This Awful Driving Range Routine is Giving Golfers 'A False Sense of Security'
Did you know that most golfers use the driving range completely wrong?
Sure, it's meant for hitting balls and practicing golf - while, hopefully, seeing positive results - but the range is actually a place to dial in your distances, work on any swing changes, practice your pre-shot routine, and get your mindset right before heading to the first tee box.
Unfortunately, that's not what most amateur or beginner golfers do, though, as most folks treat the driving range like a rapid-fire session, firing off ball-after-ball without any intention.
If you're someone who does that, top-ranked golf teacher Todd Sones says it's time to stop it immediately - because it's absolutely crushing your golf game!
The Driving Range Routine CRUSHING Amateur & Beginner Golfers
According to Sones, it's not necessarily what golfers practice on the driving range - it's how they practice! Too many players fall into what he calls a "rake-and-hit" routine, where they just hit ball after ball without any purpose or structure.
"All they're doing is ingraining bad patterns and getting a false sense of security," Sones says.
When players make this crushing practice mistake, they leave without much confidence, little feedback on important factors like club yardages, and then often move to the first tee more anxious than they would've been without warming up on the range.
How to Properly Structure Your Driving Range Practice
Instead of just mindlessly hitting shots, Sones challenges his students to keep score on the driving range, so he'll pick a target and ask how many balls they can actually hit to the intended spot. Most results are eye-opening for the student.
"I'll say, here's a green that's 150 yards out, how many can you put on the green?" Sones says. "And they'll see real quickly that they put only one on the green and miss two over there, two over here and one short."
So while most people think they hit better on the driving range - a common myth amongst average golfers - Sones says that's a false sense of security, because their misses during practice just aren't as magnified as they are on the golf course.
"The problem is [players] don't pay the consequence on the range. They think they're good, and then they walk to the first tee with a false sense of confidence that quickly erodes because reality [sinks in]."
So take Sones' recommendation and be sure to treat every range shot like it's being played on the course. By picking a target, going through your pre-shot routine, working on fundamentals, taking your swing, and evaluating the result before moving to the next ball, you'll set yourself up for much more success when it counts.
Remember, the goal isn't simply to hit more balls, it's to hit more meaningful shots.
"Teaching people how to practice is just as important as what to practice," Sones says. "Yes, working on your short game will help you score better, but learning how to practice correctly might be even more important."
Craving more golf swing tips and golf instruction? Be sure to follow Nick Dimengo on Instagram, and subscribe to Rainmakers Golf on YouTube for more relatable swing advice to help your game improve.
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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 9:32 AM.