May
19
2007

The Range Is Your Laboratory

Posted by Double Eagle in Practice Tips

Stack and Tilt Golf Swing Videos by Medicus Golf

A while back, I referenced one of my favorite golf quotes, a gem by Sam Snead. “Ya gotta dance with who ya brung.” What Sam was telling us is, keep the experiments in the laboratory, and keep your laboratory on the range (or practice green).

If you’re playing a round and making an attempt to score well, then the last thing you want to do is be experimenting with new techniques or trying to fix big problems on the course. The only result you’ll have is a higher score.

In the off chance that you actually make headway with a problem, you’re likely to lose it quickly because you won’t have the benefit of the repetition that practice on the range or putting green gives you.

When you hit that first tee, you should have evaluated your current state of affairs and have a plan of attack for the course that minimizes your weaknesses. If your problems are so bad, as in the case of the shanks, then skip the round and get right to the range. Trying to work out the shanks on the course is going to lead to nothing but 18 holes of unhappiness.

The same definitely goes for learning new shots. Sometimes it’s tempting to try a shot for the first time out on the course. We see Phil Mickelson executing his famous flop shot on TV and get in a situation where it would work well and think, “why not?” If you haven’t practiced it beforehand, I’ll tell you why not: you haven’t practiced it beforehand. Trying out a shot like that on the course for the first time will end with you offering an apology and an ice bag to someone in your group or maybe even to someone in another group if you really mess it up. New techniques should be tried and grooved on the range before they ever see any use on the course. Failing to do so could lead to big scores.

Do yourself a favor and save the experimentation for your practice sessions. You’ll be much happier at the end of your round.

Did you like this post? Get free RSS updates!

Leave a comment | Comment Policy | Trackback URL

There are currently 3 responses to “The Range Is Your Laboratory”

  1. 1

    HappyRock said:

    I often try hit a 4 iron between two trees, under a branch, and over a stream hoping to get right to the green, knowing full well that I don’t really have that shot in the bag. Most times, I should have just laid up with a 7 iron, and taken a small hit. Usually I plunk the tree, and then have to hit the 7-iron anyway. The trick is that occasionally we do make it, and that reinforces trying, since that is the one we remember.

    The Happy Rock

    Posted on May 21st, 2007 at 12:48 pm

  2. 2

    Jonathan said:

    While I agree with the sentiment, there are many times on the range that I find myself where I just don’t have a shot. There’s nothing in the bag that I’ve practiced that’s going to get me out of this. Then I’ll think, “What about that flop I saw Lefty hit?” My biggest example comes from bunker shots. Where I live, the courses have the hardest time keeping the bunkers full of sand. Sand is one of our prevalent soils. Yes, it can be chalked up to poor groundskeeping, but I have yet to play a course in Oklahoma that didn’t have sandburs and crab grass encroaching the bunkers. So, I rarely get to practice them. But that’s just me. I’m sure there are lots of other examples out there. That’s why we subscribe to golf digest, watch the Golf Channel, and come here. To learn vicariously. ;)

    Posted on September 2nd, 2008 at 11:16 pm

  3. 3

    Double Eagle said:

    Jonathan, I see what you’re saying, but the key is to practice the shots you’ll likely face on the courses you play. If you’re not going to face normal bunker shots, then there’s not much point practicing them. And once you do get to the course and are faced with multiple options on a particular shot, the best course of action is to play the one you’ve practiced most and thus are most comfortable with.

    Posted on September 2nd, 2008 at 11:41 pm

Leave a Comment

Comment Policy

*
To prove you're a person (not a spam script), type the security word shown in the picture. Click on the picture to hear an audio file of the word.
Click to hear an audio file of the anti-spam word

Subscribe without commenting

Shop.CallawayGolf.com Get Camilo Villegas' Golf Secret

  • Random Tip

  • Wind Off the Tee? Keep it Down

  • This time of year, it seems like every time I play, it’s more windy than summer time. Maybe I just notice it more because it’s a cold Canadian wind, instead of a hot breeze coming up from the south.

    The bottom line is, if you have wind in your face on the tee, you need to make some small adjustments.

    Ball spin comes into play so much in golf, but it becomes a huge factor when hitting [...]

  • Read More...

  • Poll

  • Which best describes your winter golf habits?

    View Results

    Loading ... Loading ...

  • Twitter Updates

Follow Me on Twitter

  • Advertisements