Driving Range

[Paradox]

Originally Posted by Mike Boatright

If you don't own the land then it's impossible around here it's 800k for 0.5 acres in a good area! And like 2.5 million for 12 acres in a so so area.

where the heck do you live?  I've never seen land priced are more than around 5000 an acre for primo areas.  Subdivisions will sell half-acre lots for crazy prices but not any land that isn't slated for development.

[MakinTelevision]

So, would buying a closed driving range make it more doable? I live in a good sized city with a few ranges, I still think they could have more, but about 25 minutes away in a bordering county, they have only 1 range and it is just a few stalls at a golf course. There used to be a driving range (about 2 miles from this new course w/range) but it closed down probably 5 years ago. The land is still open and the building/pro shop are still there along with an equipment building/shed, side-walks, parking lot and it looks like poles for the netting but the nets are gone. In the time since that range closed the area around it has exploded. Several neighborhoods have gone in (some with high end homes) along with 2 giant industrial parks some restaurants and a few shops.

I don't know who currently owns this or if its even for sale. But its currently empty and the grounds are pretty overgrown. Obviously it would all depend on asking price (if it were even for sale) but it seems like there would be more of a market for it now and would maybe involve a little less to get it going.

Thoughts?

[SCfanatic35]

I have often considered quitting my teaching job and opening up a driving range. The 2-3 we have around here, only 1 of them is worth a darn and it's clear on the other side of town. I think having a quality range in the right location is a gold mine if it's run correctly. One that has good grass, a separate chipping and bunker area, good putting green, lighted, and probably some other catchy amenities for enticing golfers and non-golfers alike.  I like the one near my brother where its cheaper to hit off the mats and if you want to hit off good grass you have to pay slightly more.

[mtsalmela80]

Originally Posted by perfectsim

I'm sure there is some theft, but range balls are typically low quality Top Flight balls with the stripes. They are pretty cheap, especially when bought in bulk. Ten to fifteen cents a piece, if not less. If a person steals five balls from a $10 bucket, it isn't the difference between breaking even and being in the red.*

Additionally, many of the driving ranges with attendants have clubs that you can borrow and use. If the entire range is on autopilot, there won't be any clubs to borrow and there won't be anybody who doesn't own clubs there.

I would say this puts a large dent into the theft problem, but doesn't solve it based on the number of range balls I find in the water at local course. But maybe my perception of golfers and non-golfers is skewed.

Finally, the costs of security cameras and recording devices has gone down and even a 5 camera system isn't much when you are buying $15k in land, putting up a small building and buying all the equipment.

* I don't condone stealing.

Of course there are the kids who run in the property at 1 am with large backpacks and fill em up just to hit em into the woods.