News:

Welcome to the Golf Club Atlas Discussion Group!

Each user is approved by the Golf Club Atlas editorial staff. For any new inquiries, please contact us.


jim_lewis

  • Karma: +0/-0
best practice facilities
« on: April 17, 2004, 06:38:51 AM »
I know this topic has been discussed before, but I don't know how to retrieve it.

A friend called me seeking my opinion on the best practice facilities I have seen. His club is planning to build a new practice area and he wants to visit some of the better ones to collect ideas. Please give me your candidates and I will pass them along.
"Crusty"  Jim
Freelance Curmudgeon

Stephen Brown

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2004, 07:06:20 AM »
Jim-

I may be slightly biased, but one of the best practice facilities I have ever seen is at Berkeley Hall in Bluffton, SC.  30 acres, with one side used essentially as a warm up range.  

The "Learning Center" as it is referred to here, is a complete package.  3 Indoor climate controled hitting bays, and one indoor "super bay", which contains sate of the art video technology.  Adjacent to these bays is a classroom, complete with mirrors, and putting turf for the floor (actually has holes in it).  The Practice range side has a Covershots canopy.  We also have a wedge only tee.  The wedge only tee has seven targets surronded by a 15 foot circle of sand, to make it easier to tell where the ball has landed.Each of these flags contains a Laser Link prism to allow players to accuately gauge there distance to each target anywhere on the tee. Across the path from the Practice Tee are 4 Target Greens and bunkers to allow golfers to hit every kind of shot imaginable.  It is possible to hit a full 9 iron into some of these greens.

No practice facilty would be complete without a bar 8), and here it is called the "Fazio Room"(I know there are some here would not set foot in it on principle alone ;)).  The Fazio Room is cozy spot with a large screen plasma TV, fireplace, and leather couches and stools for relaxing.

My apologies if this sounds like an advertisement.  Let your friend know, more information is available at Berkeleyhallsc.com.

Steve

TEPaul

Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2004, 07:54:33 AM »
The new separate range and practice facility at Pine Valley is about the best I've seen. It's about five years old and was designed by Tom Fazio and probably constructed basically by a contractor on the heavy lifting and shaping and the rest in-house.

Brock Peyer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2004, 08:20:04 AM »
The facility at the Legends complex in MB is enormous with tees facing different directions and my favorite putting green that I have seen.

Robert_Walker

Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2004, 08:26:03 AM »
Friars Head, Old Memorial, Muirfield Village, Pumpkin Ridge

Brian Phillips

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #5 on: April 17, 2004, 08:35:13 AM »
Jim,

Have a look at these photos, designed by Graeme Webster of Team Niblick Ltd.

http://www.meldrumhouse.com/photo-gallery.html



Cheers,

Brian
« Last Edit: April 17, 2004, 09:23:58 AM by Brian Phillips »
Bunkers, if they be good bunkers, and bunkers of strong character, refuse to be disregarded, and insist on asserting themselves; they do not mind being avoided, but they decline to be ignored - John Low Concerning Golf

Andy Hughes

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2004, 09:22:08 AM »
Many years ago there was an old driving range near Athens, GA that had old cars out on the range. There weren't any lasers or indoor high-tech wizardry or expansive putting greens, but man, it was very cool to aim at and actually hit one of those cars and get that clanking sound for feedback. And if you were really lucky, there might even be some glass still in place!
« Last Edit: April 17, 2004, 09:28:33 AM by Andy Hughes »
"Perhaps I'm incorrect..."--P. Mucci 6/7/2007

GeoffreyC

Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2004, 09:43:48 AM »
Friars Head is great and lets not forget the short par 3 course to practice on.

Hamilton Farm has a really good one but I'm not sure I'd ever use it because the regulation 18 hole par 3 course (Hickory) is the best place to practice I've seen.

For public facilities, World Woods can't be beat. Their website has a good description of it.

Mike Nuzzo

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #8 on: April 17, 2004, 10:19:21 AM »
Warm up areas, putting and pitching, that blend (no cart paths only mowed turf) into the existing golf look great and create a smooth transition and traffic pattern - The Dunes Club, Scioto and the look of the Oakmont 9th green.
For total practice - I concur on World Woods.
How many acres do they have for utilization?
Cheers
Thinking of Bob, Rihc, Bill, George, Neil, Dr. Childs, & Tiger.

Dan_Callahan

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #9 on: April 17, 2004, 10:34:35 AM »
Hard to beat the PGA Village in Port St. Lucie. Two huge ranges (and at least two others that are used for lessons), two massive putting greens, two chipping/bump&run greens, a flop shot area, and practice bunkers that replicate different design styles from around the world (grass bunker, pot bunker, sand from New England, Hawaii, Scotland, the Carolinas, etc.).

CharlestonBuckeye

Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #10 on: April 17, 2004, 10:58:19 AM »
Berkeley Hall - Beaufort, SC
Kinloch - Richmond, VA
Caves Valley - Baltimore, MD

Tiger_Bernhardt

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #11 on: April 17, 2004, 11:03:55 AM »
Bandon Dunes

johnk

Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #12 on: April 17, 2004, 12:31:32 PM »
The new areas at Monterey Peninsula CC look like they will be really good.  One day, I saw Mike Stranz walking around in the dirt  -- on the practice range... That's fieldwork!

Also, the temporary range they have now has to be one of the most beautiful views in all of range-dom.  You tee off down a gentle slope thats 400 yards from the shore, with a clear view all around!

johnk

Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #13 on: April 17, 2004, 12:34:07 PM »
Also - what about the best practice facilities in the UK?

Is the Scottish Nat'l golf centre north of St. Andrews still around?

TEPaul

Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #14 on: April 17, 2004, 12:55:38 PM »
TommyN;

You're right--I can't imagine how I could've said PVGC's practice facility is the best I've ever seen when I have seen Friar Head's. I suggest you post that entire email you sent me on this matter.

As far as apologizing to Ken Bakst, and groveling, and making up for what I said with some heavy work this summer at Friar's, you're riight on that too, I should do that.

I suggest what I should do is get out there early one morning (everyone knows I can't get up early in the morning ;) ) before anyone else with a putter and a couple of balls and go through the course from green to green and check all the various slopes, contours, breaks and such on all the greens. It's hard work but someone has to do it!

cary lichtenstein

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #15 on: April 17, 2004, 01:00:48 PM »
Best one sided driving range is at Trump International in West Palm Beach. There are numerous large real practice greens, each with 2 or 3 flags, very elevated tee....just absolutely the best.
Live Jupiter, Fl, was  4 handicap, played top 100 US, top 75 World. Great memories, no longer play, 4 back surgeries. I don't miss a lot of things about golf, life is simpler with out it. I miss my 60 degree wedge shots, don't miss nasty weather, icing, back spasms. Last course I played was Augusta

Anthony_Nysse

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #16 on: April 17, 2004, 02:33:36 PM »
Friar's Head, Berkeley Hall and TPC Sawgrass....all HUGE!!
Anthony J. Nysse
Director of Golf Courses & Grounds
Apogee Club
Hobe Sound, FL

Top100Guru

Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #17 on: April 17, 2004, 02:35:21 PM »
I have seen the facility at the soon to be opened "Old Sandwich Club" and let me tell you, it is going to be spectacular....especially because it is so "Non-commercial" looking like Berkely Hall.........

Gerry B

Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #18 on: April 17, 2004, 03:01:04 PM »
Here is a private course list as opposed to public course / golf academy

Pine Valley's is very good - only drawback - not adjacent to the 1st tee - but the short course is an added bonus

I like Olympic as the short course is a great warmup to complement the range

I like the Chicago Golf Club range as it feels like it is part of the course

My home course -The National in Toronto is good for a few reasons:
 
1)has a 2 sided range with nice target areas and accurate yardage markers
2) a decent chipping ,putting and bunker complex
3)Titleist balls
4) always a multitude of the latest clubs to demo on weekends
5) is within 50 yards of the 1st tee and 20 feet from the bag drop to save time if one is running late

Daryl "Turboe" Boe

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #19 on: April 17, 2004, 03:13:01 PM »
I concur with Steve Brown, for functionality I have never seen one better than Berkeley Hall near Hilton Head.

For sheer size and flexability the 360 degree design at World Woods in Brooksville, FL is hard to beat.  The flexability and ability to get off in a secluded cove by yourself is unique.

Instagram: @thequestfor3000

"Time spent playing golf is not deducted from ones lifespan."

"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm."

Dave_Miller

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #20 on: April 17, 2004, 03:55:18 PM »
I know this topic has been discussed before, but I don't know how to retrieve it.

A friend called me seeking my opinion on the best practice facilities I have seen. His club is planning to build a new practice area and he wants to visit some of the better ones to collect ideas. Please give me your candidates and I will pass them along.

Jim:
The key question could be "How much land do they have to work with".
Not everyone has the room of Berkeley Hall, Hamilton Farms, World Woods or PGA Village.
Most Private clubs located in or near major cities have limited area available.  Olympic, in SF, has a great practice facility for a members clbg as does Aronimink in Newtown Square, PA.
If the space and the budget are there then they should go for the moon.
Best,
Dave

Evan_Green

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #21 on: April 17, 2004, 04:09:12 PM »
My vote goes to Bandon for the enormous green and iron range.

However, Stevinson Ranch near Modesto has the best driving range turf I have ever seen- I could spend days out there

I also seem to remember a 1000 yard? field when I was at Royal Birkdale as being a memorable if not rudimentary practice facility

Gerry B

Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #22 on: April 17, 2004, 04:42:45 PM »
Dave Miller:

Excellent point - small footprints  at many older private clubs -coupled with convenience for the members prohibit large practice areas, especially if the course is a walking course  - ie. Pine Valley, Merion East, Bandon, Pacific where one must get in the car  -which is ok if one has enough time before teeing off. My preference is to have the range and putting / chipping areas adjacent to the 1st tee as I like to walk wherever possible.

danielfaleman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #23 on: April 17, 2004, 04:47:09 PM »
World Woods - Brooksville, Florida; hands down.

Next question.

jim_lewis

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:best practice facilities
« Reply #24 on: April 17, 2004, 06:25:46 PM »
Dave:

I don't think available land will be a problem, and I am quite sure that budget will not be.  This is a club with a large membership and two courses. I think they are looking to do something that will be among the "best in class"
"Crusty"  Jim
Freelance Curmudgeon

Tags:
Tags:

An Error Has Occurred!

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()
Back