# On Practice



## FrogsHair (Mar 4, 2010)

I am not one to rake and hit balls just be hitting balls. I still do it, but for the most part it's just to kill time, or perhaps to limber up. Now if I can incorporate some self interest in my practicing, then I tend to put a little focus into it. 

I am out of town 5 days a week with the nearest golf course some 50-60 miles away. In the past, where I am staying, I have utilized a dry, sandy wash that is some 50 yards wide, and probably 200 yards long. Not much to aim at, unless a jack rabbit, or lizard hops/crawls across my make shift fairway. Still, since it is sandy I can get my "carry" yardages down. 

Yesterday the park was empty. It just so happens that in one section, there are 19 sites designed for tent campers. These sites have 10' X 12' "tent pads" on them. They are about 50 yards apart, with some having 20'-60' foot high rocks separating them. The fact that only 50 yards separates them is not a big deal since between some there is up wards 200 yards separating them. Say, from site #1 to site #10. Since there is no grass in the area, I carry a piece of synthetic turf with me. There are also deposits of blow sand in various areas where I was able to work on my sand game. The dry washes that run through the area are my water hazards. I also carry a ball retriever with me. It's the wild desert. If a ball winds up in a bush, I ain't sticking my hand in it. So, yesterday I played 18 "tent pads". :laugh:

Par is 36 for the ball to land, and stay on the tent pad. My best stroke count to date is 48. Those tent pads, with no grass, are pretty firm. plus there are those pesky hazards to deal with. 

Toughest pad is #12. It is nearest the RV specific section site #25. If some big RV is parked there, I adapt my play to it. 

The head Park Ranger drove through, and asked me what the hell I was doing??? After a good laugh, he even hit a few. Can't break anything since everything out there is made of steel, or brick Shade ramadas, tables, charcoal grills, rest rooms and fire rings. I don't use site 4 since that's where my rig is set up. 

My point is, that although this might seem funny, (it is) the fact that I managed to find a way to practice is the important part. If you can't get to a driving range, perhaps there is some where else you can utilize to work on a part of your game :thumbsup:


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

awewsome mate I'd love to come play camp site golf with you. sometimes I'll practise the chipping in my yard I tend to picka spot in the yard and try and land all the balls i hit as close to it as i can. I agree at the range sometimes you can just be hitting for the sake of hitting but if you can create a chellange then its easier to work on the game.


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## FrogsHair (Mar 4, 2010)

The tent pads do make for smallish greens. Plus I figured they would draw the line at me digging holes, and installing pins. So the idea is land on the tent pad, and hope the ball stays on it. When I land a ball on the pad, an it stays there, that is one under par. More times than not, the ball will bounce off the pad. No putting is involved since putting on sanded, pea gravel might be a little tough. 

In a few more weeks when the temps start to hit high triple digits, there will be about an 8 week stretch (July-August)with very few tent camping visitors. Even at night, the lows will still be in the mid 90*F range. (32*C). 120*F +/- (49*C +/-) daily highs are not uncommon. This will allow more time to keep hitting balls. I do my required daily 2-3 hrs of chores for the Park Service very late at night, or really early in the morning to avoid the heat.

Valley of Fire Entrance West, Valley of Fire State Park - Panoramic Earth Virtual Tour Find the little white circle (gravel road) just below the green (Atlatl Rock) point in the center of this link. That is my playing area....such as it is. Zoom in for a better view. 

Very few USGA rules work out there.:laugh:


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

lol is your playing area the circula area with the cut in of the road/sand?


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## FrogsHair (Mar 4, 2010)

If you are talking about the larger white loop (gravel road) with little white finger (vehicle parking) areas sticking out, then yes that's it. The little loop at the bottom is what we call "walk in sites" and I don't use that area. 

If you look in the center of the larger loop, you will see a brown square. That's the roof of the restroom/shower building. My rig is set up directly left, across the road from there. 

This picture is pretty old. Six years ago they added another (loop) 21 RV Specific sites to the right of the old loop, with full power, and water hook ups. I have power, water, and sewer hook ups where I am at. 

Also that Atlatl Rock area might look familiar to some Star Trek fans. The Star Trek movie "Generations" was partially filmed there. It's the place where Capt. Kirk died in the movie. There has been quite a few movies, and commercials filmed in that park. Last Thursday while driving out, the highway patrol closed the road for a few minutes while the BMW car company filmed a commercial. When they allowed us through the filming area, the car was completely covered so no outsiders could see it. Looked like it might be some sort of sports car. 




Surtees said:


> lol is your playing area the circula area with the cut in of the road/sand?


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## braydon (May 31, 2011)

*nonvoiceprojects*

great game to play and classic type of game i like to play this game
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nonvoiceprojects


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## KrudlerAce (Jul 3, 2010)

*Practice*

I often like to practice my posture, set up and take away just in front of the mirror at home without a golf club.


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## Louiss (Jul 21, 2011)

There is famous saying that practice makes a man perfect. Nobody can improve his game without the practice. Practice is necessary to be a perfect and good player.


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## Rothenfield (Jul 15, 2011)

As an aspiring, middle-aged, obsessed, newbie; I think about how to maximize my practice time a lot. I travel a lot as well, and it’s hard to keep the momentum up when you are on-the-road all the time. I’ve been trying to do little things to keep mind focused on the game, like carrying a tee in my change pocket and packing a golf ball in my luggage. 

As for range practice, I agree that you have to have a plan about what you want to work on. I don’t know if you’re doing yourself much good if you’re just machine-gunning a bucket of balls. I’m up to range practice day #5, but I’ve taken hundreds of swings in my backyard at plastic balls. I wonder sometimes if I’m really doing myself much good hitting practice balls because the sensation is ‘so’ much different when I feel the heavy impact of a ‘real’ ball. I’ve tried to take every swing that I’ve taken as seriously as I could while thinking about the images and techniques that I’ve read about or seen. I’ve decided, for whatever warped reasoning, to hit nothing but irons, particularly mid-7, 6, &5, until I feel more confident in my approach. I don’t think about where the ball is going; although, I always look and wonder what the hell happened. 

This is a really nutty game, but I’m into it right now; at least, into trying to contort my body into creating a reproducible swing.


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