Driving Ranges - a rip off?

Par72

The two driving ranges local to me - Leopardstown & Stepaside are charging €8.50 & €9.00 respectively for a large basket of balls. There's approx 100 balls in a large basket so that works out at about 9c per ball.

Is it just me or does that seem very expensive? I can only imagine that they are making huge profits. If you go to either of these ranges in the evening time you will have difficulty even finding an unoccupied bay. People are frequently queueing up to get a space to hit some balls.

How do these prices compare to other ranges?

Sandwich

Seems pricey all right but I guess they charge what people are willing to pay. They probably will argue land is expensive around there.

We pay 4.20 for a basket of 75 but thats a small town range. Feels like reasonable value. Decent range though, auto tees, nice mats.

bigtimecharlie

Haven't been to my local range lately, but if I remember correctly, €4 for 50 ball's (automatic dispenser).

Must be the "Dublin area" price hike.

markymac

2 euro for a basket from a dispenser in Tramore, Waterford. You get prob 30'ish balls maybe 40. Good Value based on above.

ImDave

I would think those prices are fairly fair. It depends on the quality of range and balls also. Where I work, we charge €6 for 120 balls, and many people are suprised at how cheap that is. I was recently in a driving range where I paid €12 for 100 balls and a bottle of water, with low quality balls and mats!

WHIP IT!

EI-DAV wrote: »

I would think those prices are fairly fair. It depends on the quality of range and balls also. Where I work, we charge €6 for 120 balls, and many people are suprised at how cheap that is. I was recently in a driving range where I paid €12 for 100 balls and a bottle of water, with low quality balls and mats!

That seems like very good value... I use Celbridge and I think it's fairly reasonable - €6 for 90 balls, and the mats and balls are fairly decent standard.

The nearest alternative - Peamount Driving Range, is a rip-off with poor standard balls and the world's most unwelcome welcome...

slumped

WHIP IT! wrote: »

That seems like very good value... I use Celbridge and I think it's fairly reasonable - €6 for 90 balls, and the mats and balls are fairly decent standard.

The nearest alternative - Peamount Driving Range, is a rip-off with poor standard balls and the world's most unwelcome welcome...

The national academy is near you also - i think it's €11 for 135 balls if you are not a member and that equals 8.14c per ball.

If you're a member that price drops to 4.07c per ball. (plus u get putting green for free so you don't have to buy a bucket of balls every time you go down - that's what I do but my putting is desperate.

S

C0SM0

Spawell driving range near templeogue village is €9.50 for a large bucket approx 110 balls.

Mister Sifter

Driving arnges tend to bore me after about 20 balls. I normally just use elmgreen which is 4 euro for a bucket (think there's 50 balls in it).

Par72

Roll on the brighter evenings when I can just go hit balls on my club's practice ground.

Trampas

Celbridge range allows you to buy the large basket which you get 3 coins so you use how many you want in a session.

Anyway most people don't even know how to practice in the range.

Majority just smash balls away and not trying to pick targets to aim at.

WHIP IT!

Trampas wrote: »

Celbridge range allows you to buy the large basket which you get 3 coins so you use how many you want in a session.

Anyway most people don't even know how to practice in the range.

Majority just smash balls away and not trying to pick targets to aim at.

Yeah, I should've mentioned that about Celbridge. It's €4 for one coin (45balls), €6 for two coins (90 balls) and €8.50 for three coins (135 balls)...

So if u go regularly but don't want to hit a large bucket, you can always buy the three coins at that v good price and use em one at a time...

I usually buy a small (one coin) or medium (two) depending on how I feel...

Agree with ye about people practicing wrong - something I'm always trying be conscious about when I'm at the range myself... If I get 90 balls, I'll usually hit at least 40 chips/pitches and the rest full iron shots with every iron at a specific target.

Been there last two nights and (whisper it!) I'm hittin the ball great!

sour

i understand that ranges can be different but there were quite a few comments on quality of balls. what is the difference between balls. How do yu spot if the quality of the balls are poor??

stockdam

Bite them or bounce them and compare with your own balls (err does that need to be modded Licksy??). If they are rubber then they are poor.

Myksyk

8.33c per ball in Dromoland although the director of golf there said they're going to decrease this at the end of this month. Also every time I get €60 worth they throw in an extra card worth 5 baskets (125 balls). At the start of this year I got about ten cards free (about 1250 balls) worth about €150. Can't say fairer than that. Great facility.

soundsham

:eek::eek::eek:who hits 100 balls:eek::eek::eek:
......would take forever and you wouldn't do it in a full round

surely 50-60 is plenty (cost 4e)

usually hit 3-4 gap wedge,wedge,8i,6i,4i,rescue,3w,d thats about 30 done

then pitch another 15-20 ish with wedges 70-110y range

practice a little draw with one of the other irons with the last few as i generally hit a tiny fade

next time use gap wedge,wedge,9i,7i,5i.......instead of evens

fitslikeaglove

I`ve heard the old driving range in Port Marnock is now doing unlimited use of balls for 8 euro. Must be something to do with the fact there`s now 4 driving ranges in that area within a few miles of each other.

Mister Sifter

Can anyone tell me if the Carton House facilities are open as normal at this time of year - i.e. can you hit off the grass and is the practice areas/putting green still open?

WHIP IT!

Graeme1982 wrote: »

Can anyone tell me if the Carton House facilities are open as normal at this time of year - i.e. can you hit off the grass and is the practice areas/putting green still open?

I was up there yesterday Graeme and no, you can't hit off the grass. The putting green was closed but I did not see the chipping green so can't say for sure if it's open - I would hazard a guess that it's also close though.

Having said that - that could be just yesterday.

tbaymusicman

its 2quid for 50 balls in tramore:)

Mister Sifter

WHIP IT! wrote: »

I was up there yesterday Graeme and no, you can't hit off the grass. The putting green was closed but I did not see the chipping green so can't say for sure if it's open - I would hazard a guess that it's also close though.

Having said that - that could be just yesterday.

Cheers Whip It, i won't bother then!

WHIP IT!

Graeme1982 wrote: »

Cheers Whip It, i won't bother then!

Sure you can hit your Driver 240yds off the deck - what you need to know how to putt for???

Mister Sifter

WHIP IT! wrote: »

Sure you can hit your Driver 240yds off the deck - what you need to know how to putt for???

True!

kinetic

Salthill range €6 for 65 balls.

JCDUB

Graeme1982 wrote: »

Driving arnges tend to bore me after about 20 balls.

I was the same Graeme, but recently I've been going with a genius friend of mine who suggested that we hit 5 balls each at a time (from the same bay, so were alternating), and aim for certain areas (between pole a and pole b for example) and see how many we put where we wanted to.

We end up totting up "scores" and I find it much less boring and more productive, while also adding a bit of competitive craic.

WHIP IT!

WHIP IT! wrote: »

I was up there yesterday Graeme and no, you can't hit off the grass. The putting green was closed but I did not see the chipping green so can't say for sure if it's open - I would hazard a guess that it's also close though.

Having said that - that could be just yesterday.

Was actually up there again today and while the grass bays are not open, the putting (and presumably chipping) greens were.

DubGF

Portmarnock is indeed doing unlimited balls for 8 euro, have not been out to take up the offer but drove past it and seen the sign, think there may be a certain time you have to go at though....

Myksyk

Myksyk wrote: »

8.33c per ball in Dromoland although the director of golf there said they're going to decrease this at the end of this month. Also every time I get €60 worth they throw in an extra card worth 5 baskets (125 balls). At the start of this year I got about ten cards free (about 1250 balls) worth about €150. Can't say fairer than that. Great facility.

As promised the Dromoland driving range has improved their value for money from Feb 1st. Balls now cost between 6 and 7.5c each depending on how may you buy. One of the few benefits stemming from the credit crunch!

Kimbot

Our driving range in Longford was €2 into a machine and you got approx 40 balls.

Only thing is the golf course won't renew the lease on it so it is now closed.

Was thinking about how much it would cost to rent etc and see if there was any way I could rent it, break even or profit and make it better(Crap mats and lake balls are being used in it).

GreeBo

C0SM0 wrote: »

Spawell driving range near templeogue village is €9.50 for a large bucket approx 110 balls.

Do u not think its a total kip though?
Balls are ok (srixon range balls) but the mats are shocking; uneven and ancient. The range itself is hilly with poor targets that you cant really see.
The shop and facilities are shaby at best.

I go to leopardstown now as its cheaper than stepaside for the same standard. Also u are less likely to get happy gilmores in leopardstown.

03mcgs0

Normally head down to Elmgreen, its a lot better than Hollystowns range. I also used that Drynam park golf centre and although its new and got a fancy automatic tee in each bay I dont like the place at all!

To be honest I just perfer 25-30 balls, get bored after that.....

kevodaly

tbaymusicman wrote: »

its 2quid for 50 balls in tramore:)

I assume you mean Newtown driving range - it's €3 for about 30 balls there.