Instruction
Does your swing change when you leave the range?
I was testing out some new equipment the other day on Trackman when a member said, “Why don’t you swing like that on the course?”
I asked him what he meant, and he said my tempo was different. To me, it felt no different and the ball seemed to fly the same as it always does on the course, but now I was second-guessing myself.
Is my swing different on the range? Am I less aggressive, and more in “guide mode” on the course? And is my tempo and speed different on more challenging holes than it is easier ones?
I wondered just how far off I was (if I was off), so I put myself to the test.
I hit a bunch of drives on the range until I felt I was in a groove and the ball was flying consistently. I determined that these were my “average drives” and I removed outliers — pulls that went a bit farther than normal, and shots I hit with too much spin. By throwing out the highs and the lows, I had created a chart (below) of my normal swing under the windless conditions that we have here in Southern California on a day when the temperature was around 80 degrees.
My “average” driving stats
I then headed to the course with Trackman and hit drives on a few different holes with varying degrees of difficulty to capture any differences.
First, I went to an OPEN hole, one without much danger off the tee (no out of bounds or hazards). After hitting multiple drives, I took three shots from the center of my dispersion pattern to show the “average” drive I hit on that hole.
My “average” driving stats on an open hole
My hypothesis was that on an open driving hole, I would tend to swing faster since there’s nothing in my way visually. We see from the numbers that my hypothesis was correct.
- My swing speed averaged 107.6 mph.
- Average clubhead speed went up by 2.5 mph versus my “range swings.”
- Not one of my earlier “range swings” was in the 107-mph range. In fact, the closest one was 0.4 mph slower.
- My ball speed went up from 151.8 mph on the range to 154.1 mph on the course.
- My course smash factor went down by 0.1. I’m assuming this was due to the higher clubhead speed.
- Since I pulled these shots a touch left of my target, you can see that the overall height went from 94.8 feet on the range to 76.6 feet on the course, a difference of 18.2 feet.
Due to these factors, you could guess that my distances also went up as well.
I understand the higher swing speeds and longer drives on the open hole, but what about a tougher, tighter driving hole where I am not as comfortable?
My “average” driving stats on a tighter hole
It’s interesting to see that my first swing was much slower at 102.6 mph, showing me that I went into “guide mode” in order to find the fairway.
On subsequent swings, my swing speed went back to my “on-course” swing speed of 107 mph.
What I learned from my brief experiment is that my tempo tends to change from the range to the course. I’ve heard tour players talk about their “tournament” yardages for each club being a little longer — they might carry their 6 iron 190 yards on Trackman, but closer to 200 yards in a tournament when their adrenaline is pumping.
Why? My best guess is that on the range golfers tend to get into a rhythm. For me, since I’m not dependent on my driving distance on the range, I tend to swing slower. On the course, I switch gears and focus on distance, since I need more distance to compete with my peers that hit the ball farther.
It’s obvious that when a tighter hole comes up I slow down to try and get the ball into the fairway, but this is a BAD idea. If my tempo changes, it is easy to get out of sequence and whenever that happens, funky shots are inevitable. Therefore, it’s better to make sure you make an aggressive swing on the tight holes. Don’t try and “limp” it out there.
It’s important to prepare like you play, so when you’re on the range, put yourself into an on-course mentality. It will keep your sequencing consistent and do wonders for your timing and confidence.
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
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Jeff
Mar 12, 2015 at 7:17 pm
In the best of conditions on course I have an excess of adrenaline, which would make me think I swing faster on course, but I truly have no idea. Thanks for posting this experiment, it makes it fun to read and learn with this kind of stuff.
Jeffcb
Feb 26, 2015 at 9:36 am
Yup – I think for me one of the hardest things about the game is taking the relaxation from the range to the course. I get faster and probably longer since I know I have to hit it to a specific spot. Gets my sequence outta whack sometimes.
Philip
Feb 25, 2015 at 11:23 am
Nope – I worked to get them the same by playing real practice rounds (hitting multiple balls for shots on the course I was struggling with that I was nailing on the range) when the course was empty until I had the same confidence on the golf course as on the range. Once I truly accepted hitting shots in both places was no different I gained a lot of confidence in myself and even lost my 1st tee jitters.
other paul
Feb 25, 2015 at 2:07 am
I hit it like crap on the range and usually hit better shots on course. My friends call me weird for that. But it’s okay because I usually win.
Tim
Feb 25, 2015 at 12:02 pm
Good premise for an article Tom, keep them coming
My range game is often rubbish – I hit far worse shots than I do on the golf course, I often find the pressure involved with having trouble both left and right on a shot improves my swing because you have to be both smooth, and fully release – guiding it or slapping at it only increases the chances of a massive flair or an unmentionable.
Much better to look like a 15 hdcp on the range and be a 5 hdcp than the other way round
The course I am a member at has a lot of narrow driving holes with cambered fairways and trees that necessitates shaping it and getting past certain points to get a straight shot at greens. This means you have to just let it rip down these holes, no guiding it. It can be a nightmare when your not confident where the balls going but it prepares you for pressure golf.
BustyMagoo
Feb 24, 2015 at 8:17 pm
It seems easy to get in a groove on the range. Flat stance, similar lies, and no impeding obstacles like OB or hazards to worry about. Just step up and rope. Obviously much different on the course where stance, lie, people watching, and everything else comes into play.
I too find that once obstacles are in play, suddenly I become hyperfocused and sometimes that causes me to be too much ‘in my head’ as they say. I start thinking about my stance if it’s a non-flat lie, where to hit the ball, what the green contours are doing (on approach), what club to use, where do I want to land the ball, etc. So now I purposely take way less time standing over the ball on the course and just get up there and hit it. It’s way more fun to play loose and carefree like I hit on the range. And isn’t that the point of golf anyway? 🙂
Double Mocha Man
Feb 24, 2015 at 4:33 pm
Take your range swing to the course. Do what I do. Drop 4 or 5 extra balls, hit them, get in the range groove. Then hit your real shot.
Just kidding. All I know is if I’m hitting the ball great on the range I’ll have a tough day on the course. And vice versa.
tom stickney
Feb 24, 2015 at 2:45 pm
kevin– funny how that happens…and sometimes it’s even the opposite
tom stickney
Feb 24, 2015 at 2:44 pm
CD- agree
tom stickney
Feb 24, 2015 at 2:44 pm
Double- I would agree with your thoughts if you shorten the club for sure
Lowell Madanes
Feb 24, 2015 at 1:43 pm
Great right up. So true how we can be hitting it great on the range only to not on the course. I think a lot of it has to do with having a free swing with almost no real consequence other than if we do not hit it at the flag stick. Nothing in between like a certain corner of the pond you are trying to cross or the bunkers in the fairway you have to maneuver around. I guess that is why the feeling of playing doesnt really hit me until I have about 4 or 5 holes under my belt. Usually I have either survived those holes and are playing well or I have screwed up trying to steer through those holes and are trying to recover. Something to keep in mind for sure when on the range.
Kevin Taglione
Feb 24, 2015 at 1:31 pm
I think reason is on the course I rarely go full blow at iron, I try to hit knock or work it.
When I’m on the range with driver I’m trying to hit it straight versus on the course I swinging as hard as I can. If I wanna hit fairway I just hit a 3 wood.
The longest Par 4 I will play in competition most likely be 460 and 3 wood will get me 200 yards out. And I can go full blow at 5 at that point or flight a 4
Kevin Taglione
Feb 24, 2015 at 1:27 pm
On the range I always seem to hit my irons father than on course, and driver shorter than on course.
Kevin Taglione
Feb 24, 2015 at 1:36 pm
I think the reason is on the course I will try to take off some on my iron shots and hardly try to go full blow at an iron.
Now with the driver I’m working on hitting it straight not long. But the course I’m gonna swing to distance, if I need to hit fairway I will just hit 3 wood
Longest Par 4 I will probably play in competition is 460 so a 3 wood will get me a 200 yard shot and I can hit a full 5 or work a 4. I trust my iron game enough to do the following shot.
If it was a 500 yard par 4 I may still hit 3 wood, hybrid cause most people are going to bogey the hole so hitting the fairway is more important than ripping a drive to 200 out in rough trying to hit 3 or really take alot off a hybrid.
Double Mocha Man
Feb 24, 2015 at 12:52 pm
Generally, the solution to driving on the tighter holes is to swing the same, use the same sequencing, use the same tempo. Just grip up an inch for more control.
Mr. Stickney, perhaps a Trackman analysis of this theory/practice is in order. Is a tighter dispersion closer to the aim point the result? Is distance a bit shorter as a trade off?
cdvilla
Feb 24, 2015 at 12:20 pm
The lack of consequence or reward on the range is certainly a factor. I feel like having a great “range swing” does give you a mental baseline for when times get tough on the course. I often times just tell myself to hit the “range 8-iron” (or whatever club you have in your hand) and that gets me back on track.