If I were to design and open a range, I would ...

[jmorg19]

Put a very nice car out at the 350 yd mark to give me motivation for hitting that far.

[RPMPIRE]

I saw this a few years ago when there was a contest about who can produce the best golf-related invention. This is fairly compact (compared to a range mat) and all you need to do is rotate it to practice a different lie.

Originally Posted by nevets88

Great idea. Wonder if anyone ever built a contraption for this.

I like the idea of charging by the hour rather than by the bucket. Maybe charge higher for those who want the premium balls instead of the regular Top Flite ones I usually see.

[iacas]

And if you can do that, and make a profit charging less than $30/hour or so, I'd like to know what drugs you're pumping through the water fountain...!

[jshots]

You would have to put this range in a seriously high end golf community.

[ApocG10]

Originally Posted by iacas

And if you can do that, and make a profit charging less than $30/hour or so, I'd like to know what drugs you're pumping through the water fountain...!

Exactly this. The outrageous cost of the OP's idea means that he would have to charge ridiculous per hour or per bucket fees. At standard rates, you would be lucky to break even after 5 years.

If you sell cocaine on the side, you might might make it go.

[Mattplusness]

Originally Posted by ApocG10

Exactly this. The outrageous cost of the OP's idea means that he would have to charge ridiculous per hour or per bucket fees. At standard rates, you would be lucky to break even after 5 years.

If you sell cocaine on the side, you might might make it go.

Pump cocaine through the water fountains.

Win-win-win.

[nevets88]

Originally Posted by iacas

And if you can do that, and make a profit charging less than $30/hour or so, I'd like to know what drugs you're pumping through the water fountain...!

Most definitely. That is why I don't.

[Elvisliveson]

I would add the sign CELL PHONES AND SMOKING STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Nothing worse than a yahoo pacing back and forth yelling into his cell phone while you're trying to work on your game. Unless it's the guy who thinks he's Miguel Angel Jimenez puffing on a stogie without regard to the huge cloud he's diseminating to the adjoining booths.

[newtogolf]

It would be a "boutique" type range that catered to golfers with more disposable income but in the right area it could work.  Heck there are country clubs that cost $50,000+ a year to play and they manage to find members so why not a range that charges $25-$30 for a large bucket versus the traditional $12.

Some people are willing to pay for higher quality facilities and services, others aren't.  Part of the business plan would be to find an affluent area with enough golfers to make such a range practical.  I'd pay $30/hour to be at a range where I could hit off grass, had access to trackman, quality range balls and didn't have kids running around screaming.

Originally Posted by iacas

And if you can do that, and make a profit charging less than $30/hour or so, I'd like to know what drugs you're pumping through the water fountain...!

Originally Posted by jshots

You would have to put this range in a seriously high end golf community.

Originally Posted by ApocG10

Exactly this. The outrageous cost of the OP's idea means that he would have to charge ridiculous per hour or per bucket fees. At standard rates, you would be lucky to break even after 5 years.

If you sell cocaine on the side, you might might make it go.

Originally Posted by nevets88

Most definitely. That is why I don't.

[showtime583]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

It would be a "boutique" type range that catered to golfers with more disposable income but in the right area it could work.  Heck there are country clubs that cost $50,000+ a year to play and they manage to find members so why not a range that charges $25-$30 for a large bucket versus the traditional $12.

Some people are willing to pay for higher quality facilities and services, others aren't.  Part of the business plan would be to find an affluent area with enough golfers to make such a range practical.  I'd pay $30/hour to be at a range where I could hit off grass, had access to trackman, quality range balls and didn't have kids running around screaming.

My guess would be that the land required for such a range in an area catering to golfers with more disposable income would make the concept cost prohibitive. Also, Trackman's cost upwards of $15K - $20K each for outdoor versions. I don't think $30/hour would cut it.....

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

It would be a "boutique" type range that catered to golfers with more disposable income but in the right area it could work.  Heck there are country clubs that cost $50,000+ a year to play and they manage to find members so why not a range that charges $25-$30 for a large bucket versus the traditional $12.

Some people are willing to pay for higher quality facilities and services, others aren't.  Part of the business plan would be to find an affluent area with enough golfers to make such a range practical.  I'd pay $30/hour to be at a range where I could hit off grass, had access to trackman, quality range balls and didn't have kids running around screaming.

Yes, the people such a range would cater to would probably all already belong to an exclusive country club, which probably already has a very nice driving range ... sooo, the market is probably not there.  Too bad, they are fun ideas.

Originally Posted by showtime583

My guess would be that the land required for such a range in an area catering to golfers with more disposable income would make the concept cost prohibitive. Also, Trackman's cost upwards of $15K - $20K each for outdoor versions. I don't think $30/hour would cut it.....

Should the plural for Trackman be Trackmen?

[newtogolf]

That's possible.  I belong to a country club, but it's closer to my business than my home.  It's not always convenient to drive to the club when I just want to hit a few balls so I end up at the local range.  There would have to be multiple revenue streams to make a profit (club sales, lessons, range ball rental, club rentals, food services) but in the right area it would probably work.

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Yes, the people such a range would cater to would probably all already belong to an exclusive country club, which probably already has a very nice driving range ... sooo, the market is probably not there.  Too bad, they are fun ideas.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

That's possible.  I belong to a country club, but it's closer to my business than my home.  It's not always convenient to drive to the club when I just want to hit a few balls so I end up at the local range.  There would have to be multiple revenue streams to make a profit (club sales, lessons, range ball rental, club rentals, food services) but in the right area it would probably work.

Kind of like bowling alleys?  They cater to us league bowlers weeknights from 6-9, but the rest of the time they do whatever they have to do to make money.  (They certainly don't make that much from us)

Most nights, after 9, its basically a nightclub (with stinky shoes).