Driving Range price increases

[rystaman]

Hi all,

Something that I've started to notice this year with the introduction of more Toptracer and Trackman ranges using the "yourgofbooking" system is the price increases. There's a whole other conversation about certain ranges tying in a bucket with a time (80 balls - 1 hour time slot) and being strict with it which is ridiculous in itself.

As an example, The Belfry has upped their 80 ball bucket to £10. I understand that at a place like the Belfry you have full dividers between the bays which some other ranges in this area doesn't and I've seen people hit by stray balls from people in other ranges who are just there to whack a driver and the inclusion of Toptracer is a huge benefit but is becoming more standard now in driving ranges.

Just wondering what people's thoughts are on this, as with everything else recently the cost of this game is just going up and up even just for practicing...

 

[larmen]

There are some businesses which introduced systems to cope with covid which they won’t abandon anymore. I think driving ranges are profiting from the timed slots.
I can’t hit 100+ balls in an hour but have to pay for the lot. And a lot of places cancelled the half bucket.
60 balls in 45 minutes used to be my pace before the slot thing started. Happy to pay for top tracer, not happy about the timed stress. That’s why I haven’t been for a while now.

 

[SteveW86]

£3.50 for 50 balls at the local range (attached to a club), no time slots.

 

[chrisd]

My range introduced a membership only.

So £25 per month direct debit (I believe) £10 is a membership fee and £15 monthly for balls, or £250 for 6,000 ball over whatever time it takes. Prior to Covid I used to pay about £220'ish for 7,500 balls which took me just over 12 months of regular visits for practice.

Quite a few regulars from my club, including me, just don't go there anymore. I now go to a different range where the balls aren't so good but the rest of the practice facilities are much better, shame because I'd been a regular for many years .

 

[Deleted member 18121]

I only have 1 range close to me..... As a member of the club it's at I get a range card that roughly works out at £3 for 60-70 balls. The only issue is that the balls are absolutely shocking, so many balls are so smooth they don't spin properly and dip out of the sky etc... It's virtually a waste of time.

This pushes me more and more towards a Garmin R10 and a net at home as an alternative.

 

[rystaman]

There are some businesses which introduced systems to cope with covid which they won’t abandon anymore. I think driving ranges are profiting from the timed slots.
I can’t hit 100+ balls in an hour but have to pay for the lot. And a lot of places cancelled the half bucket.
60 balls in 45 minutes used to be my pace before the slot thing started. Happy to pay for top tracer, not happy about the timed stress. That’s why I haven’t been for a while now.

Yeah 100%, to be honest I've never been held to a time slot at the Belfry but I know a couple of places where they are fairly strict and have something like 100 balls - 1 hour which is absolutely ridiculous. Sometimes you want 50 balls to practice drills and you can be there an hour+.

 

[Oddsocks]

I have no problem with range prices increasing providing they maintain mats etc. the crown golf range near me where I have lessons is now £7.50 for a bucket but the mats are appalling. I’ve gone one more lesson there then I’ll be looking for a new local range.

I can see the concept of tracer bays, but I think they should be optional to use with additional cost (ie £6.00 a bucket no tracer, £8.00 a bucket with) as some people don’t want or use the tracer options.

 

[Mandofred]

I haven't been to a range in years (over 8?). At this point, I doubt I would join a club without at least a small practice area. The club I left had a huge open field with a nice practice green/sand trap etc. The current club has a much smaller field, but it's ok for what I usually work on. I never hit anything over about an 8 iron, although I could probably hit up to my 5 wood before I ran out of room. I spend time practicing before playing a couple of times a week, and I'm not willing to spend as much money as it looks like it costs these days to hit balls at a range. I know there is a range at Rudding here in Harrogate, but the prices I've heard people mentioning means I won't go. I just took a look online, the Premium bays with powertee is £11.50 for 100 balls and a 60 minute limit. Everything seems to be timed. An uncovered bay with 100 balls is £10 with the time limit as well.

 

[Dando]

I have no problem with range prices increasing providing they maintain mats etc. the crown golf range near me where I have lessons is now £7.50 for a bucket but the mats are appalling. I’ve gone one more lesson there then I’ll be looking for a new local range.

I can see the concept of tracer bays, but I think they should be optional to use with additional cost (ie £6.00 a bucket no tracer, £8.00 a bucket with) as some people don’t want or use the tracer options.

I know how far I hit my clubs so rarely use the tracers.

All 4 of my local ranges have been upgraded but the one attached to course I’ve joined allows members unlimited balls

 

[KenL]

My range introduced a membership only.

So £25 per month direct debit (I believe) £10 is a membership fee and £15 monthly for balls, or £250 for 6,000 ball over whatever time it takes. Prior to Covid I used to pay about £220'ish for 7,500 balls which took me just over 12 months of regular visits for practice.

Quite a few regulars from my club, including me, just don't go there anymore. I now go to a different range where the balls aren't so good but the rest of the practice facilities are much better, shame because I'd been a regular for many years .

A membership for a driving range, never knew that was a thing.

 

[Mandofred]

A membership for a driving range, never knew that was a thing.

I kind of like the idea. To me it's kind of like joining a club.....I won't pay £30-50 to play golf, but I will pay £1200 for the year since that brings my cost per round down to a reasonable level. If there was a way I could practice regularly and hit as many (or as few) balls as I want and keep the cost down..... I won't pay £10+ just to go practice, isn't going to happen.

 

[steadyon]

Ours is £10 per 100 with 1 hour limit. I only to when my wheels fall off! Really considering a launch monitor and net or simulator!

 

[Troymcclure]

A membership for a driving range, never knew that was a thing.

And I didn’t know time slots were a thing

 

[Lord Tyrion]

And I didn’t know time slots were a thing

They started at my local range during covid. Logical during that period. Not sure if they are still in place. Personally, after about 50 balls and 30-40 minutes I've had enough so an hour would be well over the top for me.

 

[Backache]

I use the practice area at my club which has a range and is very reasonable but open to the elements so not a good option when wet.
I don't know how reasonable the prices are but I don't think charging by the time slot is unreasonable as ultimately much of the cost to the range is the facility rather than the balls.

 

[jim8flog]

One argument for clubs introducing tracking systems is it very noticeable that our range is now crammed on certain days so the club has seen a big increase in income.


One of the downsides is that players lie myself who only ant to hit about ten balls or so cannot get on the range just to warm up.

Another upside is that the club received so many complaints about not being able to warm up is that they finally put new nets up having taken the old ones down several years ago.

No idea about prices as I only ever use the range to warm up, hitting more than about 20 balls would leave me kerred.

 

[louise_a]

Trafford golf centre is £10 form 80 off peak £12 for 80 at peak times all top tracer, doesn't appear to be a time limit, I rarely go myself as I am not a great fan and now we have a simulator to use as well

 

[chrisd]

A membership for a driving range, never knew that was a thing.

Nor me, but when golf clubs started to fill up, joining fees started to become the norm and my range has a 9 hole course attached, so membership of the range seemed a good idea to generate more income I guess.

 

[jim8flog]

Just found our prices on the website (cheaper for members as we use cards)

30 Balls£4.50
50 Balls£6.50
100 Balls£10.00

I am thinking about when our range use to be a practice ground, I used to have bucket of about 100 balls and would probably use about 2 buckets in long game practice and 1 in short
game practice 4-5 times a week.

Doing that now would cost me more than my years membership fees.

 

[Oddsocks]

I know how far I hit my clubs so rarely use the tracers.

All 4 of my local ranges have been upgraded but the one attached to course I’ve joined allows members unlimited balls

More ranges like this needed