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Frustrated on the Driving Range

Kevin1951

Kevin1951

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Albatross 2024 Club
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Location
New Braunfels, TX
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Returned to golf after retirement. Spend lots of days on a driving range when I can't be on the course. I have a LOT of work to do. Is it just me or does anyone else get frustrated by "limited distance" range balls? I've developed a nice straight shot and my Arccos tells me that I'm doing "ok" on distance (could always be better), but going to the range and trying to develop the "perfect" swing can be pretty demoralizing when the good strike that you're hitting only goes 1/3 - 1/2 of the distance that you're hitting on the course. I've started taking a couple of balls that I find on the course to finish up my driving range practice just to see how I'm really striking the ball. LOTS of differences between the two.
 
No, I don't have that frustration with range time. I'm not looking at actual distance when i'm there. I'm trying to work on ball flight and impact feel to determine is that a good swing or not. Once I establish the "landing zone" on a good strike, then I make myself repeat that to add some "game pressure". I generally hit well on the range but can't take that to the course.

I trust my arccos data to tell me what my yardages are for my clubs. Not where i hit range balls.
 
The distance a range ball travels is irrelevant to me. I get a lot out of my practice net in the backyard and the ball barely goes 10 feet. I can tell with my eyes closed if I hit the ball well. I like the range for practicing my draws, fades. And trajectory.
 
Kevin1951 said:
... does anyone else get frustrated by "limited distance" range balls?
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I can't speak for anybody else, but they don't bother me.

Kevin1951 said:
... can be pretty demoralizing when the good strike that you're hitting only goes 1/3 - 1/2 of the distance that you're hitting on the course.
Click to expand...
1/3 to 1/2? I don't have as much experience as most (?) others here, but I don't think even limited-distance range balls are that much more limited-distance. From what I've read it's more like 25% shorter at the most. The range balls I've hit around here aren't even that much shorter than the regular balls I've been using.

I've got some limited-flight practice balls that are advertised to fly true (they mostly seem to) and 1/3 the distance of a normal ball. They're a lot lighter than any range ball I've ever seen.

Kevin1951 said:
I've started taking a couple of balls that I find on the course to finish up my driving range practice just to see how I'm really striking the ball.
Click to expand...
And should you sock one of those outside the range, damage property or, God forbid, injure someone...?
 
Range balls are not game balls for the most part. They are not intended to mimic on course gamers. Imo, range balls are best used for swing mechanics, and not ball flights.

When I'm hitting range balls, all I pay attention to, is the first 50-100 yards of the ball flight. After that I don't care where the ball ends up. I just want to know if I started the ball towards my targeted landing area.

As for distance, 3-4 times a year, I take a trip to a near by, wide open desert area that has a sand dune area. I hit my game balls there. The blow sand stops most of the roll out, which gives me an accurate carry yardage for all my clubs.
 
Have never heard of limited distance range balls.
How do you know?
Are they marked or they tell you they are ?
 
Agree I’ve been advised range balks are approximately 20% less distance than what may be used in combat wit( the course lol .

My experience on ranges is less than enjoyed , best day on range would not equate to worst day at golf round , much prefer the course and its challenges rather than range
 
I can't really speak to this, but I guess you could look at it the other way around. I have a simulator. I hit off perfectly manicured turf. My distances (at least without a tee) are about 10-15 yards longer than what I see on a real golf course. I suspect this has to do with the perfect hitting surface allowing me to get clean contact on the ball every single time. And it's not just my simulator. I saw the same thing on an aboutGolf simulator. I also saw the same thing on a GCQuad when I got fitted into my irons.

So, your balls go short. Mine go long. I just take it for what it is, and focus more on ball flight than anything else. High, low, left, and right.

Also, I'm not sure a range ball, even 'standard' range balls, should be expected to play like literally any other non-range ball.

~Rock
 
I do not pay much attention to driving range distance. I do a lot of drills, half swings, and slowish swings and some "normal swings."
 
Definitely frustrating if you're trying to find out your true distance with each club, our range balls are purported to be 80-90% of the distance of our game balls. Not very helpful.
 
I avoid ranges that have crap balls.
 
While I don't pay that much attention to the distance on the range balls, my home course has a lake for a range and floater balls that fly in a bug pattern often. That, I cannot stand, so when I want to practice, I go down the street to another course that has a grass range and regular balls.
 
Duffer Seamus said:
I can't speak for anybody else, but they don't bother me.


1/3 to 1/2? I don't have as much experience as most (?) others here, but I don't think even limited-distance range balls are that much more limited-distance. From what I've read it's more like 25% shorter at the most. The range balls I've hit around here aren't even that much shorter than the regular balls I've been using.

I've got some limited-flight practice balls that are advertised to fly true (they mostly seem to) and 1/3 the distance of a normal ball. They're a lot lighter than any range ball I've ever seen.


And should you sock one of those outside the range, damage property or, God forbid, injure someone...?
Click to expand...

There is absolutely NO chance that any balls hit at my range would fly outside of the range area. I've never seen anyone even remotely come close to hitting outside of the range (this is Texas and the range is surrounded by a lot of "nothing"). If so, I definitely would consider that before I attempted it.
 
It frustrates me when I buy a large bucket of yellow range balls and our club pro comes down to the range next to me with a full bucket of regular white balls. I have never seen him hit yellow balls. I have seen him put balls into the first fairway though. Guess his insurance is better than mine?
 
Interesting stuff, limited distance range balls? Is this common?. I seem to get full or close to full distance based on the ranges measured flags from about 6i in.

No idea on longer clubs. But if they really are limited how does one test shafts and tinkeringci know the obvious but say a driver test of shafts I would assume all would be same distance based on a full swing, or very close?

I do save the best condition balls for driver and other woods though.
 
Kevin1951 said:
Returned to golf after retirement. Spend lots of days on a driving range when I can't be on the course. I have a LOT of work to do. Is it just me or does anyone else get frustrated by "limited distance" range balls? I've developed a nice straight shot and my Arccos tells me that I'm doing "ok" on distance (could always be better), but going to the range and trying to develop the "perfect" swing can be pretty demoralizing when the good strike that you're hitting only goes 1/3 - 1/2 of the distance that you're hitting on the course. I've started taking a couple of balls that I find on the course to finish up my driving range practice just to see how I'm really striking the ball. LOTS of differences between the two.
Click to expand...
Never heard of limited distance balls perhaps it’s not a thing in the UK 🤷🏻‍♂️.
 
Contact is more important at the range. Worst are ranges that use old "real" balls. All over the shop on flight and distance. Find a range that will use "Range Balls". Mine uses Srixon Range Balls. Teaching Pro there knows that they are 10-15% shorter. HOWEVER- it is dependent on how hard you hit the ball. His Driver will be up to 20% shorter total distance compared to my 15% shorter total since his SS is higher than mine. As you move down the clubs, the distance will be more normal. A GOOD range using good range balls will adjust the "distance" markers or flags accordingly. As an example- the farthest sign against the Fence reads "250"- But the actual (Lasered) distance is closer to 230. But the 100 marker lasered to 98.
Are you sure your range isn't using "Cayman Balls"?. These were used in the Bahamas (and Cayman Islands, obviously) on courses built there on limited space. They might only go half as far as regular balls... on a good day. You played the course normally with normal clubs- they had (or at least used to give you a guide to adjust for yardages) so you could use the appropriate club. So you might use a 7 Iron from 60 or 70 yards after a drive of 125-150. It was basically a Full size course shrunk by 50%.

Oh- and for those who never heard of "Limited Flight Range Balls", The amount of space for a range could be limited, or proximity to a major roadway is problematic. So the Limited Flight came in so people aren't flailing away and bombing balls onto a major road or into someone's house on the other side of the fences on either side. Only ranges around here that I know of open to the public that use "Real" balls are The Trump course at Ferry Point Park and Turtle Cove in the Bronx.
 
Kevin1951 said:
Returned to golf after retirement. Spend lots of days on a driving range when I can't be on the course. I have a LOT of work to do. Is it just me or does anyone else get frustrated by "limited distance" range balls? I've developed a nice straight shot and my Arccos tells me that I'm doing "ok" on distance (could always be better), but going to the range and trying to develop the "perfect" swing can be pretty demoralizing when the good strike that you're hitting only goes 1/3 - 1/2 of the distance that you're hitting on the course. I've started taking a couple of balls that I find on the course to finish up my driving range practice just to see how I'm really striking the ball. LOTS of differences between the two.
Click to expand...
Not really, it's about consistency and form for me.
I know I can add like 5 yards to my shots.

Sent from my SM-N981U using Tapatalk
 
Thank God our ranges don't use the limited distance balls.
 
Limited flight balls sound different off the irons and driver. It drives me insane. They make me swing harder. My home course used to use premium balls, but switched to limited flight, so I changed ranges. Now I drive another 10 miles. Ugh. As a feel player it's worth the drive.
 
Scott F said:
The distance a range ball travels is irrelevant to me. I get a lot out of my practice net in the backyard and the ball barely goes 10 feet. I can tell with my eyes closed if I hit the ball well. I like the range for practicing my draws, fades. And trajectory.
Click to expand...

Exact same feeling for me as well. I especially use range sessions to try hitting the shots I might face on the course. I've always frowned at my buddies hitting the range and just aimlessly blasting balls with no target or shot shape in mind.
 
Evolvingwildes said:
Exact same feeling for me as well. I especially use range sessions to try hitting the shots I might face on the course. I've always frowned at my buddies hitting the range and just aimlessly blasting balls with no target or shot shape in mind.
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I'm definitely using my range time to improve my ball striking and placement. I'm beyond trying to hit bombs. Where the surprise comes in as far as distance is on the course and then I'm "where the hell did that come from"?
 
I like seeing my full shot, but understand that sometimes space is at a premium so ranges will use limited flight balls. I'd say that the balls at our local range go somewhere between 10-15% shorter than a standard. But they'll still show your flight and can still work on solid strikes and swing mechanics!

I use Arccos on the course to determine my actual yardages.
 
I think just by their construction, "regular" range balls tend to limit distance. Limited distance balls take it a step further.

I found that my old range's limited distance balls when hit off mats with irons produced the exact same yardages I saw on the course. Pretty sure it was an accident, but the math didn't lie. However, I also developed a lot of bad habits I'm trying to undo to this day. My driving distance was never as good at the range as it was on course, though...
 
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