[Tom Kelly]

I was recently at Thorpe Hall GC in Southend and although the course is definitely nothing to write home about they had an interesting practice ground situation.

The site is small (approx 90 acres) and bordered by housing and a main road on all sides. The have a very small practice ground which is no more than 100-120 yards long which results in it being little more than a short game area, it is also a good 400-500 yards from the clubhouse across a couple of holes, not ideal. There is no space for a bigger one elsewhere. So in order to provide the members with some sort of practice facility and the pro with an area to teach they have a number of mats (I saw at least 3, 1 per hole) placed forward and to the side of the tees on holes playing away from the clubhouse. They also have a covered bay near to, yet out of the way of the 18th tee and screened by trees, I assume purely for the use of the pro. By the side of each mat is a 'Practice Area' sign. I don't know the full rules on the use of these mats, but I saw one guy using one, hitting up the fairway of the hole with anything from a wedge to a mid iron. When a group came by he would stop and let them play and then continue after they were out of range. The golfers on the course never had any issues as they would hit over the balls he was using and the only extra course wear was a few pitch marks in the fairway where very few golfers would play from.

Although obviously far from ideal I though it was a innovative idea to make the best of a bad situation. Has anyone else come across anything similar or other bizarre/clever practice grounds?

[Tony_Muldoon]

Tom what brought you to Essex? Not normally a GCA stomping ground.



Upminster (also Essex) has something similar.  If you want to hit full balls in a lesson you cross the road and walk well off to  the right of the third fairway and hit them across there. It can accommodate quite a few Juniors and I’m sure it’s caused problems in midweek comps. Not ideal.



Did you play Thorpe Hall if so what did you think of it?  I haven’t played it but I believe it was Michael Bonnalack’s home club, although he’s also associated with Thorndon Park which I believe was close to his family business.

[jeffwarne]

Apawamis range uses yellow balls and the range is down the first fairway

edit: At Cavalier Golf and Yacht Club in Virginia beach, the range is out on about the 14th hole and the back tee hits from behind the practice tee, which means everybody has to stand aside and let you hit, then wait until you play your second shot.

In Bermuda at Belmont?, I believe, the range is enclosed by nets at about 100 yards , We had fun trying to hit the roof with open faced 3 irons.

Of course there's always the net, a la Shiskine

aqua range at Bayonne

[Chris DeNigris]

Just off the first tee at Brora if you turn to the right you can loosen up by launching a few practice drives into the North Sea. This was my first swing in Scotland and the purest of the week. It might be the only 350 yard drive I ever hit 

[Tom Kelly]

Tony,

I was there for work, surveying some irrigation we've put in so although I didn't play the course I spent a couple of days there and walked all of it. I think your right about Michael Bonallack as their website is advertising the 'Sir Michael Bonnallack Scratch Trophy'! I guess they would have some memorabilia from his career in the clubhouse that might be interesting but I didn't get a chance to go in.

As for the course it isn't the most inspiring, it's on clay with trees lining virtually every fairway, lots of silver birches, willows etc. They make for fairly tight golf and due to the compact site there is a few dubious green to tee walks including the 12th-13th which involves walking back virtually the whole length of the par 3 13th to get back to the tee and then having to walk back up to the green. It is overall very flat as well, but there are a few nice areas of mounding/undulations on 17 and 18. A cape-like drive on 17 over a depression that may have once been a bunker looks like the highlight of the course. There are also few interesting raised greens that look rather ungainly, but might make for a few interesting approaches. It is by no means terrible, but nothing particularly interesting either, no need to turn down an invite, but I wouldn't bother seeking it out.

Jeff,

The Princess Ann one sounds like abit of a nightmare, but a 100 yard net with a roof sounds like a lot of fun!

Chris,

Nice.

[Brad Tufts]

Taconic uses a tee set up at the end of the outfield of the College baseball field....property is right next to the 18th hole.

Wannamoisett's range ends at about 175, but they allow long clubs to be hit into the 10th fairway until the first group arrives there.

Lots of curtailed ranges here in the Northeast....Winchester comes to mind as being about 200 yards long, Charles River has a huge fence at about 230.  Concord CC and TCC have similar ranges shaped like triangles bordered by adjacent holes without nets.  Essex CC is about 160 yards long, unless you use the far tee and hit up the 9th fairway, which some do.  Myopia' range is a former horse pasture that is strangely-shaped and about 240 yards long.

[Carl Nichols]

Taconic uses a tee set up at the end of the outfield of the College baseball field....property is right next to the 18th hole.

Wannamoisett's range ends at about 175, but they allow long clubs to be hit into the 10th fairway until the first group arrives there.

Lots of curtailed ranges here in the Northeast....Winchester comes to mind as being about 200 yards long, Charles River has a huge fence at about 230.  Concord CC and TCC have similar ranges shaped like triangles bordered by adjacent holes without nets.  Essex CC is about 160 yards long, unless you use the far tee and hit up the 9th fairway, which some do.  Myopia' range is a former horse pasture that is strangely-shaped and about 240 yards long.

I think Long Cove's must be about 240 yards (or less) long with tees on both ends.  I played there on a busy day, so they had people using both ends, but there were no signs about the length of the range, and no one mentioned it to us (we were a foursome of unaccompanied guests).  We didn't have much time to tee off, so I hit a couple of wedges and then pulled out my driver -- when it looked like I had airmailed the people at the other end, I quickly slinked away, and didn't pause to confirm the length.  Luckily nobody got hurt...!

[PCCraig]

TCC have similar ranges shaped like triangles bordered by adjacent holes without nets.

Of course TCC's range is set in the old infield of their horse track. Which is fairly unique.

[James Boon]

The practice area at Edgbaston GC in Birmingham sits between the 16th, 17th and 18th holes. Its only about 100 yards long but quite steeply uphill which helps it play longer. To increase it further still, there is a practice tee on the far side of the 17th fairway, that plays across the 17th fairway and up the hill to the practice area, thus playing even longer. The practice tee sits within a net (much like a warm up net) but you play out of it and it protects those practicing from wayward shots on 17 or the 13th behind it.

Cheers,

James

[Tom Kelly]

The practice area at Edgbaston GC in Birmingham sits between the 16th, 17th and 18th holes. Its only about 100 yards long but quite steeply uphill which helps it play longer. To increase it further still, there is a practice tee on the far side of the 17th fairway, that plays across the 17th fairway and up the hill to the practice area, thus playing even longer. The practice tee sits within a net (much like a warm up net) but you play out of it and it protects those practicing from wayward shots on 17 or the 13th behind it.

Cheers,

James

James,

I had completely forgotten about Edgbaston and I was a member there for a couple of years whilst I was at uni! I don't think I used the range once whilst I was there, it looked pretty rubbish so I would just either play or go to the driving range instead, unfortunately I did neither as often as I should have done!

[Jason Topp]

I often have thirsted to hit balls at the Lafayette Club, which is near my house.  They have a short range that is next to a boat dock with water curving around.  This picture shows the setting.  I believe the range is on the shore above the clubhouse in the picture but I cannot remember for sure.

http://www.lafayetteclub.com/

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