I’ve been to the driving range twice this summer and both times it led to my worst rounds of golf of the year. Both times, it led to an inability to make consistent contact with the golf ball on the course. I don’t know exactly why this happens, but I do know I will never go to a driving range again.

Never say never, I know, but the driving range has me spooked. I’ve played about a dozen rounds of golf this summer and in all but one of them, I haven’t warmed up at the range. Even without warm up, I have hit solid tee shots off the first tee almost every time (I think I only hit one bad shot). Regardless of the actual number of good shots or percentage of bad, I can say with certainty that not warming up hasn’t hurt my first tee shot.

The only thing I can figure is that standing in the same spot and hitting, whether off mats or off grass causes me to make subconscious, minute adjustments to my stance and set up that don’t translate to the golf course. Usually, I find myself having to move the ball backward in my stance, more toward the right foot and all is restored from there out on the course. So, it seems going to the driving range causes me to move the ball up in my stance or toward my left foot without my noticing. Golf is a touchy game, so small changes can throw you off, or at least I know they throw me off. There is nothing greater than hitting that sweet spot on the golf club repeatedly and nothing worse than missing it. That’s why I won’t go to the range ever again if I can help it.