Range balls at courses
dirkules
New member
All the courses I play charge for every single bucket I hit. The costs range from $2.50 for 35 balls to $5.20 for 24 balls.
So a proper range session can be quite expensive.
So a proper range session can be quite expensive.
Thechosen1
#Thistagwilltravel
- Thread starter
- #53
^^
That expensive? That's cheap around here
That expensive? That's cheap around here
thedue
Another Day in Paradise
I laugh when reading that the range balls are free at some courses. Nothing is free, you are paying for it one way or another, lol. Also, someone called a bucket of range balls "Pure Profit", really? Do they just come back to the club house each night and take a bath so their ready for the next guy to blast them out there? Does the range grass never need someone to mow it or gas for said mower or re-seeding? Everything costs, we all pay that cost, hidden or not!
SW
Grinder
Those are the new "smart balls" Duey.
What grinds my gears is the courses that charge for beat-up range rocks that are three shades lighter yellow than they started out as.
thedue
Another Day in Paradise
CrunchEasy
New member
The cheapest course in my city gives a small warm up bucket of about 15-20 balls. Its the perfect amount for a quick warm up. Other courses are all getting $9 for a large bucket which is typically 80-90 balls, and $5 minimum for a small. I dont recall playing any other course that included some amount of range balls in the rounds price.
fishymehta
Ahh... life is good
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Most clubs offer free range balls to members in my area. They generally just have them out on the range for members to hit, working mostly on an honor system. Although at one club, I play there so often I get free range balls without any membership. At most of the municipal/public courses, range balls are not included. The nearest course has greens fees of about $35 w/ cart, but they charge and extra $5 for a 30-40 ball bucket on a crappy range.
Wake
Active member
I have no problem paying for balls at a cheaper course, but it seems wrong when spending 100 bucks then shelling out 10 bucks for range balls.
I did this recently at World Woods
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk
I did this recently at World Woods
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treyking507
VFL
It would be nice if a small bucket was included but its not going to break my heart. I like to hit a small bucket to get loose so I will get one regardless.
like others have mentioned, if you're getting a "free" bucket, you're paying too much for the round of golf
I don't like to hit the range when playing, I'm at the range OR I'm playing, not both
depending on how the course/range is set up, "free" buckets can bring a whole issue of who gets a "free" bucket vs who has to pay... it's just more logistics for the course to handle.
I don't like to hit the range when playing, I'm at the range OR I'm playing, not both
depending on how the course/range is set up, "free" buckets can bring a whole issue of who gets a "free" bucket vs who has to pay... it's just more logistics for the course to handle.
stephiroth21
New member
i play public courses many of which don't have a range at all. i have never been to a course that doesn't charge for range balls. i'm sure that the price for the balls is built into the greenfees. it would be awesome if all the local courses had a range and had warm-up bucket in the $2 range. there are some nicer courses in the area that offer range memberships that are unlimited balls all season, but i'm not close enough to any of those for it to be worthwhile.
My experience has been that country clubs typically have unlimited free range balls.
Public courses are going to have to be different. They can't leave range balls out there because they would wind up with people that aren't paying greens fees going out to hit balls all day. Also, public courses have much lower rates on just about everything and have to look for cost centers to bring in money wherever they can. Watering and picking the range has its own costs associated with it.
And if you are going to pay $100 for a round of golf or more, you should expect everything at that course to be expensive from the cart fees to the beer to the range balls. That's like staying at a hotel with a $300 a night room and paying $25 bucks a night for the wireless.
Public courses are going to have to be different. They can't leave range balls out there because they would wind up with people that aren't paying greens fees going out to hit balls all day. Also, public courses have much lower rates on just about everything and have to look for cost centers to bring in money wherever they can. Watering and picking the range has its own costs associated with it.
And if you are going to pay $100 for a round of golf or more, you should expect everything at that course to be expensive from the cart fees to the beer to the range balls. That's like staying at a hotel with a $300 a night room and paying $25 bucks a night for the wireless.
Dogman
Re-load
My home course charges about $5 for a bucket...I don't think that's too bad, I guess. If I feel I need to warm up, I get some, otherwise, not.
taccwil
Active member
At least most of you have a range. Not many where I live.
I think a warm up bucket included is a nice addition though I never expect anything when I go to play a round.
Golf 'N Gator
Formally HoosierGolfer
This is the reason my home course is not offering "free" balls included in the round. Not everyone goes to the range, so there is no reason to charge them for something they are not going to use. I'm still surprised that so many think range balls included in the round price are "free". You pay for everything one way or another.
achase215
Member
I think it can go both ways. I like to hit some before the round to see what I have that day. But having them included for people playing the course would be a nice touch. Then have the open range for anyone that is wanting to practice. 99% of courses I have played it is purchase range balls if you want them before the round.
thedue
Another Day in Paradise
I think the perfect solution would be an open field to the left of the first tee box and the club giving me 5 free range balls to smack that direction before my first drive, lol. When we play at a course in Omaha, there's a nice pond just to the left of the first tee, but no real driving range, so I just hit a couple shag balls into the lack to groove things before my first drive, hehe
One of the courses I play lets me hit a few of my old balls at their little range before a round if I want to. Since my dad has accumulated over 1000 old balls in our basement, I usually take a couple of them and take a few swings before going to the first tee.
I think a course with a range could make a few bucks if they charged $1-$2 for 5 balls or something, just to let you get in a swing or two before the first tee. People might not want to hit a bucket before they play, but you'd get some people to bite on that (especially if the greens fees are weird prices that don't end in 0 or 5).
thedue
Another Day in Paradise
I'm with you. I'll spend some time at the practice green before a round, but only want to hit 4 or 5 balls before a round to limber and feel the groove.
- Staff
- #73
unless I'm at a resort or a high end course, I never hit balls before I play. Usually at my home course I park the car and within 10 minutes I've teed off on the first hole.
Dogman
Re-load
I do this a lot when we are just playing our friendly games...I spend my warm up time putting and chipping...or BS'ing...
Golf 'N Gator
Formally HoosierGolfer
This is something we actually (un-officially of course) do at my course. Nothing but corn field across the road from the first tee, so one of will always have a shag ball or two in our bags and we hit a couple across the road if we are waiting on the first.