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So, where are all the golf nuts hiding?

WNYTony

Presidente
Rating - 100%
25   0   0
So, any of you northerners have those indoor driving ranges, or is that a canadian thing? I've heard mention of these things on golf forums, but cant imagine a full size indoor driving range. That cant be cost effective, unless I'm reading them wrong, and they're only 100yds long or so. Anybody have any insight?

In Buffalo there are a couple of golf domes. They are a large soft sided bubble kept up with air pressure. Only about 100 yards long and not very high but allows you to swing indoors in the winter. They have 2 tiers and some green looking areas for half wedge shots. Better than nothing.
My home course just installed a TruGolf Simulator and is looking to start some sort of a winter league. Haven't tried it yet or heard from anyone who has.
 

Tyler86

Presidente
Rating - 100%
50   0   0
So, any of you northerners have those indoor driving ranges, or is that a canadian thing? I've heard mention of these things on golf forums, but cant imagine a full size indoor driving range. That cant be cost effective, unless I'm reading them wrong, and they're only 100yds long or so. Anybody have any insight?

We have a lot of options here. We have Xgolf (indoor simulator), top golf (heated bar/outdoor multilevel driving range) good for working on swing early in the day, like a party bowling alley after noon, and most legit courses have indoor simulators you can rent time on. I prefer Trackman simulators if im gonna “pay to play”. In MN winter can be 4-6 months of subzero and feet if snow. It was more cost effective to keep my swing to put a “range” in my garage.
011acaa511a8d540d31e922c33d43f3e.jpg

Net-80$
Mat-200-300$, well worth it, tried the smaller mats etc and its worth the money to go legit range mat. I have litterally hit thousands of shots on this set up. Mat shows zero signs of wear. Drop cloth in net was replaced by my wife, otherwise its been solid.
I also have a Swing Caddie 300. Its ok for the $ but in hind sight i should have gone FlightScope mevo for that price range i think.
I can full swing everything including driver. 9’ ceiling, even my buddy whos 6’ can hit driver in there. Down sides are obvious but foot spray powder on club face and were it impacts back drop give pretty good idea of ball flight with a monitor. Hits right side of drop and distance sucks, it was a slice, distance good it probably was a draw. And the major down side to matts is the forgiveness on fat shot feed back. I drop a towel or piece of paper etc behind ball if im curious about wear i contacted the ground etc. All in all i start off the spring pretty strong.

The biggest thing that my friends and i have noticed is that it creates good habits of staying down on the ball. There is no ball flight to rush to watch.
 

Redneck_toy

Double Corona
Rating - 100%
18   0   0
We have a lot of options here. We have Xgolf (indoor simulator), top golf (heated bar/outdoor multilevel driving range) good for working on swing early in the day, like a party bowling alley after noon, and most legit courses have indoor simulators you can rent time on. I prefer Trackman simulators if im gonna “pay to play”. In MN winter can be 4-6 months of subzero and feet if snow. It was more cost effective to keep my swing to put a “range” in my garage.
011acaa511a8d540d31e922c33d43f3e.jpg

Net-80$
Mat-200-300$, well worth it, tried the smaller mats etc and its worth the money to go legit range mat. I have litterally hit thousands of shots on this set up. Mat shows zero signs of wear. Drop cloth in net was replaced by my wife, otherwise its been solid.
I also have a Swing Caddie 300. Its ok for the $ but in hind sight i should have gone FlightScope mevo for that price range i think.
I can full swing everything including driver. 9’ ceiling, even my buddy whos 6’ can hit driver in there. Down sides are obvious but foot spray powder on club face and were it impacts back drop give pretty good idea of ball flight with a monitor. Hits right side of drop and distance sucks, it was a slice, distance good it probably was a draw. And the major down side to matts is the forgiveness on fat shot feed back. I drop a towel or piece of paper etc behind ball if im curious about wear i contacted the ground etc. All in all i start off the spring pretty strong.

The biggest thing that my friends and i have noticed is that it creates good habits of staying down on the ball. There is no ball flight to rush to watch.
Very nice! Unfortunate for me, I have all 8 ft. Ceilings, including the garage
 

Redneck_toy

Double Corona
Rating - 100%
18   0   0
Went and played 9 today, and hit a bucket of balls. Figured out why I'm hitting on the toe so bad. Not turning my body near enough on a lot of shots.
Round was decent for 42*, and a 13 mph north wind. Started out double, par, and then every other hole was a bogey. Striking was better, but not solid enough. Driver behaved all 6 drives...
 

Tyler86

Presidente
Rating - 100%
50   0   0
Went and played 9 today, and hit a bucket of balls. Figured out why I'm hitting on the toe so bad. Not turning my body near enough on a lot of shots.
Round was decent for 42*, and a 13 mph north wind. Started out double, par, and then every other hole was a bogey. Striking was better, but not solid enough. Driver behaved all 6 drives...

I know when i get toey its because im coming over the top too much.
 

WNYTony

Presidente
Rating - 100%
25   0   0
Got out for one last round today. Was in a mid 40's so it was good enough and hey there was one other guy on the course. My buddy and played match and I won, probably would have been mid 80's had we actually kept score.
 

mitetak

Founder Lite
Staff member
Rating - 100%
18   0   0
So, any of you northerners have those indoor driving ranges, or is that a canadian thing? I've heard mention of these things on golf forums, but cant imagine a full size indoor driving range. That cant be cost effective, unless I'm reading them wrong, and they're only 100yds long or so. Anybody have any insight?

We've had quite a few around here in the past (domes usually that go at least 200-250 - but hit even driver no problem). Those have pretty much all dried up in place of smaller locations with multiple simulators in them. I believe Buffalo still has a big one though.
 

mitetak

Founder Lite
Staff member
Rating - 100%
18   0   0
We have a lot of options here. We have Xgolf (indoor simulator), top golf (heated bar/outdoor multilevel driving range) good for working on swing early in the day, like a party bowling alley after noon, and most legit courses have indoor simulators you can rent time on. I prefer Trackman simulators if im gonna “pay to play”. In MN winter can be 4-6 months of subzero and feet if snow. It was more cost effective to keep my swing to put a “range” in my garage.
011acaa511a8d540d31e922c33d43f3e.jpg

Net-80$
Mat-200-300$, well worth it, tried the smaller mats etc and its worth the money to go legit range mat. I have litterally hit thousands of shots on this set up. Mat shows zero signs of wear. Drop cloth in net was replaced by my wife, otherwise its been solid.
I also have a Swing Caddie 300. Its ok for the $ but in hind sight i should have gone FlightScope mevo for that price range i think.
I can full swing everything including driver. 9’ ceiling, even my buddy whos 6’ can hit driver in there. Down sides are obvious but foot spray powder on club face and were it impacts back drop give pretty good idea of ball flight with a monitor. Hits right side of drop and distance sucks, it was a slice, distance good it probably was a draw. And the major down side to matts is the forgiveness on fat shot feed back. I drop a towel or piece of paper etc behind ball if im curious about wear i contacted the ground etc. All in all i start off the spring pretty strong.

The biggest thing that my friends and i have noticed is that it creates good habits of staying down on the ball. There is no ball flight to rush to watch.


I've got a net / mat that I was using this year outside - I've yet to move it into the garage (need a massive clean up). Look into the new Rapsodo device too. 500 bucks and you get data as good as any other. They've added a net mode as well so it works indoors. The thing I'm waiting for on them is adding a shot tracer in their net mode (it works if you're hitting at a range (indoors or out as long as it can follow ball flight)
 

Redneck_toy

Double Corona
Rating - 100%
18   0   0
Played 18 today. 55*, little to no wind.
Shot an 83, 45-38. Front was a bit rough, but struck the ball much better on the back. Holed out a birdie shot from 85 yds again, my second one in a month from 75+ yds.
 

Tyler86

Presidente
Rating - 100%
50   0   0
Played 18 today. 55*, little to no wind.
Shot an 83, 45-38. Front was a bit rough, but struck the ball much better on the back. Holed out a birdie shot from 85 yds again, my second one in a month from 75+ yds.

Nice. Ive never holed out from any near that far. I did hit one this year on a par 3 that looked a hell of a lot like a possible hole in one from the tee box. I think in bounced off the covid noodle in the cup but . Took a par cause i wasnt sure
 

Redneck_toy

Double Corona
Rating - 100%
18   0   0
Nice. Ive never holed out from any near that far. I did hit one this year on a par 3 that looked a hell of a lot like a possible hole in one from the tee box. I think in bounced off the covid noodle in the cup but . Took a par cause i wasnt sure
I'd lie and say it's all skill, but we all know that ain't the case. Law of averages at work. Nothing more.
Still, it made me feel good.
 

Redneck_toy

Double Corona
Rating - 100%
18   0   0
I've played maybe 5 rounds this year already. Enough to know that my swing is back to the way it was at the end of last year (meaning NOT good)
Went out Friday morning and played 9. Cold and drizzling, but hit some really good shots. Need some range time, but my personal life is crazy right now. Have had 4 family members die since early December, and spent last weekend at my mother's house, for her husband's funeral. ( Refuse to call him my step dad) Heading to D/FW the first weekend of April for yet another memorial service for my father in law.
Maybe mid to late April I'll be able to sort my swing out.
 
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