What To Work on at the Driving Range (5 Tips)

Unfortunately for many golfers, they seldom experience any major improvements once they reach a certain level.

They end up playing within several shots of a specific handicap for 10-20 years and struggle to improve.

One of options for game improvement is working on your game at the driving range. Some players might hit plenty of golf balls at the range, but still don’t get any better.

So what is the solution?

Our solution is to have a plan with a specific area for improvement for every driving range session. There are different plans and areas that you could focus on for each driving range session.

Below, we will detail what those possible plans are.

What To Work on at the Driving Range

Golfers from choose from one of the following for their driving range practice session:

Technique
Distance

Stock Shot Training
Scoring
Playing

Turn your driving range into a variety of golf holes with your imagination. See the simulated game below.

The Common Fault

The biggest issue we see is that the golfer lacks a plan. He or she shows up, gets their bucket of golf balls, gets everything ready to go and hits random shots throughout their bag. There is very little feedback and the golfer isn’t working on anything specific.

They will hit five pitching wedges, 10 7 irons, 10 5 irons, 50 drivers and then some random shots. They are often searching for a feel that they will try to use at their next round.

Below we will dive into each area and lay out a practice plan for that area.

11 Drills for the Driving Range

Focus Area #1: Technique

Most golfers, even the professional golfers, need technique work. Every golfer has a common flaw that creeps back in from time to time. For my game, it is the overdraw as my swing path will get too far to the right, the body gets too far ahead and I flip through the zone at times. I have several go to drills to help me reduce the amount of draw spin to improve my shot dispersion.

The best way to complete step 1 below is to take a lesson or have a video analysis. Most instructors will give you 1-2 drills that you can utilize.

Step 1: Identify common swing issue
Step 2: Find a drill that solves that issue
Step 3: Utilize that drill for 50% of the time

Step 4: Utilize the remaining time to play the golf course simulated game.

What is the golf course simulated game?

My number one go to game, whether I am by myself at the driving range or with a friend, is to simulate a course that you have played or would love to play. Here is how it works: you start at the first hole and let’s say it is a 405 yard par 4 with a hazard to the left at 220 yards, but a slight bailout area to the right. Set the parameters with different markers out on the driving range.

Go through your pre-shot routine and see if you can hit the targeted area you are trying to hit. Based on that drive, let’s say you have 165 left to the green. Pull the appropriate club, set the target with some parameters and go ahead and make that shot as well. Keep track of how many times you can hit execute the intended shot. Over time, track your progress and see if you are getting better during your practice rounds.

This game is a great way to prepare for a round of golf the week leading up to a tournament or even the day of to help bring the power of visualization and help yourself feel comfortable that you have hit the shots many times before the actual tournament.

Standing and hitting at a driving range that is 150 yards wide probably will not bring the pressure that you need to prepare for the round, but mark something as the out of bounds that may appear on the course and all of a sudden it seems a bit more real.

Golf Practice Games (Top 22 Recommended)

At the end of this round, you have worked on your technique and then have attempted to transfer your technique to hitting shots on a simulated course. If you struggle at any point with the simulated course, you could go back to the drill for 2-3 shots to work on your technique.

Beginner? Here are some specific driving range tips for you!

Can you create an imaginary island green at your local driving range by marking in your mind where the water begins?

Focus Area #2: Distance

Too many golfers have a fixed mindset when it comes to their distance. However, the analytics are clear and one of the quickest ways to score improvement is through increased distance. The good news is that there are ways to improve this. The 2nd part of good news is that you might not need a driving range to do speed training..

My number one recommendation is to check out SuperSpeed Golf and their protocols to help you find a safe way to increase your swing speed.

I spent many years wondering how I can increase my swing speed. When I was playing junior golf, we weren’t fortunate enough to have some of the training aids and knowledge that is now available. Smart people have studied the golf swing and have created training aids and protocols to help all golfers increase their distance!

At around the same time, the statistics from the PGA Tour have become more clear and the importance of speed is acknowledged by many to be a key to being the best on the PGA Tour.

Within the past several years, there have been several products hit the market to make speed gains possible. While many people for many years waited for the latest driver to come out to gain an additional 5-10 yards, you can now do this even with your current clubs.

Did you know that with the SuperSpeed Training System you can gain 5-8% increase in swing speed as early as the first training session? This would allow you to gain somewhere between 10 and 30 yards depending on your current swing speed.

SuperSpeed Golf

The SuperSpeed Training System is based on three different swing speed sticks all weighing at different weights. There is a green club that is 10% lighter than the average driver, the blue club which is 5% lighter and the red club which is actually 5% heavier!

Following their prescribed protocols the golfer completes the training every other day. The total time to complete most of their protocols is between 10-15 minutes. Most people can find the time to make this happen. The golfer will also need a swing radar to measure their progress.

The science behind the SuperSpeed Training System is based on overspeed training. Overspeed training has been around for several decades now and has been used by olympic athletics in the sport of Track and Field.

The science behind this overspeed training is based on the premise that your brain will only allow your body to move as fast as it feels it can stop safely! So, you get to work and swing the clubs as fast as possible, retraining your brain to allow you to swing your driver faster.

For more permanent results, the golfer should continue these training protocols for several months. The initial 5-8% is great and can become more permanent with the right length of training. The golfer can expect to continue to break down barriers every several months at a 1-2% increase.

My own experience has been an increase of 7-10 miles per hour on average from between 98-101 all the way up to 106-109. My goal is to hit the PGA Tour average of 113 mph in the coming months. I will continue to train every other day and watch in amazement as I am hitting drivers longer now than ever before!

Phil Mickelson (a senior golfer now) has been known to increase his swing speed in the past year or so and is close to 120 miles per hour in his swing speed. There are potential results for golfers of all ability levels and age!

Check the current price on SuperSpeed Golf System, here!

Original Swing Speed	After 4-6 Weeks	New Carry Distance	Total Distance
95	102	245	265
100	108	259	279
105	113	271	291
110	118	283	303

Step 1: Measure your swing speed

Step 2: Utilize SuperSpeed Training Protocols
Step 3: Hit golf shots with driver mixed in after training protocols
Step 4: Measure your swing speed

Step 5: Take note of your highest swing speed and continuously have distance sessions.

Focus Area #3: Stock Shot Training

A stock shot is a shot you can count on. Whether it is a draw or a fade, every golfer needs a go to shot under pressure and one they can play 90% of the time. You don’t have to work the golf ball both ways to play at a high level. Instead, have your consistent ball flight and get work.

Golfers need to be able to do the three following to play consistent golf:

Consistently strike the ball solid by having the club contact the ground in the same spot every time.

Be able to start the ball slight left or right of their intended start line and have it curve back towards the target.
Have enough swing speed to play the golf course.

Step 1: Identify your common shot pattern

Step 2: Use the stock shot drill detailed below
Step 3: Note your success rate and track over time

Stock Shot Drill

Here is a wonderful drill you can use to build a stock shot:

At the driving range, set up an alignment stick about 6-8 yards in front of you, straight down your target line.
If you have a second alignment stick, set the stick 3-4 feet right of the first stick (for a draw) or left of the first stick (for a fade).
Complete your initial assessment see how many times out of 10 you can start the ball to the right or left of your target. Pick one side and measure your game at this point.

The goal is to eventually get 7 out of 10 shots to start to the correct side and draw back towards the target.

A stock shot will help on a hole like this. Have a go-to ball flight that you can count on!

Focus Area #4: Scoring

Most amateur golfers will need to score from 125 yards and in. Dialing in your distances and building a feel for how far you hit shots with the 9 iron and the wedges in your bag will give you a big advantage when you hit the course.

Too many golfers fail to work on these distances and instead simply hit drivers non stop at the driving range.

Step 1: Hit 5 shots to 125
Step 2: Hit 5 shots to 115
Step 3: Hit 5 shots to 105

Step 4: Hit 5 shots to 95
Step 5: Hit 5 shots to 85
Step 6: Hit 5 shots to 75

Step 7: Repeat
Step 8: Go back and hit 5 shots at any yardage your struggled with

Focus Area #5: Playing

There are many golfers who struggle to take their range sessions to the golf course and the reasons vary greatly. Here is a complete post on that topic!

The golfer must put himself or herself in enough game-like situations and this can be done at the driving range. The reality of a round of golf is that you only get one chance to hit the shot during that round. The good news is that golfers can work to build up that tension and pressure even in practice situations. Here are some ideas:

Challenge yourself to hit 7 out of 10 shots of high quality. Pick the shot, select the parameters and hit the shot. Can you hit 7 out of 10 good shots? Track this stat over time.
Play HORSE – You remember the basketball game. Of course you need a partner to play the game, but build some competition. Call you shot, set the parameters and have fun playing this challenging game.

Simulate the Course – We detailed this game above. This is my favorite game to play when preparing for a course. You can play each hole several times and feel prepared when you get to the course on actual game day.
APPS – There are apps that can pull a random shot and you can track if you were successful

Ultimately, learn to be a shot maker that can hit the shot on the first chance. Too many golfers rely on block practice and this 20 – 7 irons in a row and then wonder why they struggle on the golf course.

Become a shot maker by practicing a variety of shots in your practice sessions.

BONUS TIP: Use Technology

There are some great technology options to give you immediate feedback. Any quality learning or growth often comes from receiving feedback. There are affordable launch monitors that can provide feedback on the following:

Ball speed
Carry and total distance

Spin rate
Spin axis
Launch angle

Here are two options in the golf world that are affordable and can be game changing

I added a Skytrak back in 2017 and have seen significant game improvement. My average score has improved from 76-84 down to 68-74. This is a great reduction at this point in my golfing journey, but it shows it is possible with the right feedback and access to playing 365 days a year.

Another tech tool is a rangefinder!

My Secret To Golf Improvement

Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently. About three years ago, I made the leap and invested in a golf simulator build for my garage. I went with a SkyTrak Launch Monitor and the TGC software and can now play over 100,000 courses including Augusta, Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black, Whistling Straits. St. Andrews and many other of the top 100 courses in the world.

This golf simulator setup, which is more affordable that you might imagine, has been a game changer. I can now play golf everyday of the year regardless of rain, snow, cold weather or time of day. I can practice or play rounds of golf. I can stand in the 11th fairway at Augusta and with the auto-rewind feature I am able to practice my approach shots from various differences.

It is worth checking out through Rain or Shine Golf as they offer some incredible packages along with financing offers that are difficult to beat.

Some direct links to Rain or Shine Golf for pricing and financing:

Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better

What does this mean for you? I believe in the following recipe to get better:

1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor. Here are some options:

Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:

George Gankas

2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed. Here are some options:

Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:

3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier. Here is a series on breaking through:

We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.

How to Break 70

4 – Practice Frequently

Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system? It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions:

Is a Golf Simulator Worth It?