range rates/features

[Aske]

around here, this time of year

$10/100 balls outside on mats under heaters
$12/90 balls indoors in 100 yard dome off mats

 

[dystopia]

At the range I frequent, I usually get a small bucket (~30) is $5.

I like to go when it's not very crowded, so I spend about half of my time at the short-game area.  Then I spend about 1/4 of my time hitting those balls into the range with full swings, and finish with 1/4 of my time on the putting green.

[MP]

$4 for 40
$7 for 100

this other place i used to go to (before i moved) was $20 for 6 tokens...each token w/ 50 balls, and during happy hour (5-7 pm) each token gives out 75 balls.

[spacey]

We pay about $6 for a full bucket of balls. Most ranges don't offer a lot of amenities. I don't think we have any indoor ranges, but we do have one with covers/mats/heaters that is open year round.

The only thing I hate more than hitting balls on a range is hitting balls on a range off of mats. I almost never go to the driving range.

[MP]

unless its a fancy course, i hate the grass ranges.  it's pretty much 60% divot mix poured about everywhere and the other 40% are unfilled divots.  it feels like hitting out of a sandtrap for everyshot and my 7 iron usually ends up going about 40 yards chunked.   

[dystopia]

unless its a fancy course, i hate the grass ranges.  it's pretty much 60% divot mix poured about everywhere and the other 40% are unfilled divots.  it feels like hitting out of a sandtrap for everyshot and my 7 iron usually ends up going about 40 yards chunked.   

I feel your pain.

I just moved to a new house recently, so I have a different bunch of ranges to choose from now.  At my old range, they moved the hitting line forwards and backwards often enough that you always had nice grass to hit off of.  I really improved my iron play there by focusing on hitting down and creating a line of divots.

But in my new area, most of the ranges have mats, and the one that has grass is a lot like you describe, full of divot mix and sand and not pleasant at all.

[spacey]

One of the primary reasons I don't like hitting at the range is that with the exception of tee shots, it's damn near impossible to simulate a lie you'll see on the course 90% of the time. If you need practice hitting off bare dirt or out of filled divots, then the range is most certainly helpful. I don't feel like hitting off of mats simulates a real shot either.

I'd rather practice on the course. Then again, sometimes practicing on the course requires taking a second shot, improving a lie, etc. So I suppose I am not playing real golf. I guess I'll have to come up with another term for it.

[Aske]

One of the primary reasons I don't like hitting at the range is that with the exception of tee shots, it's damn near impossible to simulate a lie you'll see on the course 90% of the time. If you need practice hitting off bare dirt or out of filled divots, then the range is most certainly helpful. I don't feel like hitting off of mats simulates a real shot either.

I'd rather practice on the course. Then again, sometimes practicing on the course requires taking a second shot, improving a lie, etc. So I suppose I am not playing real golf. I guess I'll have to come up with another term for it.

i used to feel the same about mats.

and trust me, i agree they don't offer everything you see on the course, and on top of it, they can 'reward' bad shots.

but**  if you can pure (and i do mean pure) a shot off a mat consistently (80% or more)with your wedges, your short game on the course will improve dramatically.