How safe are driving ranges?

tWhat are your experiences of the safety or otherwise of driving ranges and golf courses? Give us your opinions too on whether ranges should demand some kind of dress code to retain the integrity of the game. If we're in for a hot summer, should topless male golfers, for example, be encouraged? ED
Posted: 16/05/2008 11:32

I have no issue with dress code on ranges.  If this happened it could risk alienating new or infrequent golfers who do not have full golf attire.
Posted: 16/05/2008 11:37

You are surely having a wind up with this one bob! No reason for driving range owners to reduce their customer numbers by demanding a dress code.

On the other matter I do have to confess to having been a member of a course if the past which displayed a "no topless golfers on the course please" notice in the clubhouse during the warmer months

Posted: 16/05/2008 11:41

Bob Warters wrote (see)

If we're in for a hot summer, should topless male golfers, for example, be encouraged? ED

Absolutely!

Seriously though, like Hooker, I wouldn't want to discourage people from visiting the range because they don't have the right clothing.

Posted: 16/05/2008 11:42

No need for dress code on the range surely! At Val del Este in Sapin I was "hauled up" for wearing normal golf clothes on the range...with sandles/no socks. Would have expected that in Surrey, but not Spain! I have worn the metal basket on my head as the guy in the next bay was getting the ball to ricochet off various parts of the building!
Posted: 16/05/2008 11:44

I think the range should have better dividers for safety.

As for a dress code on the range no within reason, I often go in jeans and trainers, don't really want to see a load of man boobs swinging about though!

Posted: 16/05/2008 11:49

I have used driving ranges where the booths are too narrow, meaning that you can't wing a driver without the risk of breaking the shaft.
Posted: 16/05/2008 12:24

No dress code except must be fully clothed.

Bays should be seperated by floor to ceiling nets, those diggers who use the high tees and sky fw woods that bounce around inside the range are a menace. 

Posted: 16/05/2008 12:29

I'd like to see noddy hats and false beards handed out. It'd be fitting for some of the clowns I see at the range. 

Posted: 16/05/2008 12:47

"No shirt, no shoes, no bucket."
Posted: 16/05/2008 12:47

I think that topless people in general should not be allowed (with the exception of the beach/back garden etc - eg appropriate places) around towns and out and about. I think that it shows a lack of respect for other people. Don't get me wrong, I'm no prude, but I just think that yobbos wandering around in the their le coq sportif (SUCH an appropriate name!) trackie bottoms without a t-shirt on display a certain lack of class.

'm so middle class.

BB

Posted: 16/05/2008 12:53

I find unsupervised kids, (10 -14 year olds) a concern, running out of the bays to pick up near-by balls, shouting and generally being pests. When I started using my driver they moved away. Result!

I don't know whether it was the noise my driver makes, or my expertise, (or lack of), that frightened them off!

Posted: 16/05/2008 12:54

Agree with Creo's points above.

I don't see the point in having 3 foot high walls when the balls can bounce over them.

Also agree the bays can be too small, bloddy awful feeling you are going to crash your driver into the wall on back swing.

A range by me even has a sign up saying no alcohol must be consumed on the premises and anyone unfit to drive through alcohol is unfit to be on the range.

Personally I hate the driving range and prefer to go to my clubs practice field, 100 yrds wide and 350 yds long with accurate markings. I actually believe having a dress code on the club practice field is OTT.

I suppose I am in the "forward thinking" box where dress code is concerned.

Posted: 16/05/2008 13:26

In order to make sure you're safe, just  make sure you're in a bay to the left of Ian Poulter. He has a tendency  to "Lucy" the odd one you know!

Not so bothered about the clothes as I regularly turn up to the range in tracksuit bottoms, sweatshirt and trainers. I don't agree with the topless thing either - unless Di Stewart in practising. Ahem!

----

Ian, sandles?? Are you sure it wasn't just the Spanish fashion police rather than anyone associated with the golf club?

 

Posted: 16/05/2008 14:05

Topless for the girls would be good.

Agree with heightening the walls between with nets. My mate who fortunately only joins me at the range very occasionally manages to clear the 4ft barrier with his 3w at right angles to his intended line at 100+mph.

He also managed on one occasion to hit a ball off both steel posts either side of the bay, then the wall behind and smacked the back of his head!

Posted: 16/05/2008 14:10

Both the local ranges I visit have bays which are wide enough but in reality do not have high enough dividers and you do get the occasional game of pin-ball.  The biggest issue I have with them though is they are not long or wide enough for some people who turn up.  As you walk up the 18th at one course you often have to work out which ball is yours amoungst the range balls lying on the fairways.   The other range is probably 225 long with a big embankment at the top but people frequently bop balls over this down onto the par 3 course behind it.

Posted: 16/05/2008 14:14

Bought a course of 3 lessons for my bro-in-law last year... He managed to get a 7 iron to ricochet off the right hand post straight into the Pro's mouth... He never went back for the other 2 out of pure embarrassment!

Posted: 16/05/2008 14:14

I agree with Gary here but dont think the dress code should be much stricter as i like to go down there in jeans / trainers.

The dividers are not tall enough in most ranges i have been to. The safest option would be to have floor to celing walls as i have seen on numerous occasions shots hit the roof and land in another persons bay.

Posted: 16/05/2008 15:04

I am a little frustrated by the number of driving ranges who are now banning drivers due to there own inadequate facillities.

My local range squeezed itself on the edge of the course and now it would appear that drivers can clear the back net.

Result? Higher nets? No, ban on drivers.

So my dad who bless him hits a flat out driver (12.5 degree) 180 yards isn't allowed to bring out the big stick but the 16 year old 2 handicapper is allowed to smash his strong 3 wood (13 degree) to his hearts content.

Logic please.

And dress code on ranges? Please, you lot sound like bouncers on the door of a bad nightclub!

Posted: 16/05/2008 16:13

Got to say 'dress code' is a bit harsh, i dont mind shorts/tees shirts, but wouldn't really be keen on playing in a bay next to mr blobby who is going shirtless. The range local to me does have some dress code but it's a very informal thing in that as long as you are dressed in a non-indecent manner then you are fine (i.e. dont turn up in a pair of speedo's!) but they are quite strict on children and the supervision of them by adults.

I would think the HSSE would have something to say about footwear as wearing sandals/flip flops within a couple of feet of a clubhead travelling at 70-120mph has got to be asking for trouble!

Posted: 16/05/2008 17:16

My local range can often be full of chavs pinging them around like its a squash court, its made worse that it has a corrugated iron roof, a dress code would help keep out but I think it alienate too many newbies to golf and some people with a genuine intrest who may have straight from a site or similar and are thus not imaculatly turned out
Posted: 16/05/2008 17:32

Not ever witnessed any unsafe or chav type behaviour at the range - just youngsters having fun, and outdriving me. But the range I use is part of the golf club - so maybe that helps.

No dress code on the range, but I don't think any men (or women) would feel it was appropriate to go topless.

Posted: 16/05/2008 17:56

Reading the article, i do have to say i have witnessed parental stupidity first hand, when a mother brought her 9yr old daughter (along with a couple of other children) to the local range and poured the balls into the auto-tee hopper, commented on how good her daughter was setting up to hit the ball (alright, she wasn't actually watching, she was settling down to read her mills & boon novel in the seat behind the by) only to have a golf ball fired at her from about 7ft, ricocheted off the back wall of the range roughly 12 inches from the mothers head and back out again. She had set her daughter up in a left hander bay when the girl was a right hander! She went in to complain only to be told in no uncertain terms that her custom was no longer watned at the range as it was the third time in 2 weeks that she had done this. The question should be, do parents need to be checked out to make sure that 'they' were not hit with the stupid stick at birth and are fit to escort their children to the range!
Posted: 16/05/2008 18:27

Kefkef wrote (see)

Reading the article, i do have to say i have witnessed parental stupidity first hand, when a mother brought her 9yr old daughter (along with a couple of other children) to the local range and poured the balls into the auto-tee hopper, commented on how good her daughter was setting up to hit the ball (alright, she wasn't actually watching, she was settling down to read her mills & boon novel in the seat behind the by) only to have a golf ball fired at her from about 7ft, ricocheted off the back wall of the range roughly 12 inches from the mothers head and back out again. She had set her daughter up in a left hander bay when the girl was a right hander! She went in to complain only to be told in no uncertain terms that her custom was no longer watned at the range as it was the third time in 2 weeks that she had done this. The question should be, do parents need to be checked out to make sure that 'they' were not hit with the stupid stick at birth and are fit to escort their children to the range!

Lmao!
Posted: 16/05/2008 19:11

LMAO ????
Posted: 16/05/2008 19:41

Caffeinated wrote (see)

LMAO ????

Laugh My Ass Offhttp://www.netlingo.com/lumenu2.cfm?letter=l
Posted: 16/05/2008 21:03

in respect to ranges which are not long enough for drivers.  it cant all be the fault of the club.  Some accountability must be on the golfers as they must know they are capable of hitting the ball beyond the end-zone but continue to do it.
Posted: 16/05/2008 22:31

At Wavendon (the one I'm assuming you're thinking of UA) I've seen folk ping stuff over the back who should know better (i.e. frequent the far right hand bays who are *not* punters, if you know what I mean, but the *younger* variants). Granted it was dark but you can't assume that there's not some idiot still chipping away on the "potato field" over the back at that time. On the kids safety front: I've not witnessed any unsupervision of youngsters and most parents put a premium on safe practice. Now if they could all stop pretending to be Butch Harmons for 5 minutes and let the kids just enjoy themselves... ---- Just out of interest: I know it's termed "Driving Range" but how often do you get the big gun out on the range? The last time I did was at the beginning of September last year where I hit 5 drives as part of my block of lessons "Game Assessment" bit. Before that I can't remember, probably when I was testing drivers after mine had bust (Xmas 2006). It's a waste of time for me (personally) because if I'm swinging my irons well then there's no need to worry about the driver. In fact - especially on the range - venturing much below a 7 iron tends to make me a bit "hitty", so I stick to full PW and 7 iron shots (occasionally summat in between) - if they're going ok (good strike, smooth rhythm) then the rest of the long stuff takes care of itself. If I hit a bucket of drivers I reckon that would be a fast track to a quick & jerky swing (subconsciously trying the leather it) IMO.
Posted: 17/05/2008 08:40

Yes, Wavendon is the one i'm thinking of.  The worst ones are the people who know they have big slices who set them selves up in the right hand bays and proceed to pump balls out over the right hand side of the fence onto the top of people on the 1st tee of the par 3.  

I probably only hit the driver 4 or 5 times out of a bucket of 50 balls, sometimes not at all.  It depends on what i'm going down to the range to practice.   Based on last nights performance though I think it needs a bit of work!

Posted: 17/05/2008 09:35

just last week i nearly got hit by a ball, the guy next to me some how manage to hit it into the roof and it flew at me lucky  was warming up and ducked in time. last year i was at a range and heard this almighty ruckass, some young girl was screaming about 7 years old her brother manged to hit her round the head with a club. there was blood everywhre and an ambulance was called.

a few years ago i was at the range and i took a friend who had never played golf he was swining the club like he was hapy gilmore, it slipped out his hand and went about 75 yards throuh the air. I had to call for everyone to stop hitting balls and run out and retrieve it most embrassing thing ever 

Posted: 17/05/2008 12:48

I played at Redbourn Golf Club last Year, As we were playing up the 18th (600ish yd par 5) A barrarge of Golf balls came flying over the fence on to the fairway! luckily missing us by about 50 feet!

When we Finished our round we went to investigate and found some local kids (about 5 young Chavs) all lined up with clubs at the ready waiting to launch another volley of missiles over the fence at the group of golfers playing there 3rd shots in!

Needless to say that a few choice words were exchanged, including threats of wedges being wedged in holes were given out!

They didnt Bank on our society of 32 all converging on them as they sheepishly packed up and went to there cars! 

Posted: 17/05/2008 14:12

1 over (~18.2~) wrote (see)

I played at Redbourn Golf Club last Year, As we were playing up the 18th (600ish yd par 5) A barrarge of Golf balls came flying over the fence on to the fairway! luckily missing us by about 50 feet!

When we Finished our round we went to investigate and found some local kids (about 5 young Chavs) all lined up with clubs at the ready waiting to launch another volley of missiles over the fence at the group of golfers playing there 3rd shots in!

Aw c'mon

.... that's funny

Posted: 17/05/2008 16:51

I'll tell you what Taz, You come down to The Hertfordshire on Monday and I, Along with 23 others will load one up on the Driving range and lets see how funny you think it is then!  

But yeah, On hindsight it is pretty comical! Although we were'nt laughing much at the time!

Posted: 17/05/2008 16:58

Driving Range Bugbear No.1 = Arseholes with mobiles.  

Anyhoo, I toddled up to my local range yesterday to practice my long irons and after a wee while, a couple ensconced themselves in the adjacent bay armed only with the big stick and the alpha-male type bloke set about offering his arm candy partner some driving tips. I tried my best to block out their incessant chatter but after about 20 mins. I decided to have a wee breather and admire the views / soak up some UV's before getting back to my giant economy sized value bucket.  Just at that  very moment,  Ms. Arm Candy let fly, there was a weird cracking sound and the head of her club went spiralling skyward and landed about 60 yards away, followed by a "Oh for fuxake" from her paramour. (I think it was his club )

I unfortunately contracted a fit of the giggles and the dude was NOT happy but both left sharpish in the direction of reception. The weird thing was that no-one from the staff went out to rescue the club head and when I went down to get more balls later, the headcover and the remains of a Grafalloy shaft were sticking out of one of the litter bins. 

I have a nice new Big Bertha "Driver" headcover in red & black if anyone is interested !!!  

Posted: 17/05/2008 18:03

Sod the head cover!  Get out on the range and retrieve the Head! then take it to the pro and have a new shaft put in!
Posted: 17/05/2008 18:59

I used to know two minor criminals at school who were both given YTS (showing my age) golf jobs which gave them the skills to aim at a local JP whilst he walked his dog beside the range
Posted: 17/05/2008 19:12

Jeepers...

Out here there is nothing between the bays except the ball dispensing machine. There is nothing to hit your club on in most of the bays but the odd one has a structural pole.

Funny thing is, I've been at all the driving ranges and they are the same. I've spent soooo many hours there ( 4-6 days out of a week for the last 3 months) I've NEVER seen an accident.

Thais don't have health and safety laws. They know if you get f*cked up, you deal with it. So in the golfing world at least, people hit the balls towards the green stuff or not at all. period.

Oh, and the amount of 3-9 year olds that run around and play and bother me for new words in english from time to time is ridiculous by british standards. But its not Britain, THANK GOD!

Posted: 18/05/2008 15:21

No cos in Britain they'd be nicking your car while your were on the range!
Posted: 18/05/2008 16:48

Not driving range related but was on a crazy golf course on holiday when I was about 10 and in front of us were two brothers. One lined up his shot, swung the putter way back and hit his brother square in the mouth leading to there being claret and bits of teeth everywhere and an ambulance being called.

The really silly thing is today they would probably sue the owners of crazy golf course 

Posted: 18/05/2008 20:29

I've always thought that driving ranges should invest in some kind of sound insulation for the dividers (usually made of wood) so that when balls which are shanked hit them they don't make such a loud noise and put other users off, and don't cause embarrassment for the culprits, especially beginners, as they have to learn somewhere.
Posted: 20/05/2008 09:26