Is it soon time to consider hitting balls on driving ranges as the dominant format to play the game?

[J13]

I would bet Virtual Golf gets more rounds per year than real life golf.  They share a lot in common but one you can do in an hour the other requires 5hrs.  But really what it comes down to is golf remaining a more elite sport while virtual golf being more accessible.  The other is they just want to keep selling clubs.

[lefthack]

I joined my little ghetto club because I can get on pretty much any time I want and play as much or as little as I want. I haven't been to the range in a few months because practice on course is WAY more helpful.

[Superfast2.0]

The range is more convenient for people and doesn't take 2-4 hours like rounds do, but I'd much rather play than hit range balls over and over and I feel like I get more benefit from playing and figuring out how to get the ball in the hole than just hitting at fake pins on the range. Definitely would enjoy practicing more if I had easy access to an all-grass range though.

[TLUBulldogGolf]

I sure hope not, nothing replaces actually playing. 

[bazinky]

On 8/21/2021 at 11:04 AM, MtlJeff said:

 

What I meant was more , rather than a golf course you could have a public access park, or the like...not necessarily more strip malls or Starbucks!

 

But at the end of the day I'm happy there's golf courses , since I like golf

 

Also there is no way you are twice my age!

The one thing that rarely gets pointed out in the "use of greenspace" arguement is that golf is also revenue generating. In a municapal setting, this can aid in the support and maintenance of other non-revenue spaces when managed well.

[hunterdog]

I can see people playing games similar to golf at driving ranges, indoor virtual golf facilities, or Top Golf type facilities. Will the games be “golf”?  Maybe not in the traditional sense but could open golf-like games to millions who do not wish to spend 6 hours on a weekend day at a course (often in crappy condition), people can spend less money per game, and facilities could be much more local. I could even imagine the Golf Channel showing a virtual golf event.  I mean even Long Driving contests are televised.  

[TCGolfer35]

Used to love the range and go few times a week, especially when trying to rapidly improve.. Now I will go to prevent being rusty, but if I can play once every two weeks I am fine to skip it. 

[Gsea]

On 8/19/2021 at 6:15 AM, Wormkiller said:

So the range has typically been seen as a practice facility to work on your game to take to the course. Is it perhaps time to consider hitting balls on the range as an equal or perhaps even the dominant way to ‘play’ the game?

please  do

[95124hacker]

Do Peloton riders enjoy indoor riding more than outdoor riding? It’s not the same. 

[sevenfourate]

I’m currently just hanging onto a plus handicap as age creeps on me. Throughout 35 years golfing - I’ve pretty much always done my practice ‘on the course’ by playing a few holes (Maybe with a couple of balls); although I will practice chipping / putting in a short game area. Only at the very start of my career when In-graining the basics was the range a thing for me. 
 

I find ranges boring, often difficult to concentrate in amongst the ‘mayhem’ - and quite frankly I myself don’t have the mental capacity to fully concentrate on every shot for a  bucket of balls. So I’ve learnt that the best thing for me to do is: A/ Some other type of practice (See above) or B/ Don’t bother.

 

So if a range became my only choice for some reason I’d likely give up. To me golf is about playing outside and enjoying the fresh air and challenges nature brings. Not becoming proficient in hitting multiple balls to the same wooden target with the same club from the same lie……
 

 

[sevenfourate]

On 8/24/2021 at 10:02 PM, lefthack said:

I joined my little ghetto club because I can get on pretty much any time I want and play as much or as little as I want. I haven't been to the range in a few months because practice on course is WAY more helpful.

I was a member at a small 9 hole course for many-many years for the very same reason - thats it’s usually very quiet and I could get on and  play when I wanted.

 

I’m now at a much more prestigious: and busier club. And the whole pace of play / having to book games ahead makes it less fun for me. Often at this club I’ll end up playing the short 9 hole course - just because I can get on right away and do as I choose….

 

**If it wasn’t for my fact my Son is also now a member of the more prestigious club (And loves it there) and we get to spend time together on the course - I’d likely go back to the smaller / quieter club in a heartbeat. I’m not interested in others perception of where I play, the prestige of my bag-tag or anything else. I just love to be able to play golf [And if that’s quieter, cheaper, easier and able to be done spontaneously: then all the better]……..

 

 

[dubbelbogey]

I like the range, I like to practice, I like Top Golf.

 

I don't really like indoor simulators - not even a little bit.

 

If real golf magically disappeared, and all that was left was some combination of the above, I'd quit and take up disc golf. I'm 100% serious about that.

 

The comment above about peloton bikes was spot on. I used to do a bit of road racing on bikes. I absolutely hated indoor trainer/rollers. I'd suffer through snow, rain and mud to ride outside over the indoor option.

[T.B.]

I know of some driving range heroes.  Good looking swings and always quick to “take a quick look at someone’s swing “ get them out on the course and they can’t play.   Shoot mid 80s and “ should have or would have played better,, but”

[Fairway14]

5 hours ago, T.B. said:

I know of some driving range heroes.  Good looking swings and always quick to “take a quick look at someone’s swing “ get them out on the course and they can’t play.   Shoot mid 80s and “ should have or would have played better,, but”

 

There are range players who play swing instead of golf, yes. But it's also true that Tour players spent thousands of hours on driving ranges, especially during their youth.

[5 O'Clock Charlie]

On 8/19/2021 at 5:15 AM, Wormkiller said:

I listened to a podcast called Local Knowledge where they talked about golf in Japan, and how there are literally millions of ‘golfers’ who never even get a chance to play on a course. Instead, they exclusively get their golf fix hitting balls on driving ranges. There is just not enough space for courses and the prices to play real golf is too high.

 

This has been the case since the mid 90's when I was stationed in Hawaii. They would fly to the islands to play because it was cheaper. They were a riot, they would hit one OB and just keep yelling "OB..OB..OB..." while they laughed at each other.

[molecularman]

I can agree with that, in part.

 Between the cost and time,  it's a difficult proposition to go out and play a round.   I can be on the range and hit a few buckets and just enjoy the process.  Way cheaper, way quicker.    But it still falls back on actually playing golf.  It's all done with the assumed idea that the practice is towards being a better golfer,  not a better hitterer on the range. 
 

[teejaywhy]

Agree with the others, hitting balls at the range is not playing golf. This cannot be debated.

 

 

 

[teejaywhy]

On 8/19/2021 at 11:01 AM, kthomas said:

I find this an interesting topic, partly because I've been thinking a lot lately about some of the big problems that plague golf:

...

4. Golf courses take up a lot of space and are resource intensive. It's becoming harder and harder to justify (to the general public) using large spaces for golf courses. A golf course is a lot of space dedicated to a single set of users: golfers. There's also an argument that they use up a lot of resources (water, fertilizers, etc.), which in the day and age of greater social awareness and consciousness of our impacts, is a tough one to overcome. Not much of a battle for existing golf courses, but in the future new golf courses may be harder and harder to justify.

 

Just going to say it.  This is a BS narrative promoted by those with an agenda who are not afraid to lie to push it.  Unfortunately, it's become trendy, pop culture to believe this nonsense.  Don't buy into it.  It must be utterly cryt doon at every opportunity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LBB]

Aren't a lot (if not all) US golf courses subsidized by the government in some form as their property is zoned for recreation, that ultimately benefits society?  I'm not an expert on this matter, so forgive me if I butchered the terminology.  Where I live, there is no possible way that privately owned (or even municipal) golf courses are generating enough revenue to justify even the property tax they would need to pay, let alone running a full facility with employees, maintenance equipment, water, etc.  There are many golf courses in the middle of high value housing communities that for sure would be bought out by condo developers if they could get their hands on the land for the same price.

 

I'm sure in other countries, their governments view golf courses differently in terms of their importance to society, and thus their maybe limited land that is allocated for golf, or limited subsidies by the government in terms of how your land is valued if a property owner chose to build a golf course.

 

That said, going back to where I'm from, about 30 years ago the city built a few new municipal golf courses as they developed new residential areas.  But as the housing demand spiked over the last 20 years, increasing the amount of new homes in that area about 5 fold, they did not allocate any more land for more municipal courses.  The land became way to valuable to zone for residential and commercial.

[T.B.]

16 hours ago, Fairway14 said:

 

There are range players who play swing instead of golf, yes. But it's also true that Tour players spent thousands of hours on driving ranges, especially during their youth.

I think I’m general it needs to be a balance between working on your swing and playing.  

[dlygrisse]

I see Top Golf type of ranges becoming more popular.  It’s high tech, fun for different skill levels, you can eat and drink have fun with friends.  If it’s a gateway for people to get into real golf then great, if not no big deal, you can still just have fun without taking it too serious.  Some people just don’t have the mentality for the actual game. And that’s fine. 

[Fairway14]

4 hours ago, T.B. said:

I think I’m general it needs to be a balance between working on your swing and playing.  

 

At the beginner-intermediate skill level learning and developing a swing that produces reasonably straight-solid shots is needed to improve, and that is best done at a driving range.

However, once a player has a swing that consistently produces the reasonably straight-solid shots..... less range time is needed and short game practice green time combined with playing rounds of golf is what will take that player from shooting 80 to a score of 70.

[jsmcdon]

I'm a range rat but I also play many rounds..

I'm located in a rural area but I'm assuming this is why there are a lot of top golf places now? Never been to one nor would I go. 

I live in a town of 20k with 7 courses within a 5 to 45 minute drive... 

Back to your question, a few months back I had looked up courses in Japan and you are correct, if I remember correctly there was like 5 if that and they were really expensive and you basically can't get on and if you did it would be like a year in advance tee time probably. I had been wondering about this because I see so many youtube, instagram or whatever social media outlets with videos coming from that area and golf equipment and hitting bays are huge over there. They put out some good content and I have seen some really nice swings by some creators.

[GG194]

If it gets to the point that the range is all that is available it will be time to quit.

[Quasimoto]

I play about 150 rounds a year and use the range before every game., and sometimes afterwards as well.

BUT, I only hit 20-30 balls and use 5 different clubs before the round and at least 10 of those balls are various distances with a wedge. Makes for a good warm-up and deciphering body intricacies that day.

[Tax77]

I go to the range quite a bit, I don't hit off the mats though. The grass on my range looks like Verdun, it's more difficult than real golf.

[jackmfarrow]

Sounds like it is the most utilized method of golf participation/practice perhaps but would argue that hitting on the range is “playing” golf. 
 

Used parentheses because the debate is a distinction of play vs. practice.  

[North Butte]

1 hour ago, jackmfarrow said:

Sounds like it is the most utilized method of golf participation/practice perhaps but would argue that hitting on the range is “playing” golf. 
 

Used parentheses because the debate is a distinction of play vs. practice.  

Yeah, I guess it depends on whether you define "golf" completely by the act of striking a ball with a club. If that's all there was to golf I'd never have started it in the first place. 

[Blaiser]

Too soon? Probably.

 

But I think it's inevitable. Especially simulation golf. For those that haven't tried it, it's getting really good. Famous courses are lidar mapped so you get every bump and slope. You can also get creative and make your own course.

 

For the competitive types, sim golf can put together worldwide tournaments that you could never get in real life. And kind of like chess/poker/any online game, there will always be someone online at anytime willing to play a match. And it can take less than an hour to play 18.

 

To all of us that have played for years and years, it seems absurd that someone would rather be at the range/sim, rather than on a real course. I get it, I'm also like that.

 

How long until it's dominate? Who knows, maybe never. But it will assuredly be popular.