Road to the Bay Hill Pro-Am: 8 Days to Go (Range Session)

Eight days to go and man is it getting cold (again) here in the northeast. We were blessed with some warm days not long ago but it was short lived.

But, I can’t let that get in my way of prepping.

Indoor simulators run about $50 per hour near me, but a bucket of balls out on the range is about $8. All I have to do for those killer savings is brave the elements; and that is definitely worth it.

I’ve been through the yardage book and know exactly how the course is set up. Will it help? I think it will to some extent.

Knowing how the course plays in advance can help you determine what clubs you’re likely to use most that day; which will then allow you to have a more focused/strategic practice sessions.

For example, my local course has par 4s that are on average 350 yards. Its likely I’ll only use Driver, Wedge, Putter on 50% of the holes on my course. At Bay Hill, we see a lot of 430 yard par 4s, which depending on how well I strike it off the tee, could result in anything from Driver-9/8/7 iron to Driver-Hybrid.

All of sudden, target practice with longer clubs just became more biggest focus during my prep.

Take a look at the first hole for example. It will most likely play in the 420-430 range for amateurs. How’s this for an amateur righty golfer who tends to miss right with all of those amped up emotions on the first tee box?

Bay Hill Hole 1 Flyover

Uploaded by Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge on 2017-02-10.

Regardless of strategy or pure luck and adrenaline, I was able to get out there today and everything seemed to be be clicking on all cylinders.

Fingers crossed!

8 days to go. Countdown to Bay Hill. #rangesession @Golficity #proam pic.twitter.com/TfQhy3YMc2

— Mike Fasano (@MikeFas4) March 6, 2018