Smasher
Medal Winner
Depends if you're going high end Topgolf style or bargain bucket with cars, skips, washing machines, metal discs on 15ft poles etc
Love the quiet area idea.
Love the quiet area idea.
Driving Range Ideas
- Thread starter RikEssex
- Start date
Andy
Tour Winner
My Brother-in-Law took me to Top Golf in Watford... point scoring, targets, waitress service....
..on the way home all I could think of was "blinking heck, that was an expensive driving range!"
Spent a night at the one in Brisbane, what a place. Surprisingly it wasn't too expensive considering the beers we had. Shame there's only 3 in the UK
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IanG
Tour Rookie
One I use has rugby posts at 120 yard or so which a re great and provide a number of options. They also have a cowbell hanging from the cross bar which is fun to try and hit - nice small target that - and no one ever hits it so it doesn't disturb anyone!
Pins in the ground at 50 - 100 yards with green-like run outs are valuable.
Good indicators in each bay of distances to all targets.
Good floodlights so you can track the ball well in winter time.
Many ranges are now offering some radar-equipped bays and I think that will soon be expected.
Clean toilets !
Pins in the ground at 50 - 100 yards with green-like run outs are valuable.
Good indicators in each bay of distances to all targets.
Good floodlights so you can track the ball well in winter time.
Many ranges are now offering some radar-equipped bays and I think that will soon be expected.
Clean toilets !
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
For me I'd love to see ranges give some attention to practice in the 40-120 yard area with lots of designated targets and some definition around the target to give some indication how long/short and left/right the shot actually was. Other than that any range for me must have decent mats and balls. If not, it doesn't matter how all singing and dancing it is I'm not going to bother.
anotherdouble
Journeyman Pro
Definitely one but if space and safety allows then 2 bunkers practice areas that MUST be kept in a worthwhile playing condition otherwise they render themselves not fit for purpose
make a rule that if anyone walks on to the range to collect balls then they are tied to a post 100 yards out and every golfer there has to take aim at them.
how about some sort of loyalty/reward scheme for members of a certain online golf forum
how about some sort of loyalty/reward scheme for members of a certain online golf forum
what if its a range where you use your own balls?
Orikoru
Tour Winner
I don't go driving range much but one thing that annoys me is when there are no clearly marked yardages. A flagstick sitting an indeterminate distance away is not very much use if I don't know how many yards away it is. Make sure every target is measured and the yardage is clearly shown.
Try and get the variable height tees if you can, although I know the electric adjusting ones are obviously going to cost more money. But again, if you go to the driving range to practise say, your 3 wood off the tee and all they have is some rubber tees that are way too high then it's not very much use.
Try and get the variable height tees if you can, although I know the electric adjusting ones are obviously going to cost more money. But again, if you go to the driving range to practise say, your 3 wood off the tee and all they have is some rubber tees that are way too high then it's not very much use.
Bazzatron
Q-School Graduate
A slanted bay to practice uphill/downhill lies
rksquire
Head Pro
A well defined grass teeing area; decent bunkers, loyalty scheme, access to trackman facilities, and some quirky bits and pieces on the range so you can make your own game.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
Forgot this from my earlier post, but a nice touch would be more options for number of balls to take out. Most places seem to offer 50 or 100 and that's that. But sometimes 50 is not enough and 100 is too many. An option of 60 or 75 would be good, and maybe even an option of 25 that people can use as a warm-up on their way to playing 18 holes.
badgb21
Hacker
Put Top Tracer in and turn into a kids video hall at weekends like ours.
On a positive note: Use quality balls, ranges soon get slagged for poor (normally hard) balls.
Angled lies option sounded a good idea above.
Hitting from grass is good too.
On a positive note: Use quality balls, ranges soon get slagged for poor (normally hard) balls.
Angled lies option sounded a good idea above.
Hitting from grass is good too.
Pathetic Shark
Tour Rookie
A big target hole at 100 yards called Brexit. You aim at it and you're either IN or OUT.
I'll get my coat.
I'll get my coat.
Backache
Assistant Pro
Agree completely with this and I would add that having a teeing system for woods that you can adjust the height to the height you tee off rather than a choice of too high or too low is important or I won't bother.
Dibby
Assistant Pro
I think you need to decide who your market is.
Serious golfers will say they want all these fancy things, but in reality, most just want semi-decent mats, balls and a reasonable price. In my experience, golfers will say they want lots of fancy things, but when it comes to the crunch, most people won't want to pay extra for these.
On the other side, you would look at it being more of an entertainment venue, like top golf. The range is almost a sideshow to the music, food, drinks screens etc..
Either option can work, but I think the risk is if you try and make it both of these, and end up with it actually being neither.
Serious golfers will say they want all these fancy things, but in reality, most just want semi-decent mats, balls and a reasonable price. In my experience, golfers will say they want lots of fancy things, but when it comes to the crunch, most people won't want to pay extra for these.
On the other side, you would look at it being more of an entertainment venue, like top golf. The range is almost a sideshow to the music, food, drinks screens etc..
Either option can work, but I think the risk is if you try and make it both of these, and end up with it actually being neither.
Curls
Journeyman Pro
Don't put any metal targets close to the range, even at 50m someone can thin a drive into them and rebound into the range.
I agree with the above sentiments, who is your audience, what's the demographic in your catchment? Are there already ranges in the area? What sort are they? Cheap-and-cheerful, more expensive and professional? No one is travelling vast distances for a range so you need to figure out what will make the most impact. Best of luck with it.
I agree with the above sentiments, who is your audience, what's the demographic in your catchment? Are there already ranges in the area? What sort are they? Cheap-and-cheerful, more expensive and professional? No one is travelling vast distances for a range so you need to figure out what will make the most impact. Best of luck with it.
Yant
Head Pro
In my opinion, in order of importance;
Quality mats
Quality balls
Varied and interesting targets
Clean balls (ooh err missus)
Clean bays
All the other stuff is nice to have but those are the minimum things i want from a driving range.
Quality mats
Quality balls
Varied and interesting targets
Clean balls (ooh err missus)
Clean bays
All the other stuff is nice to have but those are the minimum things i want from a driving range.
RikEssex
New member
I really appreciate all of the feedback so far - some great ideas. Some things I had never considered which seem absolutely essential. Thanks
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Decent mats and balls are a must along with targets
We need to know how far to the targets and how far the balls go.
Range I use has good quality Srixon range balls but I've no idea what %age distance they go....are the numbers on the target genuine distance or "adjusted" for the balls?
Info like this helps.
We need to know how far to the targets and how far the balls go.
Range I use has good quality Srixon range balls but I've no idea what %age distance they go....are the numbers on the target genuine distance or "adjusted" for the balls?
Info like this helps.
