driving range v putting green

after reading the topic of putting i thought i would put this idea out there.

i have often dreamed of opening a short game range with a shop that only sold wedges and putters...and clothing.
i have the lay out of the range in my head with target greens and hazards. a dedicated bunker game area and a top quality putting green. but maybe its pie in the sky as the time most people do the practicing is winter nights which come with the obvious problems.

given the choice what would you guys do ? head to the range to smash the driver, or go work on your short game and lower your scores ????


thoughts ?

liegerwoods

Very partisan in relation to your statement:

head to the range to smash the driver, or go work on your short game and lower your scores ????



I do both in the proportions that are appropriate to my game.

A lot of good modern ranges will offer both long and short game floodlit areas nearly every range in my area does this.

As for what is the preference, as LJ says you have to work on both, in the correct proportion for what you are looking to achieve, you may well be working on a swing change or trying to eliminate a flaw that's crept into your swing so inevitably you will spend more time on the long game. But I would advocate that if making a change to your swing is not the case then you should spend more time on the 120yards and in portion of your game.

For example today I decided the weather was good so my office could do without me for the day and spent 3hours practising. An hour on the range not just mindlessly hitting shots too often you see people on the range working on one thing well maybe 2 but invariably they are hitting it far! And hitting it straight, when your on the course you need all sorts of shots high, low, fade, draw and everything in between.

Then I spent 2hours working on every aspect of my short game putting, pitching bunker play etc.

I enjoy practising so will often take time out from work to do what I did today. But I would say the most important thing for anyone whether they enjoy it like me or not, is to do one thing Practice right and I mean that by doing the right things not just banging balls

The range i use obvously has a driving area, but through the back there is a small par 3 course (roughly 30/40 yards each hole) with a good mix of distances, uphll, downhill shots and bunkers.

As well as this there is a seperate green with a number of pins on it and a very large bunker next to it, finally there is a standard putting green.

Depending on the the weather and time of night (light) i always try to spend time on all the areas, but fnd the small course especially useful at working on making sure i take no more than 3 shots, 1 to green and 2 putts as this is where i am gonna pick up shots on the course.

Why would you only sell wedges and putters? Pretty much every club is a useful chipping club with the exception of the driver (not that i use them all for the purpose)...

As said above its getting the right balance...

I am a member at the Belfry Academy so there are pretty good facilities there, full range, chipping green and putting green.

LJ AND MAV

you are both spot on that you have to work on both and if i remember you are both low if not scratch golfers but i would be amazed that if a cat 2 or 3 golfer worked more on the short game they will save shot also course management too but i am jealous of you guys who have good facilities for practice coz the driving rnge near me is awful and this is where my idea comes from.other than private clubs practice grounds there is no short game facilities in the county ....could be a money spinner ????

the reason for only selling wedges and putters is because you couldnt test drive that new driver on the 150 long range!!! but a good point about using all clubs for chipping etc and as i said there ar no public facilities for this type of practice

liegerwoods wrote:LJ AND MAV

the reason for only selling wedges and putters is because you couldnt test drive that new driver on the 150 long range!!! but a good point about using all clubs for chipping etc and as i said there ar no public facilities for this type of practice

Agreed, but if you set up a couple of half-decent driving nets as well you could adequately cater for the full range of clubs. For someone like me (18.5 handicap) although driving and fairway shots are extremely important, to get my handicap down to cat 2 level and beyond, chipping and putting is where the effort needs to be expended imho