What do you look for in a driving range?

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I'm considering joining this driving range and its loyalty card scheme

http://www.stonedrivingrange.co.uk/

The range is about 5 minutes drive from where I work so visiting at lunch is no issue. I've used it quite often before and found it excellent

22 floodlit bays
Flightscope
Srixon/Cleveland golf fitting centre
True strike mats
Srixon balls
Indoor putting green
Excellent shop
Resident professionals
Good rates

By moving to this range from my current one I can practice more often (at lunch) and in turn, spend more time with my family of an evening.

Win/win

What do you look for in a driving range? What are your impressions of the above range?
 
Looks pretty good. For me I'd say good balls and realistic yardage markers and targets. Launch monitor also a good thing, would be great at every bay but too costly.
 
looks good Gareth.

I look for location, price, mat quality and visibility down the range. Not bothered about the balls too much as long as they arent cream crackered.
 
Looks a good range, very mpressive.

Personally I look for good quality balls, nice range layout ie targets and distances with varied targets. Also good mats and nice cosmetics about the range, decor.
 
sounds good

Best Driving range I have used is the one at Maidenhead Golf Centre, similar to the one your looking at. Think Homer used it for a good while also.

Srixon balls, loads of nets, targets and greens to aim at and think they also had areas where you could hit off grass as well
 
The deal clincher came Sunday at the range I "was" using

Usually have 100 balls and take my time. I actually looked at the quality of ball.

I counted 33 out of the 100 had little to no dimples.

It was actually quite funny some of the flights I got :mad:

There 50 balls is £3. At Stone range (With membership) they cost £3.50. 100% worth the extra for better quality balls!!
 
I go Lee Marston and I can't really fault it.

Srixon balls in excellent condition and brand new mats
50 yrd flags dotted around
Nets @ 80yards
100 yrd green with bunkers
150 yrd green with bunkers
A set of Rugby goals @ 180 YRDS to aim at

The range in question looks great too.
 
sounds good

Best Driving range I have used is the one at Maidenhead Golf Centre, similar to the one your looking at. Think Homer used it for a good while also.

Srixon balls, loads of nets, targets and greens to aim at and think they also had areas where you could hit off grass as well

Just checked the website - they dont have a grass range, but they have a few mats in the open - ie no dividers/overhead covering.

http://www.maidenheadgolfcentre.co.uk/maidenheadmovie
 
I dont tend to use ranges any more unless I was having a mare with my driver and needed it sorting, else I would be at the practice fairway at the club. Nothing beats real targets, surfaces and the wind in your face. Its too easy to hit slightly fat irons and watch them still go off ok or cream them and see them all turn straight left as its blowing a gale and you cant feel it in the bay. Each to their own though.
 
Decent balls
Decent mats
Room to swing
Proper range distances and the ability to see your ball land
Bay heaters
Proper cover from the elements
A decent light
Automatic tees that work and dont 'keep' most of your balls
A ball dispenser that works properly
all of the above you cannot find at Mearns Castle driving range, and 100 mixed quality balls are £6.50


I've said it before and I'll say it again, there is a market for a really good well run range which I wouldn't grudge paying a tenner for 100 balls.
 
I wish somebody would either open a good driving range in birmingham city centre area or at least improve an existing one
Alison Nicholls with AG is pretty poor, wast hills is a dump, direct golf at 3 counties is 25 mins away,
Lea marston is 30 mins away and just too far after work in bham rush hour (s)
 
Decent quality balls at reasonable rates, with good mats and something to aim at.

I've used better and worse ranges but most of the time I use Direct Golf at Solihull (M42 J3, Becketts Farm) which is actually further from me than 2 others. DG range facilities could do with a lick of paint as they're ageing with the bad weather lately. OK balls (shame they're not Srixon), good mats & targets and a grass area for "members" (£10 a year). They also have a large green with 4 bunkers to practice your short game. Members also get 10% off ball prices making 100 £5.40.

There is a simulator room which I thought they were having the tech moved to a bay but its not happened yet. DG seem to have spent some money at their other ranges, but not at Solihull which is a shame. Hopefully next year.

As a Father with 2 golfing Sons it's great they have a junior rate basket of balls as well. They can rattle 100 balls out like a minimi laying down suppressing fire, so it's nice to know the money flying out of the bay is less than it could have been.

DG also have PGA Pro's available for lessons, & a junior coaching programme which means as a family of golfers they offer us a pretty complete service.
 
That looks very nice and reasonable prices

In Suffolk, in particular Bury area we have really poor ranges, Bury St Edmunds range is on a slope !

It slopes left to right and slopes front to back, not good at all and £6 for 100 balls !!

The range opposite the Stowmarket golf club is nice, friendly, lower cost 110 balls £5

Flat range, good distance markers and nice mats

Not the stupid auto tee machines, i hate them

Back mirrors behind you and srixon range balls
 
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