Range
Range is the short form of driving range, the practice area at a golf facility.
On the range you hit balls out onto an open field without having to go looking for them. It is the place for a warm-up before the round, for targeted technique practice and for a first contact with the sport of golf at all. Most facilities provide hitting bays with mats, many additionally grass tees on real turf. Distance boards in 50-metre steps help you learn your distances with every club. The infrastructure often also includes practice bunkers, a chipping area and the putting green, so that the complete short game and long game are covered.
In practice it works like this: you buy balls at the machine or the club office, usually in baskets of roughly 30 to 100, and take a hitting bay. A sensible routine starts with short shots to warm up, for example with a wedge, and works up through the mid irons to the longest club. Anyone who starts with the driver risks cold muscles and poor shots. Many parts of a range session can be structured: ten balls at one target, then switch targets, instead of mindlessly hammering through the whole basket.
The typical mistake is volume training without a target. Two baskets bashed quickly one after the other mainly train your faults. Quality is better: fewer balls, but with a pre-shot routine and a clear target, just like on the course. You can find facilities with their own range in the golf course search via the corresponding feature; many can also be used without membership for the range fee.
FAQ
How do I train properly on the range instead of just hitting balls?
Start with short shots to warm up, for example with a wedge, and work up through the mid irons to the longest club. Work with clear targets: ten balls at one target, then switch targets, instead of mindlessly hammering through the whole basket. Volume training without a target mainly trains your faults.
Do I need a course certificate or membership for the range?
No, the range is usually open to everyone — you only pay for the balls at the machine or the range fee. You only need a course certificate and a handicap for the course itself. That makes the range the cheapest entry into the sport of golf.
What do I start with on the range if I have never played?
With short shots and an easy club like a wedge, not with the driver. Anyone who starts cold with the longest club risks poor shots and tension. Many facilities offer taster packages with rental clubs and a first hour with a pro.