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Toptracer at Halpenny Dublin Airport Range

2

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 20,600 ✭✭✭✭FixdePitchmark




  • Registered Users Posts: 8,387 ✭✭✭spacecoyote


    Yeah, they basically split the fee there I think. You pay for the toptracer bays and then you pay for balls separately, adds up to the 20 mark for an hour and a large bucket



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,464 ✭✭✭blue note


    I went to halpenny during the week for the first time. Queues for bays on a weekday afternoon. Mad stuff. It's cool technology though.


    The one worry I'd have though is I'd start trying to get the vest numbers possible as opposed to working on something. I wonder would you be better off practicing without the numbers sometimes.



  • Registered Users Posts: 20,600 ✭✭✭✭FixdePitchmark


    Was up today ...I think there was some sort of problem today ...but never seen a range that full seems a game changer .

    Definitely improves the range experience and makes it more fun...but interesting point from bluenote, takes a bit of discipline to go back to working on whatever you are working on....

    A funny process lads walking up and down and waiting for bays ...nobody wants anyone watching them at a range ...lol

    Anyway..mid Jan a full range...the covid golf growth seems to be sticking ..."working from home too"



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,582 ✭✭✭token56


    I think at this stage they should implementing a booking system, particularly at peak hours. I haven't been since before the Toptracer was installed and even then it was pure luck whether a bay would be free in the evening or not, I can only imagine what it must be like now. I'm sure Halpenny don't really mind because people are buying balls before checking if bay's are free but as customer experience I think it's quite poor. But until I can go at an off peak time or during the summer when the grass is more usable in the evening's I'll probably be staying away.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 20,600 ✭✭✭✭FixdePitchmark




  • Registered Users Posts: 2,582 ✭✭✭token56


    Even more of a reason to implement booking then.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,608 ✭✭✭BigChap1759


    Yeah I think they need to implement some type of queuing system at the airport as it's so busy - would make much more sense than randomly picking a person to wait to finish as most are using the automatic tees so you can't tell how many balls people have left :-(



  • Registered Users Posts: 20,600 ✭✭✭✭FixdePitchmark


    Another issue they have is ...it takes way longer .

    A good thing ...but a problem for them



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,464 ✭✭✭blue note


    I was there this morning too. They had some sort of maintenance on so opened late - I'm sure this made the queues much worse. Actually, my friend mentioned he was over with them last week to upgrade their broadband, so I'd say there's a chance that's what they were doing.


    The way they have it now they're just permanently at full capacity in their bays, so it's perfect for them. A queuing system would be good though for the golfers. If you bring in a booking system you'll end up with empty bays when someone finishes but the next person isn't there yet.


    What I liked looking at today when hitting balls was where my consistency was with each club - you get a percentage for it. getting that number up is the holy grail.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,585 ✭✭✭willabur


    Great to see the appetite for hitting golf balls is there. Wonder what the impact on kinseally driving range has been. Will they and rhe other one in swords look to invest in tech to gain back their market

    Overall id say it's a step towards us/Korean style top golf experiences.



  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 10,123 Mod ✭✭✭✭artanevilla


    Kinsealy is like a teenage disco some evenings, I've stopped using it.



  • Registered Users Posts: 633 ✭✭✭mjsc1970


    Tried Halpenny last week. Lucky to get the last bay it seems, middle afternoon of a school day too. Yeah it was very enjoyable using the tech.

    But I wouldn't be arsed with it again if it's gonna be busier all the time. Maybe next year. It is cool though.



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,086 ✭✭✭benny79


    I'm Surprised because the Spawell & Palmerstown have a booking system



  • Registered Users Posts: 20,600 ✭✭✭✭FixdePitchmark


    I do like Kinsealy - was top of the "range" - but got a bit tired over the years. Simple things like poor mats in some bays - lack of tees - putting area needed an upgrade.

    Doors hardly opening , balls not working upstairs - even something like new flags and targets

    I guess Irish golfers are going to want higher standards going forward and to be honest, about time. It isn't a cheap hobby.



  • Registered Users Posts: 12,407 ✭✭✭✭El Guapo!


    I gave Halpenny a go today.

    It's a good setup and good value at €12 for a large bucket. But, as previously mentioned, it was packed when I got there at 12 o'clock. I had to stand around and wait for a bay for about 25 minutes. There's no queuing system either and it seems to be a bit of a free for all so I could imagine there's bound to be arguments about who's next etc.

    Overall I enjoyed it but took it for what it was..... a bit of fun. I couldn't imagine practicing like that every week. I don't know what it's like for anyone else but I found myself obsessing over the numbers on the screen and my swing was suffering as a result.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,585 ✭✭✭willabur


    Went to Kinsealy driving range tonight, the place was very quiet. Only one other person on my side of the teaching area.

    My guess is that people are flocking to Halpenny, the likes of kinseally will need to invest quick



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,897 ✭✭✭RoadRunner


    Spoke to the auld lad about driving ranges last night. Interestingly he said he tries go at night when floodlights are on because with only one working eye it's easier for him to see the ball. I told him about halpenny and he sounded interested in being able to see where he's hit the ball on the screen.



  • Registered Users Posts: 477 ✭✭swededmonkey


    Kinsealy range put up a post mentioning delayed opening times for 2 days next week due to upgrades. They haven't said what that is, but you can hope its something significant



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,582 ✭✭✭token56


    I was there this evening and looks like they are putting in something into the bays, not sure if it is Toptracer or Trackman or something else but they have the poles for the electrics going in and the mounts for screens up in some of the bays. Looks like they are upping their game. Now the question will be how much are they going to put up prices.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 477 ✭✭swededmonkey


    They are already charging extra for balls in the evening time to compensate for the increased cost of light



  • Registered Users Posts: 307 ✭✭redhill


    Which is a joke as they should have LED Lights, costing v little electricity



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,582 ✭✭✭token56


    Just back from Kinsealy driving range and Trackman has gone live as of today. It is only available on the right half of the bays on both levels.

    It was still very quiet tonight but it doesn't look like they have advertised it yet. I imagine it will pick up once they do. No change in ball prices either but I don't think will be able to as there is a mix of bays with and without trackman now. Doesn't look like there is any booking either but maybe that will change.

    Good to have options though and competition is forcing people to raise their standards.



  • Registered Users Posts: 8,387 ✭✭✭spacecoyote


    Good investment, Trackman gives considerably more info than TopTracer



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,086 ✭✭✭benny79


    After using the 2, I prefer Top tracer haven't said that, I notice the Trackman doesnt give you all the information it normally would. Its like a slimmed down version well the one in Palmstertown is anyway. For example both the Trackman in Palmstertown and Toptracer in Spawell dont give you your swing speed.



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,582 ✭✭✭token56


    Yes the one in Kinsealy is exactly the same as in Palmerstown. Gives you ball speed but no swing speed.



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,086 ✭✭✭benny79


    I think I was actually told by someone that they are a slimmed dont version so dont have all the features.



  • Subscribers Posts: 16,545 ✭✭✭✭copacetic


    Trackman ‘range’ isn’t at all the same as individual trackman units per bay, which would never see a return. It’s very similar to top tracer range, a set of tracking units monitoring a range or section of the range and tracking balls as they travel over range. So you get a near perfect track of the ball and distance etc, but nothing related to the club or swing as there is nothing tracking anything in the actual bay. They can just tell which bay a ball comes from by its starting point and flight.



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,086 ✭✭✭benny79


    They have shot tracer so have to be tracking your swing some how.



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  • Subscribers Posts: 16,545 ✭✭✭✭copacetic


    Not sure what you mean, they trace the ball leaving all bays on same radar trackers mounted above range, They just know where each bay is and what you have set as your target, all the other data is worked out from that.



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