The $5 Bucket

[Rip62]

The range I go to has a small bucket for 5 or 6 dollars. 

[RussUK]

Prices seem high over the pond for you guys. I get a 90 ball bucket for £4 at my usual place or £5.20 if i go to the country club

[rehmwa]

Sounds like a crappy situation for the OP.  Pretty much every course here does a half bucket for $5 (about 35 balls) and a full bucket for $7 (70 balls  (or $7 and $9 for the same for the 'fancy' courses)

[boogielicious]

My league course and a couple of others I play have $5, 30 ball buckets. But others only have larger buckets. I've seen guys bag half their balls for the next round. 

If I do have time to warm up, I only need 15-20 for full swings to get warm. 

[uitar9]

Our mens night fee includes a small bucket. You can refill it as necessary.

[Wally Fairway]

Instead of fail, I think the word that describes @nevets88 experience is dissatisfied. If another facility would offer the $5 option then where he currently goes would lose his business, but until that happens it sounds like he will continue to go there and not be happy about the options.

Thankfully, where I am there is a range about 5 minutes from my office with the $5/35ball option, that I will go to for lunch a couple times a week (weather permitting). And if I buy the range card, it is something like $125 on the card for $100. I am very satisfied with that experience.

[chilepepper]

13 hours ago, Vinsk said:

Just leave the balls you don't hit there. Maybe some kid who can't afford more but would love to hit more will get a solid from you. Consider it a good deed. 

This.....at a local course there are a number of “ golf moms” who scurry around collecting extra balls for their kids to hit. 

Then drive away in a new Lexus 😉

[mcanadiens]

The quality and options of our local ranges vary quite a bit. but most of them have a smaller bucket in the $4-5 range.

 There's one joint right next to my mom's that will give you 70-or-so balls for $5 and that's the only option the automatic dispenser gives you. On the other hand, the balls are pretty crappy and they don't like cutting the grass. Makes hitting anything not on a tee a lesson in frustration.

On a sad note, I went to another place yesterday hoping to hit some balls in their sheltered area during our mini-monsoon, only to find it was shut. Place just re-opened a few months ago. I'd hate to think of the money those people must of lost on it.

Edited September 10, 2018 by mcanadiens

[nevets88]

15 hours ago, RFKFREAK said:

I feel you just needed to rant, @nevets88. 

Yeah, I think I just needed to vent.

Just remembered I still have that PGA Superstore plan, and I don't have to pay anything. Doh. It's not exactly a hop skip and a jump away though.

[RussUK]

13 hours ago, Vinsk said:

Just leave the balls you don't hit there. Maybe some kid who can't afford more but would love to hit more will get a solid from you. Consider it a good deed. 

^^ This happened yesterday. Club pro was there with his little lad and they maybe hit 10 balls out of a 35 ball basket. I was there with my young son and the pro asked if he would like the rest of his golf balls. Thought it was a nice gesture (even though he probaly got them free being the club pro). My son was very happy.

[nevets88]

14 hours ago, Vinsk said:

Just leave the balls you don't hit there. Maybe some kid who can't afford more but would love to hit more will get a solid from you. Consider it a good deed. 

Yeah, that's what I do. Or someone who looks like he/she doesn't play a lot.

[RFKFREAK]

9 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

Yeah, I think I just needed to vent.

Just remembered I still have that PGA Superstore plan, and I don't have to pay anything. Doh. It's not exactly a hop skip and a jump away though.

 You live in Queens, right and that's in Nassau, IIRC.

[Valleygolfer]

We have 5$ small bucket range at our course. I went to another course south of me and they had a small bucket (which was smaller than my course) maybe 25-30 balls for 8$. I was not amused. They are pretty much over priced across the board though. It kinda made the outing past the reasonable price though.

[nevets88]

1 hour ago, RFKFREAK said:

 You live in Queens, right and that's in Nassau, IIRC.

Can combine into multi purpose trip. Home Depot, Fairway Market, Trader Joe's, BJs, etc...

[Patch]

On another note. If a golfer buys 80 balls for $10, but leaves 40 unused, does the next golfer, without permission, using the left over 40 balls beat the course out of $10?

Or, is the golf course losing $10 by not picking up the left overs before "Joe Freebie" gets there?

I know a couple of courses who won't let a golfer bring in there own left over balls for driving range practice. They also have a guy who picks up the (paid for) left over balls. They want everyone to purchase practice balls. 

What about the guy who picks out the premium balls, for personal use, that get mixed in with the regular range balls? Is anyone losing monies there?

There was an old timer at the old Desert Rose course in Vegas, who would buy a bucket to use on the short game area. When he was done practicing, he would hide the bucket in a near by ditch to use over, and over again. When the bucket turned up missing, he would buy another bucket, start over. 

Edited September 10, 2018 by Patch

[dennyjones]

Considered buying a net?

[boogielicious]

10 hours ago, dennyjones said:

Considered buying a net?

Nets are fine for some practice, but there are times you want to see ball flight too.

[nevets88]

11 hours ago, dennyjones said:

Considered buying a net?

I have a net, but the hours I like to practice, like well before and after business hours, neighbors not gonna like that. And don't have enough over for when it rains. But you have a point, I should use it more.