ok, thx for the reaction both of you. First of all Alosso, I agree on having to pay for drivingrange fees, but one shot allready wears out the ball, so why the 1 shot penalty?
But then Solarflares reaction; now that is food for thought. Yes there are more ways to learn, but specially your first point, This means selecting the right club , knowing the possible-distance ,loft and spin-potential - and then exploiting that to your best ability in your mind - all this can be done off the course without hitting a ball. does also requires experience. every hole/green reacts different, which direction slopes the green, where is the best landingspot, how much does the wind influences the length of your shot, how far do I have to put it left or right of the pin with sidewind, do I 'ping' the ball or is it better to play a draw or a slice, and when I do how much distance do I loose, etc. All questions you can explore by practicing. It is not about trying to get the ball from 2 yards to 1 yard of the hole, but experimenting (is that a word?) to see what your options are, and grow some consistency. What to do in unusual situations, how not to ruin a good round by knowing what recoveryshot might work.
Yes you can learn from reading, and yes, some things can't be learned from mulligans.However, most skills in life you will significantly improve mastering by practise. That is why most top golfplayers spent hours on the drivingrange and practise greens and bunkers. practise....practise.....practise
My thoughts on the matter :)
regards, Lux