11 Driving Range Mistakes
In this video, Kit Alexander explains the 11 most common mistakes golfers make when going to the driving range. Whether it's starting your session with the driver or forgetting to put a basket under the ball dispenser we've got them all covered in this video.
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00:00 We all know going to the driving range can be great fun and really beneficial for your game,
00:06 but only if you do it in the right way. It's easy to make mistakes and do silly things when you're
00:12 down at the driving range. We've all done it, we all know how it feels. We're going to have a little
00:17 whiz through of the top driving range mistakes to make sure you never ever make them again.
00:24 And wouldn't you just know it, over my shoulder, here he comes strolling in and he has reached
00:29 straight for the big dog. Predictably we've all done it, you go straight for the driver,
00:35 the longest club, in theory the most difficult to hit because of it and the one that takes the
00:39 most effort. No warm-up, no leading up to it and he's going to lash one away, hit it terribly,
00:46 and now he's got an awful mindset. Don't go for the driver first time, that is your number one
00:53 driving range mistake. Here comes mistake number two and I'm sure we've all been both people in
01:01 this scenario at one time or another. That's giving unsolicited advice. Now we've probably
01:09 been the person giving the advice, we know we're well-meaning, we probably genuinely think we can
01:14 help that person, but if you're the one who's struggling at the range, the absolute last thing
01:19 you want is someone who isn't really qualified jumping in and giving you advice when they have
01:24 no idea about you, your game or any changes that you're trying to make. Our advice, just stay out
01:31 of it and focus on your own game. Next up it's a big mistake of hitting aimlessly on the range.
01:39 Most of us are fortunate to go to a nice facility, you've got flags, you've got nets to aim for,
01:44 always have a specific target in mind. If you don't, how do you tell if you've hit a good shot
01:50 and what really is the point of being there? Pick a target, have an idea of what you're trying
01:55 to achieve and then you can analyse how well that range session is going. Next up is something that
02:02 I personally do all too often when I'm in a driving range and that's hitting driver from
02:07 the wrong tee height. Whether you can't get your tee into the mat to the right height or you've
02:13 got those electric ones that pop up and you can't quite get it right, nothing good comes from hitting
02:19 driver off a tee height that you wouldn't use on the golf course. It's going to give you an incorrect
02:25 idea of how you're hitting the ball and possibly grain some bad habits as well. You're either going
02:30 to get down into it to try and lift it up off of a tiny tee or feel like you're swinging a baseball
02:35 bat because the tee is miles too high. Whatever you do, if you practice any club, make sure you do
02:41 it in the same way you would use it on the course and for a driver, number one thing to do that,
02:46 make sure it's the right tee height. Another common mistake is to hit the same club over and over and
02:55 over again. Now that kind of repetition might work if you're trying to groove a really specific swing
03:01 change but in general throughout a round of golf you're hitting different shots all the time,
03:06 changing clubs, changing targets, changing what you're trying to do. If you can replicate that
03:11 in the driving range it will really help you when you get outside. Adapt to the different length of
03:16 club, to the different style of shot you're trying to hit, to hitting off a tee, hitting off the deck.
03:22 Another really cool little tip if you're at the driving range and this is just before you're going
03:26 to play, so it's a warm-up session not a practice session, play the first couple of holes in your
03:32 head out on the range. If the first tee shot's a driver, hit driver. If that typically leaves you
03:38 an eight iron into the green, then go to eight iron. Maybe then have a chip in case you miss
03:43 the green. What's the next tee shot? It's a par three maybe, you know you hit five iron there,
03:48 try that. Knowing you've just hit those shots successfully on the range will fill you with
03:53 confidence when you step up to the real thing on the course. The next one is going to sound so
03:59 simple but honestly if you get this right it can make a huge positive difference to your game and
04:05 it's all about alignment. Make sure you use an alignment stick or even a club shaft on the ground
04:11 to ensure your feet and body are aiming exactly where you want. When you go to the driving range
04:18 all of those bays, they can't all be aiming exactly at the flags or the targets you want to
04:23 be hitting. You can overcome that by sticking an alignment stick or a shaft on the ground on your
04:29 foot line. Make sure you're aiming where you want and then you can see if you're hitting it straight,
04:34 a little bit left or a little bit right. There's no way of accurately analyzing your game at the
04:40 range if you're not aiming exactly where you think you are. Next up, make sure you have an aim or a
04:48 target for that session. Whether it's something like you're working on a move your coach has given
04:54 you and you want to feel like you can really groove that, just working through all of your bag,
04:58 getting a gauge of your yardages or something as simple as getting to a point where you hit the
05:03 shot you want five times in a row. Before you get there have a plan in mind for what you want to
05:09 achieve and if you achieve it, stop the session right there. That's where you've hit your peak,
05:15 make sure you leave on a high. The next big mistake is abandoning a swing change or something
05:21 you've been working on after a few bad shots. We all know how easy it is to fall into old habits
05:29 and if you've got a swing that you know what it's going to do, even if that's not the greatest golf
05:34 shot in the world, it can be so much nicer to see that repetitive action and ball flight. But if
05:40 you're looking to make changes you're doing it for a reason. Ultimately you want to get better
05:46 and the driving range, well that's the place to do it. Make your mistakes here, persevere with
05:51 whatever it is you're working on and then when you're on the course you can trust that new swing.
05:56 The next big mistake is hitting the partition between the bays. Always make sure you're aware
06:03 of your surroundings, whether that is the structure itself, your own bag, people walking by. It
06:09 happens occasionally, it's no good for your clubs or for you. Make sure there's enough room either
06:14 side and keep those clubs away from the metal. Our next big mistake is rolling up straight from
06:22 the office. You've got your dress shirt on, some nice slick shoes but they have got slippery bottoms
06:28 and straight out onto the range you go. You're not going to be able to swing properly in a dress
06:34 shirt, those shoes are going to be slipping around all over the place. If you can find a few minutes
06:39 to get away from the office or drop into the range on the way home that's great. But put a spare polo
06:45 shirt in or at the very least have some golf shoes in the car. You really want to make sure you've
06:51 got good grip, good traction and you are wearing what you're going to be out on the course anytime
06:56 you hit the driving range. And finally, I can't tell you how many times I've witnessed this one,
07:02 it always makes you laugh when it's not you but if it is it's an absolute nightmare. Please make
07:09 sure you put your basket under the ball dispenser, no one wants to be the guy scrambling around to
07:15 pick up golf balls. So there we have it, the 11 biggest mistakes you can make on the driving range.
07:23 Hopefully by watching this you can avoid any of them in the future. If there's any you think we've
07:28 missed add them to the comments below. Please remember to like this video and subscribe to
07:33 the Golf Monthly channel. We've got loads more great content coming your way, we'll see you next time.
07:39 [Golf Ball Whistle]