Get the Most Out Of Driving Ranges

If you just go to the and aimlessly hit all the balls in your tray (or bucket), you will miss out on the chance to greatly improve your skill as a golfer. But before I get deeper into that, lets cover some basics.

Since the driving range is where a golfer goes to perfect his or her technique, I would recommend that every newbie golfer spend many hours hitting balls at the range. But the new golfer isn't the only person you'll find there. The driving range is an excellent place for even the experienced golfer to go for perfecting their golf swing.

There isn't a lot of variation in these facilities. A typical range will have a number of separate stalls, approximately 7 or 8 feet square that are separated from each other by a wooden or metal barrier. The barrier allows you some privacy and helps avoid distraction while you make your shot. Most ranges have 20 or more stalls -- sometimes as many as 50 or 100.

Inside Your Stall

There will be a tray inside each stall that holds usually from 50 to 100 golf balls. The floor is mostly covered with artificial green turf, You will pay roughly 5 bucks for a bucket of balls, but as always, "your mileage may vary". At the end of the artificial turf mat there will be a rubber tee sticking up. This is where each golf ball will be placed for your shots.

Why Go to the Range

The driving range is especially useful for practicing with the larger golf clubs, particularly the drivers. Many golfers also find it useful  to make their shot directly from the mat  using their irons. This simulates the feel of hitting from real grass. The driving range will have measured markers located in the field to helps you judge the distance of your balls. These markers are usually placed at 25 yard intervals, starting at 50 or 75 yards going out to about 250 yards.

The markers are used by golfers to calibrate their shots for distance.  This is excellent training for beginners, since this gives them the opportunity to find out how far each club will hit the ball.  This is indispensable knowledge to have when you go out on a golf course.

Aim for a Target

Some driving ranges have simulated "greens" with flagsticks set up at marked intervals. These are useful for giving you a specific target to shoot at to help you achieve better accuracy . But regardless of whether there are flagsticks at your local range, you need to always select a target before taking your swing, otherwise you will be missing out on a very important aspect of using the driving range, learning to focus on your target.

There are other means available to perfect your swing, but the driving range is by far one of the most essential parts of your golf training regimen.