Practice fairways

[jeffwarne]

I recently had the opportunity to play Panmure with fellow GCAer Rich Goodale (Thanks for the book Rich!)
Since my 15 year old son was with me, I skipped my usual clubhouse "warmup" and opted to hit a few practice balls.
After purchasing a token in the golf shop I walked to the range and used an old school machine which dispensed the range balls (much to the surprise of my son they did not come out in stacked pyramids )


What was fantastic was that the "range" was simply a giant fairway with no marking, ropes, tee markers anywhere. There was no elevated, topdressed formal tee but simply a giant fairway you could hit anywhere you want. There were maybe 4 flags randomly placed out on the range.
It was so simple and elegant, devoid of all the amazing clutter so prevelant at high end ranges today (swing aids, benches, coolers,bottled water, yardage signs,garbage cans, club cleaners, stall markers, ropes,target greens, target bunkers [size=78%] people[/size] [/size][size=78%])[/size]


Just the perfect place for those who want to warm up/practice in a relaxed, simple environment.
always seemed to me that one very large fairway is a lot easier to grow/rotate turf than a smaller, elevated purpose built tee.


I know my curmudgeon is showing-but it was just heaven.
The only thing missing was hitting my own balls and picking them up with a shag bag-which truly focuses a player.

[noonan]

Ironically my favorite range is spartan too. About 25 yards apart in the middle are 100/150/200/250 markers. You can choose to line up left or right of them and practice hitting a fairway from multiple angles. Simple is better!

[mike_beene]

Will have to disagree. I don't want golf balls flying around my head so some IQ levels need a rope to mark where to hit from. I at least want a number of short targets. Those matter.Also, some chairs or benches and a tent in my part of the world. A place to hit some sloped shots and fairway bunker shots, while rare, is nice. A good chipping area is crucial, as is bottled water. While I like a good bag on my shoulder minimalist course, the range doesn't have to be that way.

[Pete_Pittock]

Will have to disagree. I don't want golf balls flying around my head so some IQ levels need a rope to mark where to hit from. I at least want a number of short targets. Those matter.Also, some chairs or benches and a tent in my part of the world. A place to hit some sloped shots and fairway bunker shots, while rare, is nice. A good chipping area is crucial, as is bottled water. While I like a good bag on my shoulder minimalist course, the range doesn't have to be that way.

That sounds like a practice range, as opposed to a practice fairway.

[mike_beene]

Yes, it does. A true practice fairway reminds me of why I never liked waterskiing: the boats were going everywhere.

[Jon Wiggett]

Mown field, your own bag of balls, knock away and then pick em up. What could be simpler

[jeffwarne]

Mike
What else ?
A list of things to do in The Villages?
How did we ever survive 20 years ago without bottles of water every 100 yards.....

[BCrosby]

Jeff -


You have described something close to the practice 'area' at Myopia. It's just a field.


Bob

[Chris DeNigris]

Sounds wonderful for just a handful of players- at what number does it become too chaotic? I like the idea of my own private practice fairway

[Martin Lehmann]

Reminds me of the 'range' at Carnoustie. Just a large field where you can practice with your own golf balls. We were hitting wedges to eachother with two other guys from our flight. We had a lot of fun and missed our tee time...

[jeffwarne]

Jeff -


You have described something close to the practice 'area' at Myopia. It's just a field.


Bob

Heaven


The best part is the water bottle, bench, pyramid, stall, swing aids, alignment stick, club washer, trashcan, iced towels crowd won't come

[mike_beene]

Hold on. You lost me at iced towels. I confess to liking the other stuff but iced towels would lead to a progression of golf cart riding,then cigars, then Italian leather shoes, then a cart bag and then a Scotty Cameron. At least leave me an alignment stick. And I live in Dallas where bottled water is one of the few free things you get at a club. Heatstroke avoidance is good business.

[JJShanley]

Cooler with bottled water: only when needed.  If it's hot enough I prefer Gatorade or Powerade.  Plants crave electrolytes. 
Bench: one or two wouldn't go amiss.  I'll pick up breakfast from Studebagels before I hit the range at Warren in the mornings.  You'll prize their bench from my cold, lardy posterior.
Pyramids: waste of time.  If you offer complimentary range balls but want a clean look leave out a Den Caddy, or just drop off drawstring bags as necessary.
Stall: Useful to maximise space on a small practice tee.
Alignment stick: I bring my own.
Club Washer: a bucket and a brush will suffice.
Trashcan: yes please.
Iced towels: seems a little over the top.

[Niall C]

Many a Scottish club would be proud of such opulent practice facilities as they have at Panmure !


Niall

[JJShanley]

Looking at Google maps, I see something to the east of the clubhouse.  If that's a practice tee then it trumps almost everything I've seen at older non-rota Scottish courses.

[JJShanley]

Without wanting to hijack the thread (but not thinking this question merits a separate discussion), what do those of us who use the practice tee want?

I like:

• Targets, whether flags or otherwise.
• A bucket with water and a brush to clean my clubs as necessary.
• A bench, preferably under shade, so I can take a wee break, or eat my breakfast bagel.
• Decent balls.
• Being able to see where the ball lands.

I'd change two things at Warren, if I could: (1) A couple more targets for those not using the varsity facilities, and (2) emphasis on the long straight line approach to divots.  The latter takes discipline on the part of the golfer, but I imagine it saves the course time and money in the long run.

[Ben Hollerbach]

Jeff,


After reading your first sentence I thought you would be speaking of the practice fairway located right of the 18th, across the gravel path. But it seems rather that you're speaking of the range behind the clubhouse. While I agree the range is very simple and old school. during my visit I was much more interested in the practice fairway. While just simply a fairway with a green at the end. For someone with a shag bag full of balls and a few hours to kill,  it would be a great place to practice.


Monifieth, just down the road has a similar open field range to Panmure, located across Barry Rd. from the Ashludie course.

[jeffwarne]

Jeff,


After reading your first sentence I thought you would be speaking of the practice fairway located right of the 18th, across the gravel path. But it seems rather that you're speaking of the range behind the clubhouse. While I agree the range is very simple and old school. during my visit I was much more interested in the practice fairway. While just simply a fairway with a green at the end. For someone with a shag bag full of balls and a few hours to kill,  it would be a great place to practice.


Monifieth, just down the road has a similar open field range to Panmure, located across Barry Rd. from the Ashludie course.

even better

[mike_beene]

JJShanley, is it "bromade"?. It's what plants crave. It has electrolytes.
There was some truth in that movie.

[JJShanley]

JJShanley, is it "bromade"?. It's what plants crave. It has electrolytes.
There was some truth in that movie.

That's it!  I'd forgotten the name they gave it.  It's an underrated movie.

[jeffwarne]

Back to practice fields (or fairways)
At Montrose they had a fairwaylike grassy area across the road cut down to fairwayish height.
The ground was a bit rumply offering a variety of lies.
I'm not sure this is their usual range.

What amazes me most is how much effort that goes into "building" a practice tee perfectly level with super tight turf when most would strike the ball better with a bit more cushion and could learn to deal with a variety of lies on the less formal, far more easily rotated practice field-with way more available turf to utilize (albeit with distance restrictions for some from more forward positions)

Again, I found it great to hit to one of the flags cut out in the field, rather than a silly target green-especially a bad small one.

Montrose was wonderfully presented, but I NEVER once saw a maintenance crew member, despite playing 4 straight days at times ranging from 7 am-5 pm.
Impossible at a high end US course.

At Traigh I saw a quite  few crew members, but they were too busy eating to look up

[Jon Wiggett]

Jeff,


practice fields offer not only the advantage you mention but also when using your own bag of practice balls as is the custom here in the UK you also see how well grouped or not your shots have been.


Jon

[jeffwarne]

Jeff,


practice fields offer not only the advantage you mention but also when using your own bag of practice balls as is the custom here in the UK you also see how well grouped or not your shots have been.


Jon

agreed

[Thomas Dai]

Jeff,


Tell us a bit about Traigh....separate thread if necessary.


How does it compare to say Otway or Cruit etc?


Atb

[jeffwarne]

Jeff,


Tell us a bit about Traigh....separate thread if necessary.


How does it compare to say Otway or Cruit etc?


Atb

Otway is whole 'nother kettle of fish.
Meadowy turf, shared fairways, small acreage-a few great views and cool/odd shots


Cruit is probably a bit more spectacular but some similar traits-especially the ride in.


Traigh
spectacularly beautiful setting with white beaches and blue water (looks tropical)
Simple tiny clubhouse.

Odd vertical 130 yard opener.
This sharp quick climb takes one to an incredible plateau overlooking the water dotted with islands and mountains towards Skye and westward. This view is fully enjoyed from 1,2, green, 3 tee, 4 fairway and green, 5 tee, 6 green, 8 mid fairway and green and 9 tee. Simply breathtaking from this plateau and the view dominates the golf and experience.

Second has alternate fairways-is nearly a driveable par 5 if taking shorter line downwind but green is diabolically protected while in a bowl. Driver 6 iron if playing conventionally-managed to par it once
Third a downhill with a nice runup option par 3
4 driveable par 4 cool carry shot over offset gorse left and right
5 par 3 over tidal water
6 driveable par 4 similar to 4 but longer with no miss left.
7 par 5 with green set to the right protected by maintenance barn ob
8 cool dogleg right with blind uphill second (made an eagle 2 by holing 100 yard second shot-of course I was looking over the green before I thought to look into hole)
9 boring looking at first glance downhill par 3 but green was surrounded by cool, crudish earthen mounds making recovery interesting


So upon reflection Cruit is more spectacular terrain/scenery and both courses are about the same qualitywise-maybe the edge to Cruitt