Driving ranges?

[Deleted Member 1156]

We are usually allowed to chip onto the putting green but this is prohibited as golfers are using it to putt on prior to starting on the 1st and they are concerned about too many people congregating around the area. I can pitch on the practice ground, but limited to short sessions and a max of 60 balls whereas Sandown can book 1 hour slots and 100 balls.

Ah OK. Our tee times are busy but fortunately the practice area is pretty quiet.

 

[ScienceBoy]

It's called string.

Needs a bit more as I cycle 10k over busy routes and average between 12 and 15kph depending on how much weaving around traffic I need to do. I don’t want to whack someone cycling the other way with a 7 iron head...

 

[larmen]

Hope they open soo, I’m currently fashioning a device to carry a couple of clubs with me on my daily cycle commute so I can swing by the range on the way home.

Can’t you just commute on a golf scooter or a golf board?

 

[ScienceBoy]

Can’t you just commute on a golf scooter or a golf board?

I cant afford those crazy prices.

 

[CliveW]

Needs a bit more as I cycle 10k over busy routes and average between 12 and 15kph depending on how much weaving around traffic I need to do. I don’t want to whack someone cycling the other way with a 7 iron head...

Tie it along the crossbar so the head is under the saddle. 7 - 9 mph isn't fast. (Or is it a girl's bike without a crossbar?)

 

[ScienceBoy]

Tie it along the crossbar so the head is under the saddle. 7 - 9 mph isn't fast. (Or is it a girl's bike without a crossbar?)

It’s called a “Step Over” bike thank you!

Also it sounds faster if you say it in kph...

 

[sunshine]

Just looked at that as it isn't too far. Might bear that in mind to go down and use the grass area for some pitching work (currently bookable next weekend if anyone is interested)

Will you bring your own balls?

 

[Shooter McPowick]

Went to Silvermere for one of the 50 minute slots this morning and they are dealing with the restrictions incredibly well. Very well organised from a chap on the drive informing you of what to do and where to go to the guys on the range ensuring everyone is safe. May be a bit pricey but it certainly is top notch and there was no restriction on balls, I think there was 120 in there but I didn't use them all. A chap a couple of bays down went through the 120 and they just topped it up for him. When I left they were wiping everything down despite me touching nothing but my own equipment (power tees)
Got a complimentary 2 ball sleeve of the new Taylormade Tour response as well - happy days.

 

[larmen]

Just booked a lesson at Silvermere for tomorrow, but short game. I will have a peek towards the range when walking there.

The issue with 120 balls for me is, after 70 I am well spent. I rather have an hour and 60 balls that 50 minutes and 120 balls.
Every pro tells you that 120 balls in 50 is not the way to spend time on the range.

 

[rudebhoy]

There are 2 ranges near me, a good one which is shut, and a scruffy one which is open. The scruffy one posted on FB that strict social distancing will be in operation, only every other bay open, so there may be a wait.

The weather was horrible this morning, so I thought I'd go up there and work on a few things. Got there, all seemed good. Shop was closed, but someone was sat behind a window taking payments (contactless) and dishing out baskets of balls. She said to me "it's quite busy, so you might have to come back here and wait". I wandered up, and thankfully the last 2 bays on the right were empty (the entrance is 4 or 5 bays in from the right), so I went in the end bay.

I started hitting, but when I got down to the last few balls, I noticed someone was in the bay behind me. A bit annoying, but I finished up, and turned to leave, only to see virtually every bay was full, no distancing going on at all.

Seriously, how difficult is it manage a range so that only 11 out of 22 bays are in use?

Pretty poor, I won't be going back there for a while (another annoyance is I have a prepaid card for there which I'm not allowed to use, and they have jacked their prices up to match the good range which is shut).

 

[Shooter McPowick]

Popped in to MerristWood today for a bucket of balls and they have split their 100yard wide grass range into 6 bays. It’s all roped off and was very sensibly managed.
Shame about the divot etiquette...

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The Downshire in Bracknell (my nearest) is still shut. It was council owned but bought out by Eveyone Active and apparently they are waiting on further advice before opening the range. I thought that had come and was very clear and seems a very poor cop out. The guy in the shop said they were waiting on R&A to confirm (so will be waiting a long time) and when I pointed him to the EGU (or for his bosses to read) he seemed non-plussed. Guess that won't happen soon. I think there is an old footgolf place with a range in Wokingham (pain to get to) that has opened their range and Lavender Park in Ascot although I hear that has gone mad and so pre-booking now in place at peak times

 

[Shooter McPowick]

The Downshire in Bracknell (my nearest) is still shut. It was council owned but bought out by Eveyone Active and apparently they are waiting on further advice before opening the range. I thought that had come and was very clear and seems a very poor cop out. The guy in the shop said they were waiting on R&A to confirm (so will be waiting a long time) and when I pointed him to the EGU (or for his bosses to read) he seemed non-plussed. Guess that won't happen soon. I think there is an old footgolf place with a range in Wokingham (pain to get to) that has opened their range and Lavender Park in Ascot although I hear that has gone mad and so pre-booking now in place at peak times

I was chatting to the pro at MerristWood and he was saying they had to take photos of all the measures they had taken and get it approved before they could open. Perhaps Downshire were just a little slow in jumpimg through the hoops.

 

[YandaB]

The Downshire in Bracknell (my nearest) is still shut. It was council owned but bought out by Eveyone Active and apparently they are waiting on further advice before opening the range. I thought that had come and was very clear and seems a very poor cop out. The guy in the shop said they were waiting on R&A to confirm (so will be waiting a long time) and when I pointed him to the EGU (or for his bosses to read) he seemed non-plussed. Guess that won't happen soon. I think there is an old footgolf place with a range in Wokingham (pain to get to) that has opened their range and Lavender Park in Ascot although I hear that has gone mad and so pre-booking now in place at peak times

The footgolf place also has TopTracer like Lavender Park, not sure if that's what makes it go mad or not.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I had virtually exactly the same conversation here Homer.

It's not surprising that the people providing the excuses as to why they couldn't open were getting paid by the council and a large ownership group who were paying them regardless, so it was in their personal interest to be sitting doing nothing.

The point is the course itself is open so clearly they are capable of getting and following the guidance on that. Smacks of a lack of effort and planning and the frustrating thing is the range always has a regular flow of users and between 6.00 and 7.00pm when they have happy hour (double balls) it is rammed in the week to the point where you often have to wait for a bay by 6.20pm

 

[SammmeBee]

EXACTLY the same here.
Course open, range shut.

Is that not the actual guidance that is set out by the government?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The footgolf place also has TopTracer like Lavender Park, not sure if that's what makes it go mad or not.

Lavender have removed Toptracer except for a teaching bay at the far end. I assume the other place will have done the same for H&S. For clarity it is Lavender that has apparently got really busy. Not used the Wokingham one.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I read somewhere on here either at the beginning of last week, or before, that guidance left it to clubs/ranges to open as long as they take all necessary steps to demonstrate adequate processes in place to operate safely.
That's just me taking part in a forum and I read that.
If I was reliant on that business I would be completely on top of it, apparently just like all the other ranges that have opened.

Surely any range that claims not to know they are allowed to open is either very inefficient or deliberately ignoring the advice because the employees are sitting there happy not to be working?

Seems very strange. I don't think some of the big ranges like Silvermere or Sandown Park would risk any H&S sanctions by opening without sufficient measures in place. If they and other ranges up and down the country all think it is safe and following some form of guidance somewhere they must be getting their information somewhere

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

I am just back from the range at Gravely (Chesfield Downs), seems to be well organised but I was a little surprised to see every bay open (maybe 2m distance, in practise probably not), they have a one way system, disinfected balls/buckets, card payment only. It was nice to go and have a bit of practice, it was busy tho' so not sure social distancing completely adhered to.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Just back from Lavender Park. Brilliantly organised and now fully open (including takeaway service for beers). Arrive, see if a bay is free from a guy behind a desk and mask. White board behind him and he sends you to the bay and puts the time in as they are limiting bays to an hour in peak times. Balls via your swipe card. Opted for 80. They have reinstalled the Toptracer with a caveat you use at your own risk although they also provide hand sanitiser in each bay

The only downsides from me are I don't find Toptracer overly helpful in as much as I seem to swing quicker trying to get swing speed/distance up whereas if I am on the clubs practice ground or a range without the system I seem to swing smoother. I am someone that likes to take my time practising and rehearse and work on what I'm doing and so I felt a little rushed with the time constraint and the option of 40 ball as the next size didn't give me enough for what I wanted. Finally my driver is now officially a nightmare although hoping that was more down to the Toptracer issues as I hit it better last night.

All of that said, it is great to see it open and functioning so efficiently and safely and clearly word has got out as I arrived at 5.40 and it was already rammed and I was lucky to get one of the last bays free