Small rant

[barrybridges]

Because I don't have access to a car during the week, but work from home, I regularly take a club from my bag and cycle down to the local driving range, which is about 20 minutes from where I live.

I'm having a small rant because I really like the pro who runs it, but I really lose sympathy for him when he keeps closing the range at random times without any means of notifying anyone.

Yesterday I cycled all the way there (and it's hilly) at 3pm in the afternoon - bearing in mind he advertises it as being open from 8am to 8pm - to find it's closed.

Previously I've phoned up to check it's open and then have cycled down to find that it's also closed.

I like the chap who runs it and get on well with him - and I've always felt a bit sorry for him as trade there can't be that brisk (it's a bit in the sticks), but I sort of lose patience with people when they don't make it easy on themselves.

It's been a lovely sunny few days and there were loads of people at the club, many of whom would have used the range before their round.

In this day and age maybe he could use facebook or twitter or something to notify people that the range is going to be closed for a couple of hours, to save them some wasted journeys.

Rant over.

 

[keepersunion]

No idea how you can run a business like that! It's all about the customer, and soon he will learn that people won't trust his opening hours and go somewhere more reliable. As you said, no sympathy for him if he did start losing custom! I wonder why he does it? Any clue?

 

[barrybridges]

The problem is that he's attached to the course so he's got a slow but steady stream of users, plus there's no other ranges for some distance.

The range itself is pretty underused; he works all the hours under the sun and from what I understand speaking to him it's quite a task to manage it all, picking up the balls, cutting the grass and - especially over the past month - unplugging balls from the muck.

It's frustrating though that he closes it 'as he feels like it' if he needs to run an errand.

I'm not a member of the club it's attached to (as the course isn't particularly well looked-after) but would use the range more consistently if I knew that I could cycle there and use it and it's guaranteed to be open.

 

[sydney greenstreet]

How long did you wait ? he might have been on a break or bursting for a JOBBIE. :lol:

 

[barrybridges]

Nah - I spoke to him the next day and he said he was out picking his kids up from the school, so closed early.

 

[Mattyboy]

The range I used to go to closed occasionally, mainly due to problems collecting balls. Damn frustrating when its your work lunchtinme. They have our Email addresses and are very quick to let you know if they have one Callaway driver with 4 deg loft and an XXX shaft and they are giving a fiver discount. But they cant send a one liner saying the range is closed.

I havent been there for a while!:mmm:

 

[North Mimms]

Why does he even have to be there?
Lots of ranges are unmanned for long periods of time.
Is there no ball dispensing machine?

 

[SocketRocket]

Maybe he's a Range Rover!

 

[Richuk123]

i'd have grabbed a leftover bucket, gone on the range and picked up my own balls!!! you dont close a range, in this weather and 3pm, well, unless your loaded that it!