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What do you look for when going to a driving range?

Nice grass tees
nice balls
Pro teacher/fitter
 
More than anything, a LARGE grass hitting area. There are a few course in KC that have really good practice areas. One that I worked at (Ironhorse G.C) Had a LARGE grass hitting area, and decent matts for bad days. They had multiply green side bunkers next to the chipping green, that was two tiered. They lasered the distances and marked them one a sign everyday. They had a separate large putting green with 9 different hole locations. Us guys in the shop use to have putting contests to see who could get the lowest score on 9 holes, which was always fun. Then they also had a small, three hole, short game course behind all of this. All the grass hitting areas on the range were Zoysia Grass, just as the tees and fairways there.
That was a great place to practice and their Year Range Pass was always a best seller for the course, and for good reason.
 
The best range I've been to, and that I now compare all others to, is the range at the Sand Creek Station golf course. There's a strip of fake turf, or you can hit off the real grass right in front of it.

It's completely free with a round (unlimited balls/time) and you don't even need a bucket. They come fill the little pyramids when you run low. And if you want just the driving range - it's only $6 for unlimited balls/time.
 
Grass hitting area that has clearly marked tee boxes.
Tee boxes slightly elevated to hitting area to better judge actual distance hit.
A green surrounded by bunkers for practice.
Knowledgeable pro shop staff that is in no way elitist. IE Miura is the only club that people who really love golf will play. This is my kingdom etc.
And of course Scarlett Johannsen to serve me drinks while I hit balls. Check those boxes and I'm a member for life!
 
Hawk said:
If I were describing my ideal practice area it would have:

Level hitting surfaces.
Bent grass. Can be a little fluffy.
No freaking weeds.
A lot of targets from 50-250 yards.
There would be targets that you didn't have to hit at odd angles towards from all spots on the range.

A practice bunker that has both short sided and regular length pins to hit towards.

A short game area for shots inside 70 yards with both fairway grass and rough.

Chipping green.

A big putting green that has both sloped areas and some flat spots.
Click to expand...

So basically you modeled this off of the one at the Hideaway....yes, it was perfect, and two sided!
 
*Grass hitting surface
*Nice big putting green or two putting greens if smaller
*A nice size bunker or multiple bunkers and green to hit onto
*Chipping green but it can be part of the bunker green
*Well marked and I think they should have flags out there and from each different area of the acutall hitting surface they should have a marker to put out there so you know the difference. If they did not want to have a permanent sign they should have different ones to put in each spot when they change the hitting area. (How many times have you gone to the range and the sign says the distances are Blank from this distance but the hitting area is not near this sign. Sorry I don't like to do math when I am at the range)
 
Grass Hitting Area
Numerous Targets in the 50-100 area
Real Greens with Flags
Nice Short Game area
 
Hawk said:
If I were describing my ideal practice area it would have:

Level hitting surfaces.
Bent grass. Can be a little fluffy.
No freaking weeds.
A lot of targets from 50-250 yards.
There would be targets that you didn't have to hit at odd angles towards from all spots on the range.

A practice bunker that has both short sided and regular length pins to hit towards.

A short game area for shots inside 70 yards with both fairway grass and rough.

Chipping green.

A big putting green that has both sloped areas and some flat spots.
Click to expand...

Where is this dream of a practice facility? The only problem with this type of facility is I would be there so much that the wife might disown me
 
Targets to aim at. I like having a green out there to see how my approaches are into greens. Greenside bunkers for sand practice. Good multi-tiered putting green.
Personable staff who are helpful and knowledgeable. Grass tee boxes. Sometimes I just want to hit off a mat as well though, so grass and mats. Covered hitting areas are always a plus as well (as long as there is ample room to swing).

Its going to sound stupid, but the one driving range I end up at the most has cars and buckets out on the range to hit at. No better sound than a golf ball thunking a door panel or a windshield. One I drive past in the middle of no-where has angled trampoline bulls-eye targets to hit at.
 
Has to have grass, preferably flat and in good condition. Not worried about it being covered, but also needs to have a solid putting green with multiple holes and elevations (some sloped areas, some flat areas). A nice short game with a bunker is also appreciated.

I like the set up I currently go to at Metro Links in Oakland. 2 putting areas, a short game area (3 flags, a big bunker and about 85 yds to play around in) as well as a large grass range.

The biggest problem is the plains flying overhead regularly from the Oakland airport and the grass isn't super flat. But, in this area there are not many grass ranges that I know of that aren't at private courses.
 
I don't think I can really name anything that hasn't been mentioned. The two biggest factors for me are a nice grass hitting area, slightly elevated so I can better see where my shots are landing and nice balls that aren't beat all to hell. I prefer greens with pins over signs with yardages in them and I love ranges that are lit so I can hit after it gets dark.

I think it would also be cool for a range to have a big selection of the latest clubs to demo.
 
fupresti said:
Grass hitting areas.
Click to expand...

This ^^^^^

I'm not playing from mats on the course, so I'm not practicing on mats at the range. Grass is a must and a good putting green.
 
Grass teeing areas*, distance posts that are easy to see, preferably some flags, a practice bunker and pitching/chipping area, and a putting green. Also, reasonable prices.

*Courses around here get off the hook during the winter on this because all the grass teeing areas would become mudpits if people were hitting off them.
 
Grass tees that are cut to proper fairway length and moved daily so there is always good grass to hit from. Either true flight balls, or the targets to scale so that a restricted flight ball shows accurate yardage. Many target greens at varying yardage that are marked from each hitting area. Large putting green with breaking areas as well as level spots. Bonus points for a few of the smaller holes to really work on accuracy. A short game area with bunkers and maintained putting surface to get true reaction on chips and pitches.
 
Here is the main 20 acre practice area at World Woods. Notice how many areas there are to hit from all around the range (it's about 320 yards from one hitting area to the one across from it). Also notice the 2 acre putting green at the top of the photo. In addition, there is an iron range, 3 practice holes, a short course, and putting greens by the first tee of each of their 2 courses. My main complaint about World Woods is that they give you a very small bag of balls for 5 or 6 bucks. Well, that and the course is a pretty good drive from anywhere, so driving out there just to practice is not exactly a spontaneous event.

http://www.worldwoods.com/golf/practice-facility


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It has to have a flat surface with grass to hit off. (no mats !)
Yardage pins or markers
Decent balls
Bunkers to hit both short and longer shots from
Putting green
Drinking water
 
I need a short game practice area, preferably where I can hit my own balls from a shag bag off grass from 125 and in plus a bunker. And, to echo adamw238, less talking, more practicing.
 
Hawk said:
If I were describing my ideal practice area it would have:

Level hitting surfaces.
Bent grass. Can be a little fluffy.
No freaking weeds.
A lot of targets from 50-250 yards.
There would be targets that you didn't have to hit at odd angles towards from all spots on the range.

A practice bunker that has both short sided and regular length pins to hit towards.

A short game area for shots inside 70 yards with both fairway grass and rough.

Chipping green.

A big putting green that has both sloped areas and some flat spots.
Click to expand...

What he said...
 
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