Range Rocks for Short Game

[Bluesman57]

I went to the range today, armed with my wedges and ESB1 to reassess carry distances.  More importantly, I spent the bulk of my time in the short game area to work on 15-40 yard pitches.  I want to dial in carry and roll as best as I can, so I hit pitches of various distances, aiming to carry just to the front of a green that is ~10 yards deep; roll-outs were 8-12 yards, depending on the club/distance.

Anyway, I was using Pinochle range balls, so I am wondering if I can trust those numbers to be the same with my gamers (Snell MTB-X).  I know MGS has included range balls in their testing,  but I am just wondering if there would be a significant difference at such slow speeds.  Tanks as always.

 

[Kenny B]

I wouldn't trust any numbers with range balls.  A range ball is not going to react off the club or on the green like your MTB-X.  

I use range balls (nice new Srixon) for pitching to only work on my technique; I use slightly used gamers (currently Maxfli Tour X) for distance and reaction on the greens.

Try your MTB-X and see for yourself.

[Bluesman57]

Thanks, I'll do that.  I didn't have my bag with me yesterday,  so I am just questioning whether I should trust my results.

[russtopherb]

12 minutes ago, Bluesman57 said:

Thanks, I'll do that.  I didn't have my bag with me yesterday,  so I am just questioning whether I should trust my results.

I wouldn't trust anything short-game related with range balls. I always use my own balls for chipping, putting, pitching etc. practice so I know what the real results would be that I'd see out on the course.

[revkev]

I would be reluctant to trust run outs with range balls.  I think that you can trust carry distances for short shots - 40 yards or so - not for full shots because you will get lots of variance there - but unless you are using a two piece ball run out is not the same at all between a range ball and a gamer.  I try to only have balls in my shag bag that are at least similar to my gamer.  

[null]

Range balls tend to roll up the face, so you’ll see higher launch and less spin than you’d usually see

[goaliedad30]

I have an entire shag bag full of used Titleist ProV1s that I take to the short game area with me. Even warming up before a round, I chip and pitch with the balls I am playing as opposed to the range balls we keep in the chipping area. And I'm lucky - our range uses brand new AVXs, so they're actually not bad for full shots.

[DriverBreaker]

Pretty much what everyone else has said. It’s like anything else in golf, practice with what you play with whenever possible.  It would be like practicing your buddy’s driver that has a different shaft and then going to play with your own and trying to figure how it’s going to go. 

[MDGolfHacker]

Agree with a lot of the comments previously made. Distance might be ok, but I wouldn't trust the rollout on those pinnacle range balls compared to your gamers (unless your gamers are pinnacles ). I always work on the swing mechanics with range balls but verify with the balls I actually golf with at a local course that allows pitching and putting. Let us know what you end up doing and how it goes!

 

MdGolfHacker 

[glenmore5]

Agree with all the above comments...stands to reason that range balls are there for a reason...not to trust them for short game purposes.

 

Happy you are working on your short game...only way to bring your hc down....keep it up...I see a single marker hiding in there.

 

 

[djrexyman]

8 hours ago, goaliedad30 said:

I have an entire shag bag full of used Titleist ProV1s that I take to the short game area with me. Even warming up before a round, I chip and pitch with the balls I am playing as opposed to the range balls we keep in the chipping area. And I'm lucky - our range uses brand new AVXs, so they're actually not bad for full shots.

where can I go to this place!! that's amazing avx for practice that's awesome. 

[WaffleHouseTour]

When I go to a particular range that has two different short game practice areas I always take and use my own balls. I buy a small bucket at the shop - like paying rent for my time - but I use my own. I get some odd looks for other players. A) mine are yellow OnCore Vereox so they stand out, B) I’ve got to go shag them rather than just keep wailing away C) why am I leaving a bucket un-used….   But A) always practice with the ball you intend to use for spin and rollout - and I’m lucky the range balls are white so I can spot mine B) keeps me moving around the different greens so I’m not just hitting the same distance from the same lie, C) some junior golfer always gets a nice surprise…

[Bluesman57]

17 hours ago, revkev said:

I would be reluctant to trust run outs with range balls.  I think that you can trust carry distances for short shots - 40 yards or so - not for full shots because you will get lots of variance there - but unless you are using a two piece ball run out is not the same at all between a range ball and a gamer.  I try to only have balls in my shag bag that are at least similar to my gamer.  

Thanks, Rev.  I went to Chestnut Hills, which has a nice short game area.  Since I only hit wedges, I left my bag in the car, and so had to use their Pinochles.  BTW, I have room in my small suburban back yard to work on 15 and 20 yard carries, but obviously not run out.  I'll have to get back there and see what difference there is when using my Snells.

[goaliedad30]

16 hours ago, djrexyman said:

where can I go to this place!! that's amazing avx for practice that's awesome. 

We're a private club in Northern California. Just put in a membership application!

[Shottmaker]

Great ideas here.

I too use Snell balls - recently changed to MTB Black. I'm going to order a dozen of optic yellow so I can use just them on the short game practice area.

 

[Donn lost in San Diego]

I think I remember that the distance dropoff of range balls decreases with shorter distance.  Driver, range balls might be 15 yrds shorter, but on little wedges, only 1 or 2 yrds at most????

 

And yes, I never use range balls when chipping & putting.  Ug.  I do have some new 2 piece and some nearly new urethanes, and I use both to test my touch on different clubs on chips n putts.

[ChiefMikeOfficer]

Basically just repeating recommendations here...but my strategy is to keep a lot of used / slightly damaged balls for this purpose (emphasis on slightly - anything with significant damage is out). When I take them out of play during a round, I put them in a shag bag or tube to use later in some way -- some friends will take damaged "good" balls for their own use, and I keep a tube of the better-condition balls that I leave in the trunk for short game sessions. The tube holds 18 or 20 balls, and helps with collecting the balls from the green. 

Bonus tip, depending on whether you're open to colored balls (you could also do this with ball number, but I found colors more effective at keeping me honest): bring a mix of colors/designs to the green with you, and change your shot based on the ball. For Snell, you could hit your typical shot with the white, and then hit a high one with the yellow (or low, you pick); for a PIX- or Truvis-style ball (or Vice with all their colors), there are more options, so you could have balls for three different shots (in my tube I have 3 designs, and depending on the design will hit stock/square, open face, and low-checker). This makes the session a bit less robotic and forces you to adapt to different shots you might need on the course.