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CASTING: Extremely run-down driving ranges


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A new reality show is looking for extremely run down driving ranges and golf centers anywhere in the United States. Have you been to a driving range that appears to be on it's last legs? Terrible management? Beat up matts and balls? If so, we would love to hear about your unpleasant practice experience! Please leave brief description of the golf center and a way for us to reach you.

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GDR Casting has no affiliation with The Golf Channel. However, a large portion of their original programming is documentary/reality-based. Many networks currently produce makeover shows for cars, homes, fashion, kitchens, restaurants, etc. that draw in significant viewership. This format has not yet been tested in golf's niche market.

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There is one I sometimes use when I have to. The one i use to visit closed. So been forced to use this one. Its ran out of a house, the mats are wore out siting on brick pavers that have washed out. Put your ball down and it rolls all over the place. The putting green is Astor turf laid on the ground. The grass tees are clumpy and and unlevel. The sand bunker is a pile a sand. The balls are awful some are ladies balls some have no dimples!! Sad its the only range in Branson!!!! Freaking sucks!
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If he titled this "What's the worst range you have ever been too" there would probably be 100 responses by now.....

"My ball is on top of a rock in the hazard, do I get some sort of relief?"

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  • 3 months later...

Gus Wortham Municipal golf course in southeast Houston.  Industrial area, right by the railroad tracks.  I cannot complain about the staff.  But there is a bum that hides on hole 2 and steals your drive.  He charges $1 to get your ball back.

I go to the driving range sometimes on lunch.  The balls are so bad they have scratched the face of my driver.

Don't contact me just go there.

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He hops a fence and runs across railroad tracks underneath a bridge.  And when I say run, I mean he can book it.  I have learned to jack a ball from the practice range and use it on the teebox knowing it will soon be gone.  Then after/if he takes it drop a real ball and hit again w no stroke penalty.

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The range at Torrey Pines is terrible.  Considering the world class courses associated with the practice area, it is an embarrassment to the City of San Diego.

Brian Kuehn

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The range where Tin Cup was working, somewhere in Texas. It was all dirt.

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The range where Tin Cup was working, somewhere in Texas. It was all dirt.

It was filmed at Kingwood country club and Deerwood and the Island courses. The range , I believe, was at the Learning center at Kingwood. It has since been torn down and a new Learning center in its place Btw, the 18 th hole in the movie were Roy kept hitting it into the water is actually our hole #4 at our Deerwood course and is the #1 HC hole. It plays like a par five!

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Originally Posted by Jim Ludden

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motley01

The range where Tin Cup was working, somewhere in Texas. It was all dirt.

It was filmed at Kingwood country club and Deerwood and the Island courses. The range , I believe, was at the Learning center at Kingwood. It has since been torn down and a new Learning center in its place

Btw, the 18 th hole in the movie were Roy kept hitting it into the water is actually our hole #4 at our Deerwood course and is the #1 HC hole. It plays like a par five!

Don't know who gave you that story, but the 18th hole that Roy kept hitting into is at the Tubac golf resort south of Tucson, Arizona. They dug the pond in front of the green just for the movie. The hole is there and I played it several years ago. The trees and setting at Tubac resembles North Carolina, where the final showdown takes place. These facts are well-known and documented. Some of the other "color" shots of the ball flying through the air towards the hole were done on another local Tucson area course. And the driving range shots were done in Arizona as well, even if they were supposed to be in west Texas.

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Here is one in Novi, MI that is just horrendous (Novi Oaks Golf and Sports Center) - hardly any grass left on that range:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=novi,+mi≪=42.495752,-83.507343&spn;=0.004615,0.006968&hnear;=Novi,+Oakland,+Michigan≷=us&t;=h&z;=18

If you go to street view you will see it is replete with all the necessities of a garbage range - an old beat up trailer as an "office" and a batting cage that is just broken and looks like it hasn't run in years.

Zoom in from overhead and you'll see at least 3 different color range mats and even some stalls with no mat at all.

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Got you one better here in Belleville, IL, just across the river from St. Louis.

We had a first-class range operation that went out of business about about seven years ago, and has since 'turned back to nature." It was a victim of an early regional recession, prior to the national misadventures. Turf guys came in and dug up the surfaces of the two very nice practice greens, and replanted them elsewhere. It was painful to watch it go to seed.

It is located behind what is now called the Silver Creek Saloon & Grill on Mascoutah Avenue, just west of Green Mount Road.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Originally Posted by Archie Bunker

Don't know who gave you that story, but the 18th hole that Roy kept hitting into is at the Tubac golf resort south of Tucson, Arizona. They dug the pond in front of the green just for the movie. The hole is there and I played it several years ago. The trees and setting at Tubac resembles North Carolina, where the final showdown takes place. These facts are well-known and documented. Some of the other "color" shots of the ball flying through the air towards the hole were done on another local Tucson area course. And the driving range shots were done in Arizona as well, even if they were supposed to be in west Texas.

Sorry for the threadjack, but Jim may be right on this one. Looks like it was filmed in Kingwood.

http://www.clubcorp.com/Clubs/The-Clubs-of-Kingwood/Amenities/Golf

Also, from Wikipedia:

The film's climactic scenes take place at a fictional U.S. Open tournament set in North Carolina . Several pro golfers and golf personalities make cameo (credited) appearances, playing themselves. Some of the film was shot in Kingwood, Texas , and some was shot at Tubac GC in Tubac, Arizona . The movie's 18th hole is actually the 4th hole on Kingwood's Deerwood course; the lake that guards the front of the green on this beautiful and difficult par-5, actually a par 4 in real life, was built for the movie by the film company.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Maybe its just a 'relatively' bad one, bu the driving range at Newport Beach Golf Course is pretty bad. All mats, funky range...and its right in the flight path of John Wayne airport...nothing like trying to hit a drive with a jet coming in for a landing over your head =)

"If you watch a game, it's fun. If you play it, it's recreation. If you work at it, it's golf."

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Note: This thread is 3898 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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