Paying a Yearly Fee for a Driving Range?

[dan2844]

So the club im a member at doesnt have a driving range so if i want to hit the range i have to go to a different course. currently ive been using a free driving range open to all members of the public, free to use, balls are about £2.50 for a medium bucket (40-50ish?) and there is also a putting green. there a few downsides, the grass section is hacked to pieces so its mostly off the mats and there is no chipping onto the putting green allowed and also with it being open to the public and the food being excellent there is usually a number of non golfers mucking around on the range and making me choose the total opposite end of the range to them and the putting green is often busy. (hope that doesn't sound too snob-ish!) its also non floodlit.

i have just found out that another local course which has a range for members now does a 'social package' £40 per year for use of the driving range, putting green with a practice bunker and chipping area also, with use of the clubhouse also (including the snooker table). smart dresscode is required and you must have either full or social membership to use the range so its usually just people hitting a few balls before they go out to play. its £1 for 18 Balls so very similar. its also flood lit until 9pm and has one of the best teaching pros too apparently.

i am going down to check out the second course this afternoon, although i think i have already made up my mind now even just typing this as i think £40 alone would be worth it for the chipping and bunker practice and the fact i could go down after work on dark evenings.

What do you guys think? anyone else not have a range at their home course? what do you guys do about practice?

First one is www.whetstonegolfclub.co.uk
Second is www.cosbygolfclub.co.uk

 

[Hacker Khan]

There's a course near me that has a range membership of something like £200. And whilst it advertises a 32 floodlit bay off high quality mats in reality half the range is usually closed and some of the mats are no better than thin carpet. And the weird thing is the course is an ex Jack Barker course so it is not the best to say the least.

So summing up, 40 quid is not a great deal really to be able to practice after work a bit. Do that.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Been one, very much with it. I got a silver membership which included lessons. Well worth it as I got money off the food there which was superb!

 

[jdpjamesp]

I'm not a member of a club but Heysham have a similar scheme that I'm going to sign up for once I finish working in Lytham (Currently use Lytham Golf Academy). I think it's a great idea to be honest.

 

[Jon_T]

I'd go to Cosby as it sounds like the best bet for you. I looked into using the pro there just last week because as you say he seems to be highly regarded in the area. I chose someone else based on recommendation from here but i'd be interested to know how you get on if you do have any lessons with him in the future.

 

[dan2844]

I'm going down there after work today to check out Cosby as the chipping and bunker practice is enticing, not something I can do often. Before I go in there though I'm going to check the range, to see the condition before I speak to the pro shop. The range was only built in 2009 so I'm hoping for good things but having a grass practice area is also a big thing for me.

 

[dan2844]

As a matter of fact I did miss a big difference off, the bay's at Cosby are under cover where as at whetstone they aren't. I'm convincing myself more at more at the minute haha. I will see what it looks like later.

 

[Wayman]

Go to the paid one

No brainer for me

 

[Crow]

I've been to Cosby and it's a nice set-up.
I think the "membership" part might be new.

Other options you could try are:

Kilworth Springs, covered bays with mats, £1 for around 25 balls (this is where I usually go as it's the closest to me but for some reason over the last year, whenever I've been there I've had a terrible shanking affliction)
http://www.kilworthsprings.co.uk/pro-shop/driving-range/

Bramcote Golf Range, covered bays with mats, £3.50 for 60 balls
http://www.bramcotegolf.co.uk/

Lessons are available at both, and don't forget the Burbage simulator facility associated with the club where Richard Jones coaches, I had an excellent lesson from him last year.
http://www.golf-stores.co.uk/

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'd go to the second one. You want to relax but concentrate as well and can't see that happening in the first example. I use to use a range in Maidenhead which charged an annual fee which then got you discounted prices on the balls. There wasn't a short game area per se but there was a bunker and a grass area to do a bit of pitching. The range itself had decent mats and was floodlit and was tucked away and so nice and quiet most of the time

 

[dan2844]

ahh perfect thank you. the best thing about cosby for me is its less than a mile away which is nice same with Ullesthorpe and Whetstone only being about 5 miles away. i went down cosby today; i was made to fill out an application form and they would 'run it through their system' to see if i am to be accepted. he did however slip up because as soon as he saw i was a member at ullesthorpe he said can you come down tomorrow and i will let you know if its approved and we can sort out payment... however it wasnt as described on their website so i will ask a few questions tomorrow. there was a practice green, which was open but it wasnt anything particularly special. there was no practice bunker or chipping area to it either as far as i could see. the range its self was clean and looked quite new; it had a covered back and sides and the bays were very spacious. i will have a look at bramcote and Kilworth and see what they're like. ive also been to forest hill at bocheston which was a great range but again a bit out of the way for me.