hitting balls 10 yards. And all the while that this was going on his wife, who was clearly watching something that I wasn’t seeing, was saying things like: "Great shot George." "Oh, well done George." I guess it is all in the eye of the beholder!

Grandfather 

What better thing than for a grandparent to take his or her grandson or granddaughter to the driving range? I have seen fathers attempting to teach their children but usually there is a distinct lack of patience on view when that happens. Grandparents have all the time in the world. They also have a wide knowledge and a huge amount of patience. Speaking as a grandfather, I can tell you that there are few feelings that are better than explaining something to a child and knowing that they "get it" and then go ahead and put it into practice!

The Golfing Fanatic

OK, so this is the golfer (always a man), who turns up at the range armed with every bit of kit known to man - almost all of it linked to his state-of-the-art mobile phone. There will be some kind of launch monitor and he will know exactly how far he hits every club. Oh, and he will be filming his swing, having a look after every shot and making tweaks. And it will take him two hours to hit 100 golf balls. 

If I filmed my swing it would be an X-rated horror film - and I would probably never play golf again!

Mr Noisy

This is the guy who does one of two things - I have always believed that you should swing within yourself but Mr Noisy launches himself at every ball and accompanies it with a grunt. And then there is the individual who takes it all very seriously indeed. Every good shot is greeted with a "Yes!" Oh come on mate, it’s the driving range - save it for the course please.

The Lads

I love these! This is the group of lads who, with nothing better to do, decide to clamber into the car and head to the driving range. Everybody other than the designated driver has had a few beers. They know nothing about the game. They have no clue how to hold a club properly. They don’t swing the club - they lunge at the ball. And they often miss it entirely. But here is the thing - they laugh from start to finish because they know how to have a good time. Amen to that!

Related Content

The Types of Golfer You Play With During The Winter

Why You Should Keep Playing Golf This Winter

The UK Golf Courses You Have to Play in Winter

Winter Rules You Need to Know at Your Golf Club

What You Can Do to Help Your Golf Course This Winter

I Don't Mind Fairway Mats But I Can't Stand Winter Greens

The Best Winter Golf Green Fees in The UK

Set Yourself These Winter Golf Targets

What You Should Do at The Driving Range This Winter

The Best Indoor Golf Venues in The UK

8 Alternatives to Playing Golf This Winter

10 Things You Need to Play Golf This Winter

The Best Golf Courses to Play in Winter