Driving Range Etiquette

[jeremyheslop]

had this last week, young kid, moaned and groaned after every shot. heard his dad later say he had just taken golf up that day!! talk about big expectations.

if I ever stop having fun and start moaning about bad shots, someone, please take my clubs away from me and sell them on ebay.


with regards divots etc, if i go to my course i can hit in their practice area on grass, otherwise most ranges around here are mats. the practice area is a bit of a mess and they could learn from this video.

I'm usually tolerant of others talking as I'm usually in "the zone" where I filter things out, but there have been times. I can usually tell by looking at someones swing, age, personality, etc why they are talking and can give them a break.

 

[jeremyheslop]

I will usually take it a step farther and hit from the same area the next time I visit the range too. Our public course has divots everywhere and you can probably find only about 20 areas where people are playing behind their previous divot.

That's a great idea and I guess I have done that by accident as I usually try and find a clear spot. Can always find a clear spot around a good divot area!

The worst is having to stand in a minefield of divots. Talk about un-balanced! I'll hit my irons like that but I'll move to the back of the ropes to hit driver.

 

[jeremyheslop]

And please for the love of all that is good let me know if you are going to pick up a tee or ball out in front of the ropes! The last thing I need is to mishit one into your shin.

BTW I'll update the front post with tips and gripes.

Thanks for all the great feedback!

 

[JWLI]

The "divot box" is a great idea and I've done it that way for quite a while but I think that golf courses / ranges really do need to promote that more and to make people aware of the practice. To some it seems like common sense but others may not think of it or know of it and I think it's the range's responsibility to promote it.

But to me, the most annoying thing at driving ranges are people talking on cell phones.
There are two reasons why this bugs me and the first is that most people seem to feel as if they have to shout into the phone in order to be heard and the other is that because they're shouting, I'm forced to hear a disjointed, one-sided conversation and there's definitely something surreal about that.

Many times someone will receive a call and no one hears a phone ring (because it's on vibrate) and the silence is suddenly broken by a loud voice from nearby saying, "Hey how ya' doin'?"

This naturally causes people to turn towards the voice because it sounds as if someone may have recognized them and is saying hi.
But then you see the phone parked in their ear.

At that point, it's like:

"I'm at the driving range"...
"not too bad"...
"Seven thirty?"...
"No I told him eight"...
"Yesterday"...
"No I haven't"...
"When?"...
"What, is he crazy, I cant do that"...
"What?"...
"No she's working"...

And so it goes until they're finished.

But the people who really crack me up are the ones with that stupid thing sticking out of their ear who are having a phone conversation - WHILE THEY'RE HITTING GOLF BALLS.
From my perspective, it looks as if they're some crazy person talking to themselves and that surely some men in white coats will be here to collect them later and take them back to their room.

I mean, a driving range session is what... an hour or so?
These folks can't "disconnect" from the world for one lousy hour?
And if the call is so important, why do they have to stand near everyone else shouting to some disembodied voice? Why can't they just walk away to someplace where they won't be bothering anyone?

I can handle real conversations between real people, I can handle the shot-by-shot self critiquing, I can even handle the "Happy Gilmore" crowd who are just there to see if they can hit the ball over the net.

But the cell phone people drive me crazy.

 

[drewwood]

Generally the range I go to isn't very busy, so you don't have to worry about messing with the people around you. I play at The First Tee so there tends to be a few kids running around at times. They make me nervous, but it is funny to hear their reactions when they are watching someone that bombs it.

 

[McRock]

You can also "write" things with your divots. Richard S Johnson tweeted a pic a few months ago where a guy who'd missed the cut stayed over the weekend to practice. He hit divots in the shape of a hand with a raised middle finger.

LOL. The driving range I frequent is under used. With the exception of a weekend tournament or league, I'm the only one out there in the evenings. Now I just may have to leave a message, one letter at a time, across 7 or 8 stalls.

 

[Jeanthemachine]

I also try to keep my divots touching but I heard a greenkeeper observe that the range will heal faster if individual divots are taken. This allows the divots to heal from all sides rather than trying to grow in from a foot or more in each direction.

 

[Canio]

I also try to keep my divots touching but I heard a greenkeeper observe that the range will heal faster if individual divots are taken. This allows the divots to heal from all sides rather than trying to grow in from a foot or more in each direction.

Hmmmmm. Interesting. At Ben Sutton's week long golf school, they taught us to keep to a small square. Any other greens keepers out there?

 

[JWLI]

I also try to keep my divots touching but I heard a greenkeeper observe that the range will heal faster if individual divots are taken. This allows the divots to heal from all sides rather than trying to grow in from a foot or more in each direction.

That's true if their preferred method is to use a seed / soil mixture (like you would use on a teebox).

But if a range / golf course prefers to use sod, then it's probably easier to deal with divot boxes.
Of course in the case of sod, they'd use a sod cutter to even things out before re-sodding anyway so I suppose it wouldn't really matter either way.

 

[aubs88]

Nice post as most people don't really consider having etiquette at the range like they do on the course.

 

[HannaDog04]

When it comes to the driving ranges I like to go early and get to the farthest point away from the main entrence so that way there's less people around me. Most people once they enter the range tend to stay in the middle closest to the entrence/exit. I always turn the cell off because going to the range for me is a way to shut the world off for a little while. My divots are always in a straight line because it does keep things neat on the grass but it also helps me in my swing approach for an allignment factor as well.

 

[dannyka]

The worst is having to stand in a minefield of divots. Talk about un-balanced!

Totally agree with this one! I can always place the ball between the divots, but it's a little harder to tippie-toe in the minefield.

 

[TRyan]

Totally agree with this one! I can always place the ball between the divots, but it's a little harder to tippie-toe in the minefield.

Agreed this is the worst for me


Tap tap taparoo

 

[thepete]

There was this guy on the range today who sounded like those tennis players after his every shot. Stood right behind me and I immediately thought of this thread, then I plugged in my earphones and drowned him out with some sweet tunes.

 

[jeremyheslop]

There was this guy on the range today who sounded like those tennis players after his every shot. Stood right behind me and I immediately thought of this thread, then I plugged in my earphones and drowned him out with some sweet tunes.

Haha...nice.

I had a guy come up to me and asked if my buddy or I are any good and proceeds to wonder if his driver shaft feels wobbly or like it is splitting from the inside. It was a Proforce on an Adam's Speedline head. I swung it and it felt ok to me. Guy says he's had a new shaft crack on him before. He must swing to hard lol

 

[jeremyheslop]

That's true if their preferred method is to use a seed / soil mixture (like you would use on a teebox).

But if a range / golf course prefers to use sod, then it's probably easier to deal with divot boxes.
Of course in the case of sod, they'd use a sod cutter to even things out before re-sodding anyway so I suppose it wouldn't really matter either way.

hmmm the course's range I use is sand and seed. Maybe I should ask them next time I'm out.

 

[jeremyheslop]

from the range yesterday. Ughh!

My normal divot pattern. I tried to connect the dots lol

 

[JWLI]

hmmm the course's range I use is sand and seed. Maybe I should ask them next time I'm out.

Seed and soil is the way most courses do it.

But I know at least one course (daily fee course) that keeps a small area of "range grass" growing all the time and if a section of the range is really chewed up, they just cut some strips from it and replace entire sections of the teeing ground in one shot.
Then they rope it off like they normally do and by the time it rotates back to that area, it's good to go. It costs more (in labor and care) to do it that way and most muni's wouldn't do that, but it tends to make the repair more even and uniform.

 

[No_Three_Jacks]

I consider myself to be a nice person and have a big heart. But I cant stand when someone hitting by me wants to talk golf or other sports. Im there to practice not to just kill time. If I was in a weightroom squating would you come up and start asking me about last nights baseball game or whats my favorite lift? Prolly not. Ill BS for hours after in the clubhouse, but when im hitting please leave me alone for like 75 mins or so. Is anyone with me? or am I just being mean?

 

[jeremyheslop]

I consider myself to be a nice person and have a big heart. But I cant stand when someone hitting by me wants to talk golf or other sports. Im there to practice not to just kill time. If I was in a weightroom squating would you come up and start asking me about last nights baseball game or whats my favorite lift? Prolly not. Ill BS for hours after in the clubhouse, but when im hitting please leave me alone for like 75 mins or so. Is anyone with me? or am I just being mean?

I get annoyed with people wanting to be super chatty but a quick question or statement is fine. Typically I'll just talk and hit balls at the same time. I'm not rude but they get the picture.

 

[tdinbr]

My biggest pet peeve on the range is the guy (or girl or kid) that will come set up waaayy to close to me.

Look, I was here first for a half hour with no one near me, there's 20 yards on either side of me, and you have to come plop down your bucket and bag right behind me in my backswing area??

Can't stand it....

 

[Golf 'N Gator]

As a part time course assistant, I often draw the job of seeding the range. We use rope on the ground to mark the active area and move the ropes every couple of days. In re-seeding, I don't really care if the divots are individual or larger. I guess the larger area's are easier to fill and level versus the smaller area's, but it really is not that big a deal. Everything needs repaired either way, and it takes time either way. We use a sand/soil/seed mix and the area is watered daily. Our range is deep enough to have enough area to move the ropes daily if needed and not repeat back to the top area until about 10 days have passed.

 

[NWS Alpine]

from the range yesterday. Ughh!

My normal divot pattern. I tried to connect the dots lol

While you think you may be doing good you are actually destroying the range worse than the person above you. Big patches like that wake the longest to grow back and when it does the ground is going to be uneven. Supers hate people like you The best method is to take a straight stip then leave a couple inches of grass then start a new strip. The grass grows back MUCH faster and even.

 

[jeremyheslop]

While you think you may be doing good you are actually destroying the range worse than the person above you. Big patches like that wake the longest to grow back and when it does the ground is going to be uneven. Supers hate people like you The best method is to take a straight stip then leave a couple inches of grass then start a new strip. The grass grows back MUCH faster and even.

Exactly what I wanted to hear and why I started this thread! I can do strips with a break in between for faster recovery.

Still you got to admit the first pic looks awful lol!

 

[CharlieMoy]

Im not so sure I agree. Maybe in FLA, but using up small patches actually leaves more space on the range for other people, or else someone else will come in and connect the dots. Thats what I do.


Its easier for staff of all departments to deal with big patches than scattered divots.

While you think you may be doing good you are actually destroying the range worse than the person above you. Big patches like that wake the longest to grow back and when it does the ground is going to be uneven. Supers hate people like you The best method is to take a straight stip then leave a couple inches of grass then start a new strip. The grass grows back MUCH faster and even.