Practice range with Chipping/putting area?

[GrantTotten]

Hi all,

As I make my way through Pelz' Short Game Bible, I am learning the importance of practicing my chipping, pitching, and bunker shots. I also recognize a real need to work on my putting and green reading.

What I'm wondering is if there is a practice range on the west side of Ottawa that has a putting green/short game practice area. I've been going to the Conley driving range, which is just down the road from where I live. They have a short-game practice area but the "greens" are more like rough. I'd like to start figuring out my pitching/chipping distances INCLUDING the roll.

BTW, the guy who runs the driving range, Ross Leeder is a certified professional and he's really improved my swing with just two lessons. Can't say enough good things about him: he's a good teacher, and friendly.

Cheers,
Grant

[blur13]

Try Kevin Haime's Golf Center. It's in Kanata, near the McDonalds

http://www.kevinhaime.com/welcome/welcome_main.htm

They have great greens, anda chipping, bunker areas. Unfortunately the short game area was closed yesterday.

Hope this helps

[4jag]

Both me and my daugther have taken lessons from Ross at Conley's and we agree that he is an excellent instructor.

Haime's range looks to have a fantastic short game area. So does Stonebridge gc - if you buy a bucket you can practice chipping, bunker shots and putting at their range.

[powerlefty]

Kevin Haime's facility looks great but it was not open last year and is not yet open this year. I think it is scheduled to open late next week. The charge for it is something like $8/hr.

[GrantTotten]

Thanks for the answers. I'll definitely give it a try.

Would any of you know if there is room to go off by yourself and pace off distances, especially for short game shots? I really need to learn my distances for the various swing/club combinations.

Truth be told, I need to learn the distances of my longer clubs as well -- the new swing that Ross has bestowed upon me is >30 yards longer than before (and much straighter). So now I don't trust my distances anymore. Does Kevin Haime's place have well-marked distance markers?

It's kinda scary -- now I can hit farther than I can see. :-(

Grant

[Colby]

Kevin Haime's marks the distances from each hitting station to coloured flags in the field, or at least this is what I saw last year.

Another way I know, and this has to be done on course, is to load up GStat, shameless plug, and use the shot charting feature, keeping the stats as you play your round. After a few rounds, you will know what distances your clubs are hitting.

Cheers
Colby

[GrantTotten]

I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here...

At your suggestion, I downloaded an evaluation of GstatPro beta. All I have to say is "wow". Just... wow.

I'm very impressed with the details it will keep track of and it's statistical abilities. I've just entered a few records, so I'm early in my evaluation, but it seems to be EXACTLY what I'm looking for.

Grant

[Colby]

GrantTotten,

Glad to hear. I bought the program before I ever got involved here. I found it searching the web, and bought it after playing with it for about a week or so. The only problem I ever had was I deleted my database, with about two years worth of rounds I'm building up a nice database once again.

I do feel guilty when I don't use the shot charting feature, I really feel that this the strong feature of this software. I can do without graphs until I am scoring a bit better,

Cheers
Colby

[Kilroy]

GStat rules.

Scott Maga the author has been very co-operative in adding a few special features for our tour to the league manager too!

[Dustin]

The 19th tee in Kanata (on carling) has chip and putt also.

I wish there was a closer range to downtown

[michaeld]

Downtown? Ya. Try the Airport golfland, an overgrown bunker there.

The Meadows has a chipping green with a bunker. But, just go to Capital Golf, they have a pitching green in the back with good bunkers.

Near the Chaudiere bridge? Go to Champlain, they have a spare hole (past the 4th green) set up for everything. Even Gatineau has a nice setup.