We glider folk run from thermal to best guess for next thermal in general direction of next turnpoint or destination.
Lots of time to look at map in thermal. Look more diligently at map when airspace getting near.
Some pedants look down their nose at track crawling, but it's hard to get lost if you stay on or alongside the line on the map
Night is a different ball game. Decades ago I would be happily tracking a VOR course without being sure exactly where I was on the track. In a pinch I could reference the time I noted crossing the last VOR.
These days GPS makes it easy.