i think the local driving range lost my business

[Lihu]

Okay is this normal business practices for a driving range? Remember I am pretty new to golf. Showed up at my local range today about 1 p.m. close to my home on the way to the course to hit a small bucket and loosen up before I played. This is a pretty narrow range and kind of rinky dink compared to most ranges but it is convenient and I have been there many times over the past few months. The owner is out on the range picking up balls manually and I wait for him to come up to the building. He gets there and asks me if I'm a good golfer to which I respond no far from it and laughingly tell him that "I have a lot of fun playing though". I think the guy is just trying to make conversation or offer to sell me lessons or something. But no, he asked this for a reason. He then asks me to walk up to the bays/mats (whatever you call them) with him, and tells me he is getting ready to mow the right side of the range and that I should make sure that under no circumstances any balls travel right of some imaginary line he had conjured up. As I mentioned before this is a pretty narrow range and even hitting from the farthest mat to the left, if my ball sliced right say an estimated 30 or 40 yards I would risk violating his "no fly zone". So I hit about half a small bucket with my 7-9 irons, not even really fully swinging in fear of a mishit. The whole point of me going was to make sure I got my driver dialed in before playing so I didn't slice badly on the course during my game. I was so irritated by the whole thing I just left the half bucket laying and left. Is this normal practice at 1 p.m. while a range is open for business? Personally if it was my business I would try to get mowing done either VERY early or VERY late at dusk after I closed the range.

You have every right to be irritated. He was pretty rude to you.

[rkim291968]

Okay is this normal business practices for a driving range? Remember I am pretty new to golf. Showed up at my local range today about 1 p.m. close to my home on the way to the course to hit a small bucket and loosen up before I played. This is a pretty narrow range and kind of rinky dink compared to most ranges but it is convenient and I have been there many times over the past few months. The owner is out on the range picking up balls manually and I wait for him to come up to the building. He gets there and asks me if I'm a good golfer to which I respond no far from it and laughingly tell him that "I have a lot of fun playing though". I think the guy is just trying to make conversation or offer to sell me lessons or something. But no, he asked this for a reason. He then asks me to walk up to the bays/mats (whatever you call them) with him, and tells me he is getting ready to mow the right side of the range and that I should make sure that under no circumstances any balls travel right of some imaginary line he had conjured up. As I mentioned before this is a pretty narrow range and even hitting from the farthest mat to the left, if my ball sliced right say an estimated 30 or 40 yards I would risk violating his "no fly zone". So I hit about half a small bucket with my 7-9 irons, not even really fully swinging in fear of a mishit. The whole point of me going was to make sure I got my driver dialed in before playing so I didn't slice badly on the course during my game. I was so irritated by the whole thing I just left the half bucket laying and left. Is this normal practice at 1 p.m. while a range is open for business? Personally if it was my business I would try to get mowing done either VERY early or VERY late at dusk after I closed the range.

It's too funny although I know you didn't intend it to be.   Compare the above with my oft used range.  Whenever a guy goes out to collect balls in his steel screen protected cart, everyone (well almost everyone, I am too serious about golf practice) at the range tries to hit him.  Balls will be showering around wherever he goes.   Once, the guy yelled at back at the range b/c it became too ridiculous.  ( He's probably getting paid minimum wage and does not deserve to be a target.  OTOH, the guy in the aforementioned range deserves to get hit. )

[mcanadiens]

There's nothing like a moving target.

I know a couple of jerks that will shoot at anything that moves. It's pretty sick, but that includes birds and other wildlife that had the lack of judgement to wander out there.

[Pretzel]

The driving ranges around where I work are all closed at least one evening a week to mow the range. The reason he didn't want you to hit over on the right side was because if you did he would run the risk of not seeing it while he was mowing. Not only does it destroy the range ball, but it also damages the blades on the mower. I'm honestly surprised he let you hit golf balls at all, usually they close when they mow.

[Lihu]

The driving ranges around where I work are all closed at least one evening a week to mow the range. The reason he didn't want you to hit over on the right side was because if you did he would run the risk of not seeing it while he was mowing. Not only does it destroy the range ball, but it also damages the blades on the mower. I'm honestly surprised he let you hit golf balls at all, usually they close when they mow.

Didn't think of that. For some reason, I was thinking ball picking. Our places mow at 4:30am, at least the five I go to.

[ECUPirate]

I believe I would have told him that I couldn't promise anything and to be sure to keep an eye out while he was out there mowing/picking up balls.  If he got rude after that comment then I would have told him I'd be taking my business elsewhere.  As stated several times before, he should close the range down, at a time that doesn't inconvenience others (which isn't at noon), in order to maintain the range.  I wouldn't let it stop me from going though.  If it's convenient to use, keep using it and don't let his actions bother you.

[Pretzel]

I believe I would have told him that I couldn't promise anything and to be sure to keep an eye out while he was out there mowing/picking up balls.  If he got rude after that comment then I would have told him I'd be taking my business elsewhere.  As stated several times before, he should close the range down, at a time that doesn't inconvenience others (which isn't at noon), in order to maintain the range.  I wouldn't let it stop me from going though.  If it's convenient to use, keep using it and don't let his actions bother you.

Noon is not usually a busy time at driving ranges during a weekday, I see no fault there. Busy times are afternoons and weekends when most are off of work.