Down on the Range

[@09Youba]

Swing looks good Simon. Excellent advice. I never wore a glove for 68 years playing golf. Now with authorities I use a Bionic glove on both hands and they help plus pain patches.

[@thehairygolfer]

My Dad never wore a glove. He was quite a strong man, could spank a 1 iron a long way. One of those old 1 irons, a proper butter knife. I tried a bionic as my left thumb had arthritus, since my mid 40's, but never got on with the feel of it. Perhaps I'll be back there one day when it gets worse. I used to warm up swinging 2 clubs but can't do that anymore - hence that heavy speed stick thing I bought.

[@MegaKev63]

Thank you Simon, I've been working on exactly the same thing. Been having lessons for the last 6 months. It takes time and can be frustrating but it's worth it when you get it right. Enjoyed the upload 👍👍👍

[@thehairygolfer]

It will come right if I put in the time. I am very confident of that. Plus the lessons. I'm not sure I will get close to where the Pro wants me to be, age, lack of mobility, having a belly. But if I can get some movement it will be better. Then you have to make it consistant.

[@thomasreed49]

I’ve just come back to golf after 25 years just had my first lesson. Practising on the range every weekday it’s slow progress. Hopefully I’ll get there I’m so inconsistent. One thing is for sure I’m not hitting Seven iron through the air and high 150 yards and straight I’ll try I can’t see me doing that again. I’m 70+ those days are over but you never know with practice. good luck with your golf hope you have some great times.

[@thehairygolfer]

@@thomasreed49 Thomas, after a break it's going to be hard. We aren't 25 any more. I feel it for missing 3 weeks. If I could push you towards the practice green and practice scoring again as well as the long game. Best of luck.

[@thomasreed49]

Keep the videos coming doesn’t matter you’re not playing golf you’re a good listen.

[@thehairygolfer]

Thanks Thomas. The sun might shine tomorrow. I'm geared up to play and practice first. See what we've got. I've resurrected an old chipping video for tuesday. Cheers

[@chrisgreenslade6504]

Another great video , when using wedges on the range I always play off the light green bit of the mat , it’s much softer . I go to the range twice a week , have 100 balls and a couple cups of tea , I hit 20 balls have a sit down and a sip of tea , I can be there for a couple of hours. It’s great sitting down and watching the young ones just hit drivers and not knowing what they are doing and then the real golfers who understand their game . I have made some great friends at the range and it’s my comfort place . Glad to see you better . I will also say you have a great rhythm and tempo and your swing and it repeats itself . Best wishes Chris Greenslade

[@thehairygolfer]

Hello Chris, I don't hit lower than a 7 iron now off mats. Injured wrist trying to take a divot with a wedge. Missed 2 months of golf. I like to take my time, last night after work there were 2 guys hitting as hard as they could and it was so funny as most of them were topped. I had to walk away trying not to laugh. Tempo comes from my favourite drill - 7 iron feet together. Best drill in the world. The hard part is putting a driver in your hand and then trying to hit harder than you did with feet together. If you can get it then you're fixed for life.

[@kevinmcanulty2593]

09.45 27/9 just off to range very wet in Wales. Im so glad your regime on the range is exactly the same as mine!!!

[@thehairygolfer]

Hello Kevin, I always think you need a plan for your expensive balls. My favourite is 7 iron feet together and try not to hit it hard. I think we can play tomorrow.

[@nevillehubbard7347]

Interesting to see the way that you compile a range session. Your advice on targets is also interesting as I've never thought of doing that, mind you, these days I rarely use the range, preferring the nets at the Club (so I'm more focused on strike than direction!). Chipping is a complete mystery still as the more I watch, the more methods there appear to be!!! I'll go with toe down for the moment and see whether I can do it under pressure!!! Whatever works, eh!!!

[@thehairygolfer]

I think the targets on the range make for depressing golf if you are too hard on yourself. I was dropping some of my 7 irons 2 feet from the 135 yard marker last night and hit it flush once. Strangely after last weeks pushes I was hitting pulls this time. It didn't help having the 2 guys in the next 2 bays hitting their balls as hard as they could. There was a lake just in front of the bays after the heavy rain and so many were topped into the lake it was funny. But you know, you've got to hit it as hard as you can with all your weight on the back foot. Resurrected chipping video on tuesday, maybe that will help.

[@andrewquinn6634]

Oh, I want to thank you for the mention of Fitzygolf, I watched a few.

[@thehairygolfer]

He's pretty good. Doesn't seem to be giving a lesson while giving a lesson. Not too technical and a good presenter. That's what attracted me to him. But it also shows I've been on youtube for years and had never heard of him. Such is the way youtube works.

[@lewisbayesbrown115]

It's ridiculous that people give you swing tips in the comments. I bet they all play off higher handicaps than you. I can't play while I'm recovering from a hernia op, so I'll be going through your old videos to keep me sane while I'm off the course. Many thanks. Lewis in Devon.

[@thehairygolfer]

Hello Lewis, I've got to stand closer, swing upright etc etc. Quite funny really. Good luck with the recovery, at least you're not missing any good weather! Thanks for watching.

[@finbar481]

Glad to see your knee is recovering well 👌 I used to go to the range a lot but I injured my shoulder on the mats and I've stopped going. I haven't noticed the slightest drop off in my game whatsoever I'm beginning to think it was all a waste of time for me 😂 Can I suggest a good yt channel called the smoking golfer. He's got a novel approach to the game and he's hilarious. Btw if you've got no vids in the bank your sit down chats to the camera are a good watch so keep them coming!

[@thehairygolfer]

The knee is still twingy and there is one bit that is still swollen. Might be back to the Doc on monday to see if I can get a prescription renewal if I need it. I hate mats, I missed just over 2 months with mats. That's why I don't hit wedges off them, very hard to take a divot out of a mat and I ruined my wrist. I've just resurrected an old video for tuesday and hopefully playing saturday. If the weather holds. I'll look up that guy. Thanks.

[@kevinharper4610]

Morning Simon , thx for vid . Im going through the same , body rotation , drills . BUt ... 1st round on my golf course are not the place to be 2 days after the lesson ! 1st tee , in front of club house and... both shots into ditch 20 yards in front :( . I managed to get to the 8th before i called it a day !! Driver was ok , putter was good , Even got a 1st time shot out of a bunker but the rest of the bag urrrrhhhgg . Back to the range and get this swing sorted out / muscle memory . As i speak , the rain still hasnt stopped since 8am yesterday morning . Thats golf in the UK i suppose !!!

[@thehairygolfer]

It's very hard taking it to the course. I try to make practice at least 60% after a lesson and then I can't wait to get back and have another just to check if I'm doing it right. 1st tees in front of the clubhouse give me the willies even if I'm playing well. It's that bloody camera and it attracts people and I'm no Pro off tv. Sun tomorrow I believe, practice off grass and then go play. I hope.

[@nicted9308]

Before a game I will practice the way I have done so for the past twenty years or so. Starting with pitching wedge and work my way through the bag to driver. I finish with pretending I’m on the tee of a par five, and hit the driver, then a five iron and a wedge to the green. I find it helps me focus on something rather than just hitting balls for the sake of it. I always have fifteen minutes chipping and putting and then I’m ready for the first tee. The same as you I see golfers having their practice session by just hitting woods and driver and no short game practice at all. I hope you are back to golf on a regular basis soon.cheers

[@thehairygolfer]

My 20 ball warm up is usually just the 7 iron. After a wrist injury I'm afraid to hit wedges off a mat. Usually finish with a couple of drivers. Then it's 4 footers. All that matters is you have a plan and a purpose and everyone is different. A friend of mine would turn up 5 minutes before his tee time in a medal and then wonder why he played crap. I was at the range last night and there was 2 guys just trying to knock the cover off the ball. I wonder what they learned? Sun tomorrow so hopefully practicing off grass and playing off grass.

[@ianburton9223]

I am trying to convince myself to hit down more on the ball rather than just brush the surface under the ball. I can do that with the wedge on grass, but I cannot hit down on a mat, particularly the rock hard mat at the club. My mat at home has all sorts of bristle layers. But nonetheless I cannot persuade myself to hit down with 4 to 9 iron. So I now look at practice off the mat as a muscle warmer before a round rather than an activity concerned with improving my strike.

[@thehairygolfer]

I hate mats Ian. No nap on them and no forgiveness. My injury came from hitting a few sand wedges and I missed just over 2 months of golf. I don't hit less than a 7 now. I hit shots I don't hit in real life due to fear. I'm on grass saturday if the weather holds. Then i will truly find out how I'm hitting it. I would do 200 balls off grass but not mats. It's too much of a risk.

[@stuartcaldwell2262]

I tell myself to set up for each range ball like I would on the course. I manage sometimes. I also start with a couple of 30m & 50m pitches (markers on the range). I tried the toe down chips but hate the feel and cannot judge distance.

[@thehairygolfer]

I do the same. Try and use my time and the balls and treat each one as if it's real. That's also why I put a green (in my mind) round a range target. So easy to get down on yourself for missing a target by 5 yards. After my wrist injury on the range I leave wedges alone now, too bloody afraid to hit them. Toe down doesn't seen right to me, but then aimpoint and strokes gained doesn't either.

[@neilfarmer6609]

I think you’re right about having a purpose at the range. I group the balls in sets of 5 and always start from SW. A great benefit of the range can be checking alignment.

[@thehairygolfer]

Good routine. 5 balls at a time. I'm afraid of wedges after a wrist injury. Hate mats. Always worth checking alignment. I was pushing the ball a bit and worked out my shoulders were closed. Got them correct and the ball went better. I try and figure out what I should see for my last look left at the flag. Just to check the shoulders. Ranges do have uses but you can't beat grass.

[@andrewquinn6634]

I had a good night at the range. Worked with the Driver, 3wood and 3hybrid, 20 balls each. Those were the 3 clubs I was disappointed with last time out. Of course I left thinking I got it all figured out. Lol

[@thehairygolfer]

I find that you hit shots on the range you never hit off grass. Here is a thought for you - take your 7 iron swing to your driver and not your driver swing to your 7 iron.

[@neilfarmer6609]

Toe-down Shmoe-down!

[@thehairygolfer]

Took the words out of my mouth!

[@brianmurray4199]

Me first 5 shots 50yds next week 5 75yds next 5 100yds. I do drills in 5 ball blocks. After about 50 shots then I'll hit some drivers

[@thehairygolfer]

Whatever it is you have a plan and a purpose Brian. That is the important bit. You're dojng some work and not just whaling away hoping something will click. I see too many wasting their time and money. Shame really.

[@streamleazefishhouse]

Some grinds of bounce on wedges are designed for toe down/up shots. But chipping is something everyone seems to do differently. So since you made this video you've had about a week of glorious weather and then it turned poor again?

[@thehairygolfer]

Glorious weather? When did that happen? It was nice when I couldn't play. Now it's shite! I might get out tomorrow though and then I can hit balls off grass and figure out exactly how I'm hitting in.

[@Berry-fr5wj]

You might have run out of videos but you haven't run out of bezzy golf shirts Range balls are made from Phlegm , how they can't replicate Titleist £ 5 ammo , is beyond me but still charge for phlegm Best to drag the Titleist ammo out of the bracken and get ones self down to the practise ground Appreciate you are just replicating your swing on the range but you would think by now , they could have supplied a better range ball even if it were a job lot of Commando lake balls from Chernobyl

[@thehairygolfer]

Best part of the holiday is going to the discount rail and finding all the loud shirts. I'll certainly get 4 for myself. 2 each for kids and maybe some other presents. I always thought range balls were made from left over bits of concrete. Even when you use the middle it feels hard. Practice ground tomorrow and my own bag of balls. Trouble is it's downhill which means walking back up when i've picked them up. If they provided better range balls people would steal them! I have founbf them on the course so maybe people do. Don't know why, I lose a good 15% distance with the damn things and they wont fly.

[@Berry-fr5wj]

@@thehairygolfer Good point that if range balls were decent , they would get stolen even though I have had a few range balls in my bag for safety before

[@thehairygolfer]

@@Berry-fr5wj You should try the floating balls at Loch Palm, they are another world of shite. And I can't wait to hit them with a caddy bringing me cold drinks.

[@thehairygolfer]

@@Berry-fr5wj I played with a Kirkland today. Made range balls look good. On one par 3 I hit a 5 year old prov1 I found in the bushes 9 yards longer than a brand new Kirkland. Yeah, that bad. The prov1 almost took the flag out. It's on camera, or rather the result is as I was only filming round the greens today.

[@Berry-fr5wj]

@@thehairygolfer A video idea , try to shoot your handicap with a range ball

[@ZaxDrumsGolfandMore]

I am working on my range video!! And like by you the weather has turned bad as well!! I was having only a problem with my 4 iron which was a tempo problem. I might try to get out next month. But this year didn't go as planned for me not a whole lot on the real course I did use my phigolf 2 simulator which I think has helped me out!! Hope you have a great weekend Simon!! 🏌‍♂⛳

[@thehairygolfer]

Just watched it. The hard thing with the long clubs is hitting them the same pace as your 9 iron. Put I 4 iron on our hands and we try to hit harder which ruins it. Sun tomorrow so hopefully we can play. Cheers

[@ZaxDrumsGolfandMore]

@@thehairygolfer I was hitting the 5 pretty good then when I came back down and started hitting the 4 iron after the driver I think my tempo was way too fast!! 👍😀

[@thehairygolfer]

@@ZaxDrumsGolfandMore It happens. Very hard to keep tempo as the clubs get longer. I struggle.

[@stuart7523]

I've recently put a 3 iron in my bag. The shaft is slightly softer flex so I mentally have to swing smoother and it stops the feel of hitting it hard. It's been working really well.

[@ZaxDrumsGolfandMore]

@@thehairygolfer but my 4 iron is the same length as my 7 iron. That is the problem I am trying to swing to hard.