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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00:00We all know going to the driving range can be great fun and really beneficial for your game,
00:06but only if you do it in the right way. It's easy to make mistakes and do silly things when you're
00:13down at the driving range. We've all done it, we all know how it feels, we're going to have a little
00:18whiz through of the top driving range mistakes to make sure you never ever make them again.
00:24And wouldn't you just know it, over my shoulder, here he comes strolling in and he has reached
00:29straight for the big dog. Predictably, we've all done it, you go straight for the driver,
00:35the longest club, in theory the most difficult to hit because of it and the one that takes the most
00:40effort. No warm-up, no leading up to it and he's going to lash one away, hit it terribly and now
00:48he's got an awful mindset. Don't go for the driver first time, that is your number one driving range
00:54mistake. Here comes mistake number two and I'm sure we've all been both people in this scenario
01:02at one time or another. That's giving unsolicited advice. Now we've probably been the person giving
01:10the advice, we know we're well-meaning, we probably genuinely think we can help that person, but if
01:16you're the one who's struggling at the range, the absolute last thing you want is someone who isn't
01:21really qualified jumping in and giving you advice when they have no idea about you, your game or any
01:27changes that you're trying to make. Our advice, just stay out of it and focus on your own game.
01:34Next up, it's a big mistake of hitting aimlessly on the range. Most of us are fortunate to go to a nice
01:41facility, you've got flags, you've got nets to aim for, always have a specific target in mind. If you
01:48don't, how would you tell if you've hit a good shot and what really is the point of being there? Pick a
01:53target, have an idea of what you're trying to achieve and then you can analyse how well that
01:59range session is going. Next up is something that I personally do all too often when I'm in a driving
02:05range and that's hitting driver from the wrong tee height. Whether you can't get your tee into the mat
02:11to the right height or you've got those electric ones that pop up and you can't quite get it right,
02:17nothing good comes from hitting driver off a tee height that you wouldn't use on the golf course.
02:23It's going to give you an incorrect idea of how you're hitting the ball and possibly grain some
02:28bad habits as well. You're either going to get down into it to try and lift it up off of a tiny tee
02:33or feel like you're swinging a baseball bat because the tee is miles too high. Whatever you do,
02:39if you practice any club, make sure you do it in the same way you would use it on the course and for a
02:44driver, number one thing to do that, make sure it's the right tee height.
02:51Another common mistake is to hit the same club over and over and over again. Now that kind of
02:57repetition might work if you're trying to groove a really specific swing change but in general
03:03throughout a round of golf you're hitting different shots all the time, changing clubs,
03:07changing targets, changing what you're trying to do. If you can replicate that in the driving range,
03:13it'll really help you when you get outside. Adapt to the different length of club, to the different
03:17style of shot you're trying to hit, to hitting off a tee, hitting off the deck. Another really cool
03:23little tip if you're at the driving range and this is just before you're going to play, so it's a warm-up
03:28session, not a practice session. Play the first couple of holes in your head out on the range. If the
03:34first tee shot's a driver, hit driver. If that typically leaves you an eight iron into the green,
03:39then go to eight iron. Maybe then have a chip in case you miss the green. What's the next tee shot?
03:45It's a par three maybe, you know you hit five iron there. Try that. Knowing you've just hit those shots
03:51successfully on the range will fill you with confidence when you step up to the real thing
03:55on the course. The next one is going to sound so simple but honestly if you get this right it can make
04:02a huge positive difference to your game and it's all about alignment. Make sure you use an alignment
04:09stick or even a club shaft on the ground to ensure your feet and body are aiming exactly where you want.
04:16When you go to the driving range all of those bays they can't all be aiming exactly at the flags or the
04:22targets you want to be hitting. You can overcome that by sticking an alignment stick or a shaft on the
04:28ground on your foot line. Make sure you're aiming where you want and then you can see if you're
04:34hitting it straight a little bit left or a little bit right. There's no way of accurately analyzing
04:39your game at the range if you're not aiming exactly where you think you are. Next up make sure you have
04:47an aim or a target for that session. Whether it's something like you're working on a move your coach
04:54has given you and you want to feel like you can really groove that. Just working through all of
04:58your bag getting a gauge of your yardages or something as simple as getting to a point where
05:03you hit the shot you want five times in a row. Before you get there have a plan in mind for what
05:09you want to achieve and if you achieve it stop the session right there. That's where you've hit your
05:15peak. Make sure you leave on a high. The next big mistake is abandoning a swing change or something
05:21you've been working on after a few bad shots. We all know how easy it is to fall into old habits
05:29and if you've got a swing that you know what it's going to do even if that's not the greatest golf shot
05:35in the world it can be so much nicer to see that repetitive action and ball flight. But if you're
05:41looking to make changes you're doing it for a reason. Ultimately you want to get better and the
05:46driving range. Well that's the place to do it. Make your mistakes here. Persevere with whatever
05:52it is you're working on and then when you're on the course you can trust that new swing.
05:57The next big mistake is hitting the partition between the bays. Always make sure you're aware
06:04of your surroundings whether that is the structure itself, your own bag, people walking by. It happens
06:09occasionally. It's no good for your clubs or for you. Make sure there's enough room either side and keep
06:16those clubs away from the metal. Our next big mistake is rolling up straight from the office.
06:23You've got your dress shirt on, some nice slick shoes but they have got slippery bottoms and straight
06:29out onto the range you go. You're not going to be able to swing properly in a dress shirt. Those shoes
06:35are going to be slipping around all over the place. If you can find a few minutes to get away from the
06:40office or drop into the range on the way home that's great. But put a spare polo shirt in or at the very
06:47least have some golf shoes in the car. You really want to make sure you've got good grip, good traction
06:53and you are wearing what you're going to be out on the course anytime you hit the driving range.
06:59And finally, I can't tell you how many times I've witnessed this one. It always makes you laugh when it's
07:04not you. But if it is, it's an absolute nightmare. Please make sure you put your basket under the ball
07:12dispenser. No one wants to be the guy scrabbling around to pick up golf balls. So there we have it, the 11
07:20biggest mistakes you can make on the driving range. Hopefully by watching this you can avoid any of them
07:26in the future. If there's any you think we've missed, add them to the comments below. Please remember to like this
07:31video and subscribe to the Golf Monthly channel. We've got loads more great content coming your way.
07:38We'll see you next time.