Practice tee Vs driving range

[Tommy Williamsen]

The most "interesting" range that I have seen at any club is that of Cypress Point. After hitting what I thought was the perfect opening drive without warming up at all, my host Chef Paco said to me: "That should be good...if you can find it."


I was alarmed for sure...until I crossed over 17-mile-drive where I could see the hundreds of range balls in the first fairway!


Clearly, as it should be, the focus is wholeheartedly on the course!!

I'm not sure it has to be an either or. Not every club has the space but those that do should allow for their members to practice. The focus should be on the total experience of the player.

[Erik J. Barzeski]

Clearly, as it should be, the focus is wholeheartedly on the course!!

Why? Ranges make money. Often lots.


Also what Tommy just said. 

[Jason Topp]

I have lately preferred practicing to playing so a range is important for me.  I think courses spend too much on building target greens often at the cost of being able to see the ball land.  Add bunkers and the range needs to be hand picked.   My ideal range would have enough teeing area, have posts every 25 yards, be oriented into or with prevailing wind directions and allow a player to see where the ball lands. 


For all the money spent on them, it is rare to find a range that meets these criteria.   

[Bernie Bell]

I liked a two-ended range we had at a former club.  As long as the college team were not hitting bombs from the far side.  Allows adjustment for wind and sun.
The "aqua range" at Celebration in Orlando is unique.  Very easy to see where your ball lands!

[Bill Gayne]

The East Potomac Park range is rumored to take in close to 4 million.  That is the busiest practice complex I’ve ever seen in my life.

I was at East Potomac range today after work. I can send anyone pictures willing to host and everyone can see what one range doing a rumored $4 million looks like.


Location, Location, Location! 

[archie_struthers]

 


Think that more and more private club members consider a range or practice facility important to their decision as to where to join. Most don't use it  warm up but serious players really spend some time there. What to build is a whole different question but you can wear out an a grass range pretty fast at a busy club. Five or six "range rats" can wipe out as much turf in a week as a tribe of goats.


Given the distances many players hit it it's pretty hard to find enough space to  "rein them in".  I appreciate a great range but the design is really important !

[jeffwarne]

  I think courses spend too much on building target greens often at the cost of being able to see the ball land.  Add bunkers and the range needs to be hand picked.   My ideal range would have enough teeing area, have posts every 25 yards, be oriented into or with prevailing wind directions and allow a player to see where the ball lands. 

+1

[Tommy Williamsen]

  I think courses spend too much on building target greens often at the cost of being able to see the ball land.  Add bunkers and the range needs to be hand picked.   My ideal range would have enough teeing area, have posts every 25 yards, be oriented into or with prevailing wind directions and allow a player to see where the ball lands. 

+1

A course where I was a member for 20 years put in some kind of firm surface and colored it white to resemble bunkers. It worked so well guests thought it was real sand. It made picking up the balls easy.

[Phil Burr]

The timing of this thread is coincidental as we're watching the March Play at Austin Country Club and it looks like they have a TopGolf in the middle of the course.  It's an eyesore.

[Robert Kimball]

A decent size putting green, a couple of nets with a good mat to hit a few warm-up shots into and a decent chipping/pitching area with a practice bunker is all I need.

When we started talking about the restoration at Dornick Hills, the one piece I didn't think we would be able to restore were the original first and second holes, which were changed thirty years ago, so that the old first green is now very much in play on the range [although they also use it as a practice bunker  ]


Anyway, when I was trying to think of alternatives, I thought maybe they could rebuild the old green as it was and then occasionally close the range to use the original hole for events.


Instead, they mentioned that there are some safety issues with two homes on the far right side of the range, so it sounds as though we are going to restore the two holes per the original design, and turn the practice range into a short game area with some nets for warming up!  Eventually they may go for simulators, too, but those are not in my budget!

Tom, I went on a trip earlier this month to Myrtle Beach and played Legends. Of course, you have your name on the Heathlands course there, and I enjoyed it very much.


Great golf facility - the one cool thing was a lighted driving range. I hadn't played for a while so the bug hit hard when I started up again. Hitting balls past dinner and collapsing into bed afterwards was nice.

[Will Lozier]

Why? Ranges make money. Often lots.

Also what Tommy just said: "The focus should be on the total experience of the player."

Erik,


The range at CPC isn't generating the revenue. Context. 


And Tommy,


I was immediately invited to have a slice of lemon meringue pie and a Coke at the employee dining table (which seats 6) looking out at 16 & 17, then headed straight to the first tee to fire a 79. THAT is the total experience at CPC. But hey....you stay out on that range and perfect on that knockdown 9-iron!  


Cheers

[Tommy Williamsen]

Why? Ranges make money. Often lots.

Also what Tommy just said: "The focus should be on the total experience of the player."

Erik,


The range at CPC isn't generating the revenue. Context. 


And Tommy,


I was immediately invited to have a slice of lemon meringue pie and a Coke at the employee dining table (which seats 6) looking out at 16 & 17, then headed straight to the first tee to fire a 79. THAT is the total experience at CPC. But hey....you stay out on that range and perfect on that knockdown 9-iron!  


Cheers

?

[David Wuthrich]

I heard the numbers for the driving range at Memorial Park the other day and almost died.  It was reportedly making $1m BEFORE the renovation and putting a second deck on the tee.


But I am the opposite of a range rat, and I hate that for many clients the proximity of the range SHOULD, in their minds, justify making trade-offs that make the 18 holes worse.

Tom,


It is packed day and night, both levels!!  Crazy!!  They will do $ 2 million easy in 2021 I predict.