| It all starts with your swing. If your swing doesn’t work, neither does your game. Where is the place to perfect your swing? The driving range — of course.
Every course in Kitsap County has a range and there are three non-course driving ranges as well — including an indoor one.
So, once you get there, what’s the best way to go about getting better? Practice, practice, practice! The tee shot turns every hole into either an opportunity or an adventure. Stripe it down the middle and you’re off and running; spray it into the trees and you’re thinking bogey — at best. Perhaps nothing wears you down more psychologically than poor driving; after all, the only thing worse than spending a stroke to get back in play is having to do it 10 or more times a round.
But remember, it’s not just the swing, it’s the stroke as well. When you practice, do you hit ball after ball, trying to develop a consistent, repeatable swing? It’s a popular training method, but it can easily lead to an overemphasis on mechanics — something that a player with natural ability shouldn’t take to the course. Additionally, if you hit 100 balls from one spot, you groove your swing to play from one situation, while on the course, every shot is different.
When you’re working out on the driving range, your practice sessions will be much more effective if you add variety — practice hitting shots, rather than “the swing,” or “the stroke.”
Don’t ignore mechanics completely; just restrict that focus to your warm-up, when you’re trying to find a swing that will provide solid contact. Once you’re loose and hitting the ball relatively square, stop thinking about the swing and start working the ball.
Aim right, close the clubface slightly, and hit three draws to the 150-yard flag with your 6-iron. Open your stance, take a slightly weaker grip, and fade three drives toward the big tree at the end of the range. Move the ball up in your stance and hit a handful of high 3-irons at the 200-yard flag. Play the ball back and hit a few knockdown 8-irons at the 100-yard flag.
That’s the psychological part of driving; there’s a physical part, too. First, the driver is the longest club in your bag, which invites you to rear back and take a rip. Plus, it has very little loft and, therefore, exaggerates any sidespin you impart on the ball through less-than-perfect contact. In other words, you’re swinging hard and wielding the least forgiving club you own. And this is how you start every hole?
To up the challenge even more, every golfer has certain tee shots he hates to face. Either because of the hole design or pressure, these shots make your heart race or turn your thoughts to past disasters. How do you handle these troublesome drives? If you’re like most golfers, you hit the very shot you’re trying to avoid, and every time you do that, you dig yourself in a little deeper.
Make a mental decision to stop letting these shots get the best of you. Each range has a pro there to help. You can learn to take the pressure off with a few simple keys. And with a freer mind, you’ll hit more fairways and enjoy the game all the more.
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