Why Aren't There More Heated Ranges? (Minnesota)

[ZANDER1994]

I live in the Twin Cities. The population here is 3.3 million (Chicago is 2.7 for comparison). Minnesota has more golfers and golf courses per capita than any U.S. state.

Last week I was visiting the folks in Wisconsin and to my utter shock, I found several driving ranges in the surrounding area with heated outdoor bays. The range was self service, with a ball dispenser charging $7 for 100 balls. 

Why aren't these more common? Here in the Twin Cities we have a couple domes on the outskirts of the metro, but I find them to be a lot more useful for ball striking than much else. You can't see proper ball flight or accurately measure distance in a dome. We just got a TopGolf this year, but that's not really a practice facility a person could reasonably visit a few times a week in the winter.

 

 

[rehmwa]

In the cities here.  see you at the golf dome.  I get good practice there as contact is what I care about.  Also I can clearly work on up/delofting and see the results.  Now if I'm working on shaping.....the dome is only 60 yards deep so if I get more than a little shape visible by the time it hits the dome, I'm probably overcooking it.  I work on just swing mechanics and contact.  If bored, I hit at targets on the face of the dome.

I've hit at a couple of the heated bay ranges - don't like it, the combo of cheap balls and cold weather(cold golf balls) is not a recipe for pleasant contact.

But I'm in the same boat - surprised there aren't more.

Wouldn't be surprised that it's just not profitable, MN not terribly business friendly and this would be a marginal profit risk.

[boogielicious]

We have a few in the Boston area, but when the temp gets down around freezing, even the heaters aren't enough. I assume it gets below that regularly in Minnesota. So the domes may be a more lucrative option.

[cutchemist42]

When I lived in Winnipeg, they have a dome that is maybe 70-80 yards deep and heated outdoor range. You had to know good times to go to the outdoor range as the glare off the snow made it impossible to see the ball flight 

Saskatoon has a dome that seems similar to size as Winnipegs. I use it mostly every 3 weeks to keep some semblance of my swing. I always bring footspray to know hit quality.

Like Zander said, it's so short that sometimes you can barely pick up any curve in the shot. It's still useful for at least knowing start line as they have targets on the wall.

[ZANDER1994]

1 hour ago, rehmwa said:

In the cities here.  see you at the golf dome.  I get good practice there as contact is what I care about.  Also I can clearly work on up/delofting and see the results.  Now if I'm working on shaping.....the dome is only 60 yards deep so if I get more than a little shape visible by the time it hits the dome, I'm probably overcooking it.  I work on just swing mechanics and contact.  If bored, I hit at targets on the face of the dome.

I've hit at a couple of the heated bay ranges - don't like it, the combo of cheap balls and cold weather(cold golf balls) is not a recipe for pleasant contact.

But I'm in the same boat - surprised there aren't more.

Wouldn't be surprised that it's just not profitable, MN not terribly business friendly and this would be a marginal profit risk.

 Have you actually ever found a heated bay range here? I've never seen one. The only mention online is Golf Zone and apparently they closed down this past year.

Edited January 8, 2019 by ZANDER1994

[nevets88]

I'm not a fan of domes, but I'd take one any day over outdoors and heaters. I've never been to a Topgolf on a sub 32F day, but they do blast the heaters, I've always wondered how they fare during the coldest days. I've been there on a 40-45 degree day when it was not very busy and all the heaters were going full blast.

The thing about the domes is they are dark, there is that constant wind sound, the hourly charge is steep, like 35USD during peak hours. I'd rather have something like a Golftec setup where you just hit into a net and I can use my camera. If you look at equivalent places in northern Europe, they are so much better than the ones in the US. 

https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/1022296335/planmeca-golf-areena-helsinki-oy/

[cutchemist42]

I have heard that in some places as well that Golftec offers practise plans on their software for a monthly fee. I also know Golftown offers an hourly fee on their simulator, but I'm not sure about the quality of the equipment.

Anyone know?

[lastings]

2 hours ago, ZANDER1994 said:

 Have you actually ever found a heated bay range here? I've never seen one. The only mention online is Golf Zone and apparently they closed down this past year.

also from Minnesota..  

surprised to hear about golf zone..   I usually go there once or twice a winter.   They were always packed, especially in the spring.  

golf dome is ok.  The Bunker in Excelsior, and Inside Edge in Eden Prairie are good simulators.  There's a new trackman simulator place in Eden Prairie called Earnie Rose Golf, which is more geared around training and practice than traditional indoor golf places as well..  

 

 

[nevets88]

1 hour ago, cutchemist42 said:

I have heard that in some places as well that Golftec offers practise plans on their software for a monthly fee. I also know Golftown offers an hourly fee on their simulator, but I'm not sure about the quality of the equipment.

Anyone know?

If I remember correctly, the Golftec practice plan is not cheap. I think I paid 500USD for half a year or was it a year, I don't remember, and I got a break.

Is there a PGA Superstore nearby you? It should have indoor bays and the fee is way more reasonable.

[dennyjones]

3 hours ago, nevets88 said:

I've never been to a Topgolf on a sub 32F day, but they do blast the heaters, I've always wondered how they fare during the coldest days.

Going tomorrow with a high of 28° and a chill factor of 12°.    I'll let you know but I'm dressing warm because the wind seems to always be cold this time of year.

Several of the driving ranges near me have heaters.    I still prefer domes over outdoor ranges with heaters but it depends upon the wind.   Give me a day with no wind and the outdoor ranges work well for me.  

[Zengolfer]

More golfers and golf courses per capita than any other state in Minnesota?  I find that hard to believe, especially when compared to Florida or Arizona.

Anywho, Id say the likely reason is that most people in cold states dont care about golf during the winter.  Who wants to hit golf balls when you can do things like snowmobiling, ice fishing, skiing or snowboarding.

[dennyjones]

Golf Courses Per Capita

State	Courses	Population	Per capita (Golf Wealth)
North Dakota	123	672,591	5,468
South Dakota	132	814,180	6,168
Iowa	441	3,046,355	6,908
Wyoming	70	493,782	7,054
Nebraska	249	1,826,341	7,335
Vermont	76	608,827	8,011
Montana	119	989,415	8,314
Maine	150	1,328,361	8,856
Minnesota	575	5,303,925	9,224
Wisconsin	604	5,686,986	9,416
Michigan	1,047	9,883,640	9,440
South Carolina	462	4,625,364	10,012
Kansas	273	2,853,118	10,451
New Hampshire	123	1,316,470	10,703
Florida	1,481	15,982,378	10,792
Indiana	527	6,483,802	12,303
Idaho	126	1,567,582	12,441
Ohio	901	11,536,504	12,804
Arkansas	223	2,915,918	13,076
Hawaii	104	1,360,301	13,080
Kentucky	315	4,339,367	13,776
West Virginia	133	1,852,994	13,932
North Carolina	664	9,535,483	14,361
Arizona	421	6,392,017	15,183
Alabama	311	4,779,736	15,369
Oklahoma	241	3,751,351	15,566
Pennsylvania	811	12,702,379	15,663
Mississippi	189	2,967,297	15,700
Massachusetts	408	6,547,629	16,048
Colorado	306	5,029,196	16,435
Illinois	777	12,830,632	16,513
Oregon	231	3,831,074	16,585
Delaware	53	900,877	16,998
Missouri	336	5,988,927	17,824
Rhode Island	59	1,052,567	17,840
Connecticut	200	3,574,097	17,870
Georgia	523	9,687,653	18,523
Tennessee	329	6,346,105	19,289
Virginia	414	8,001,024	19,326
New Mexico	106	2,059,179	19,426
New York	976	19,378,102	19,855
Nevada	133	2,700,551	20,305
Washington	327	6,724,540	20,564
Utah	134	2,763,885	20,626
Louisiana	194	4,533,372	23,368
Texas	1,041	25,145,561	24,155
New Jersey	360	8,791,894	24,422
Maryland	231	5,773,552	24,994
Alaska	25	710,231	28,409
California	1,140	37,253,956	32,679

[David in FL]

41 minutes ago, dennyjones said:

Golf Courses Per Capita

State	Courses	Population	Per capita (Golf Wealth)
North Dakota	123	672,591	5,468
South Dakota	132	814,180	6,168
Iowa	441	3,046,355	6,908
Wyoming	70	493,782	7,054
Nebraska	249	1,826,341	7,335
Vermont	76	608,827	8,011
Montana	119	989,415	8,314
Maine	150	1,328,361	8,856
Minnesota	575	5,303,925	9,224
Wisconsin	604	5,686,986	9,416
Michigan	1,047	9,883,640	9,440
South Carolina	462	4,625,364	10,012
Kansas	273	2,853,118	10,451
New Hampshire	123	1,316,470	10,703
Florida	1,481	15,982,378	10,792
Indiana	527	6,483,802	12,303
Idaho	126	1,567,582	12,441
Ohio	901	11,536,504	12,804
Arkansas	223	2,915,918	13,076
Hawaii	104	1,360,301	13,080
Kentucky	315	4,339,367	13,776
West Virginia	133	1,852,994	13,932
North Carolina	664	9,535,483	14,361
Arizona	421	6,392,017	15,183
Alabama	311	4,779,736	15,369
Oklahoma	241	3,751,351	15,566
Pennsylvania	811	12,702,379	15,663
Mississippi	189	2,967,297	15,700
Massachusetts	408	6,547,629	16,048
Colorado	306	5,029,196	16,435
Illinois	777	12,830,632	16,513
Oregon	231	3,831,074	16,585
Delaware	53	900,877	16,998
Missouri	336	5,988,927	17,824
Rhode Island	59	1,052,567	17,840
Connecticut	200	3,574,097	17,870
Georgia	523	9,687,653	18,523
Tennessee	329	6,346,105	19,289
Virginia	414	8,001,024	19,326
New Mexico	106	2,059,179	19,426
New York	976	19,378,102	19,855
Nevada	133	2,700,551	20,305
Washington	327	6,724,540	20,564
Utah	134	2,763,885	20,626
Louisiana	194	4,533,372	23,368
Texas	1,041	25,145,561	24,155
New Jersey	360	8,791,894	24,422
Maryland	231	5,773,552	24,994
Alaska	25	710,231	28,409
California	1,140	37,253,956	32,679

Damnit Denny, let’s not let actual facts get in the way of a good argument!

[nevets88]

1 hour ago, dennyjones said:

Going tomorrow with a high of 28° and a chill factor of 12°.    I'll let you know but I'm dressing warm because the wind seems to always be cold this time of year.

Several of the driving ranges near me have heaters.    I still prefer domes over outdoor ranges with heaters but it depends upon the wind.   Give me a day with no wind and the outdoor ranges work well for me.  

Some places have lamp heaters. Those suck. I am not a pizza. Topgolf IIRC it was blowing heat, blowers, which I think is more effective. 

[treebound]

Southeast Wisconsin here (general Milwaukee region). One golf range not far from my work has radiant heaters on some of their outdoor bays. I’ve never gone to any of the golf domes in the area. A local relative spent last winter “playing” in an indoor league using simulators smashing balls into a screen.

[boogielicious]

10 hours ago, dennyjones said:

Golf Courses Per Capita

State	Courses	Population	Per capita (Golf Wealth)
North Dakota	123	672,591	5,468
South Dakota	132	814,180	6,168
Iowa	441	3,046,355	6,908
Wyoming	70	493,782	7,054
Nebraska	249	1,826,341	7,335
Vermont	76	608,827	8,011
Montana	119	989,415	8,314
Maine	150	1,328,361	8,856
Minnesota	575	5,303,925	9,224
Wisconsin	604	5,686,986	9,416
Michigan	1,047	9,883,640	9,440
South Carolina	462	4,625,364	10,012
Kansas	273	2,853,118	10,451
New Hampshire	123	1,316,470	10,703
Florida	1,481	15,982,378	10,792
Indiana	527	6,483,802	12,303
Idaho	126	1,567,582	12,441
Ohio	901	11,536,504	12,804
Arkansas	223	2,915,918	13,076
Hawaii	104	1,360,301	13,080
Kentucky	315	4,339,367	13,776
West Virginia	133	1,852,994	13,932
North Carolina	664	9,535,483	14,361
Arizona	421	6,392,017	15,183
Alabama	311	4,779,736	15,369
Oklahoma	241	3,751,351	15,566
Pennsylvania	811	12,702,379	15,663
Mississippi	189	2,967,297	15,700
Massachusetts	408	6,547,629	16,048
Colorado	306	5,029,196	16,435
Illinois	777	12,830,632	16,513
Oregon	231	3,831,074	16,585
Delaware	53	900,877	16,998
Missouri	336	5,988,927	17,824
Rhode Island	59	1,052,567	17,840
Connecticut	200	3,574,097	17,870
Georgia	523	9,687,653	18,523
Tennessee	329	6,346,105	19,289
Virginia	414	8,001,024	19,326
New Mexico	106	2,059,179	19,426
New York	976	19,378,102	19,855
Nevada	133	2,700,551	20,305
Washington	327	6,724,540	20,564
Utah	134	2,763,885	20,626
Louisiana	194	4,533,372	23,368
Texas	1,041	25,145,561	24,155
New Jersey	360	8,791,894	24,422
Maryland	231	5,773,552	24,994
Alaska	25	710,231	28,409
California	1,140	37,253,956	32,679

Wow! @mvmac, you better start recruiting! Cali is slacking!

[dennyjones]

7 hours ago, treebound said:

A local relative spent last winter “playing” in an indoor league using simulators smashing balls into a screen.

There is a simulator near me that has a 9 hole league.   They only charge $10 / 9 with an additional $5 for skins.   Not a bad deal but I've not found the time to participate.

[mcanadiens]

The fancy boys in my area have their simulators. I'm guessing that eats pretty heavily into the demand for such things.

Lately, we've had a couple of ranges that had heaters shut. One re-opened under new management, but I don't know if they still have the heaters. Really, hopefully, they have better heaters since the old ones were fairly useless.

if true desperation takes hold, a Top Golf exists a hour south of here.