Sydney Driving Ranges

[GolfTourettes]

What are the best driving ranges in Sydney?

[Sydney Hacker]

Ratings based on the putt putt course out the back?

[GolfTourettes]

Na just the range.

[Dotty]

http://www.ozgolf.net/showthread.php/33786-Sydney-driving-ranges.

[davepuppies]

Narrabeen. My favourite by far

[matty]

Would mind trying the one at Thornleigh one day. Supposed to be the goods.

[Dotty]

Balls are relatively new at Narrabeen, when I was there a fortnight ago.

Balls at Thornleigh are now showing their age = 2 years. I suppose they don't get OOB/lost/buried, and only touching astroturf or netting, so there is less necessity to buy replacement boxes as frequently as other ranges.

Still nowhere near as bad as the balls at the Terrey Hills range, where the brand has been worn off and so have most of the dimples.

[mrbluu]

The balls at Sharkies are pretty good as they reopened not that long ago.

[JADO75]

Sharkies is pretty good, 20% balls are nice & clean but give you a false reading on bad & well struck shots. The guy that owns Sharkues has bought the range at Jamison at Penrith, waiting on approval for lights etc, hopefully open in a couple of months, can't wait!

[Captain Nemo]

Wouldn't it depend on where you live/work.
****ed if I'd drive 1/2 way across Sydney to go to a driving range...
:smt017

[GolfTourettes]

Based in Canterbury area. Any out that way?

[Dotty]

Based in Canterbury area. Any out that way?
Hudson Park public course has a range, which is between Strathfield Golf Club and Flemington Markets on Centenary Drive. (Entrance is on Arthur St).

I look forward to the review.

[Captain Nemo]

Based in Canterbury area. Any out that way?

Well this would be your best bet, outstanding facilities and very good coaches...
http://www.theridgegolf.com.au/

[3oneday]

You're lucky to get a bay at Hudson, I've been there a few times towards the end of daylight savings and there's been upwards of 5 people waiting to hit balls.

[wazandnic]

Am sure it has been documented before but.... for South Sydney (prob closest to Canterbury areas) you have the following, prob in my order of preference:

1. Cullens at St Michaels Golf Course
- outstanding views
- good balls (a mix of range and actual balls with often 20 or so premo balls that are better than the ones in my bag! Have been known to swap a few ;) )
- grass hitting areas
- good coaches available
- range slopes away from you so you can get a good idea of where your balls are landing
But
- can be a little pricey... $15 for large bucket... but every now and then have deals on golf deal sites which make it real cheap
- not open Mondays and only open during daylight hours (i.e. no lights)
- no under cover if it rains and being where it is a storm can sweep in off the ocean pretty quick!
- can be windy

2. Barton Park (at the back of Rockdale)
- looks like a dive of a place in the middle of nowhere, but balls are actual balls and generally ok. A few maybe with worn dimples but generally good with again the odd premo
- grass hitting areas
- quiet
- again $15 for large bucket, but Drummond members get $12 buckets OR you can buy a 10 bucket card for $120.
- little chipping area including a bunker (although green not in actual golf course condition!)
- undercover matts if it is raining
But
- grass areas can sometimes be a bit sparse.
- only open day time / no lights

3. The Ridge
- undercover two tier so plenty of bays.
- good coaching facilities
- newish
- great putting, chipping and bunker practice green
- open day and night
- lots of different size options of buckets
- demo clubs available to hit
But
- is a bit of a drive even from Canterbury
- only use range balls so for mine they tend to go very straight!
- putting green costs you if you want to use it and you're not actually playing a round!!
- no grass area... unless getting a lesson

4. Moore Park
- undercover
- open late until 12om some nights
but
- only range balls
- you hit into a slope hill that is predominantly artificial turf so balls bounce hard and then roll back ... don;t really know how far you hit it.
- gets busy
- pretty expensive from memory
- no grass area

5. Milperra (near Bankstown golf course)
- haven't been there for a while. Range balls from memory. Grass area. Night / Day.

6. Hudson Park (near Strathfield Golf course) AND
- only been there once many years ago. Seemed ok. no grass area. Day/night

7. Tempe
- hmmm.. its a range so you can hit some balls
- undercover area
- day / night
- fun trying to hit / drive over the back net OR hit a low flying plane!
But:
- balls are crap! No dimples and half the bucket will fly 5 different ways on each shot
- no grass area


I think that kind of covers it?? All opinions are just mine and from personal experience so happy to hear others thoughts.

[Captain Nemo]

Nice review Waz.
Tempe has got new balls recently....

[wazandnic]

Nice review Waz.
Tempe has got new balls recently....

About bloody time! Will have to call in there one night on the way home when I need a fix and check them out.

Funniest experience I had there was when I went to a Titleist demo night there and took a whole bag of my own crappy balls to hit. I told the titty rep I hated the balls there and he didn't disagree! ;)

[GolfTourettes]

Am sure it has been documented before but.... for South Sydney (prob closest to Canterbury areas) you have the following, prob in my order of preference:

1. Cullens at St Michaels Golf Course
- outstanding views
- good balls (a mix of range and actual balls with often 20 or so premo balls that are better than the ones in my bag! Have been known to swap a few ;) )
- grass hitting areas
- good coaches available
- range slopes away from you so you can get a good idea of where your balls are landing
But
- can be a little pricey... $15 for large bucket... but every now and then have deals on golf deal sites which make it real cheap
- not open Mondays and only open during daylight hours (i.e. no lights)
- no under cover if it rains and being where it is a storm can sweep in off the ocean pretty quick!
- can be windy

2. Barton Park (at the back of Rockdale)
- looks like a dive of a place in the middle of nowhere, but balls are actual balls and generally ok. A few maybe with worn dimples but generally good with again the odd premo
- grass hitting areas
- quiet
- again $15 for large bucket, but Drummond members get $12 buckets OR you can buy a 10 bucket card for $120.
- little chipping area including a bunker (although green not in actual golf course condition!)
- undercover matts if it is raining
But
- grass areas can sometimes be a bit sparse.
- only open day time / no lights

3. The Ridge
- undercover two tier so plenty of bays.
- good coaching facilities
- newish
- great putting, chipping and bunker practice green
- open day and night
- lots of different size options of buckets
- demo clubs available to hit
But
- is a bit of a drive even from Canterbury
- only use range balls so for mine they tend to go very straight!
- putting green costs you if you want to use it and you're not actually playing a round!!
- no grass area... unless getting a lesson

4. Moore Park
- undercover
- open late until 12om some nights
but
- only range balls
- you hit into a slope hill that is predominantly artificial turf so balls bounce hard and then roll back ... don;t really know how far you hit it.
- gets busy
- pretty expensive from memory
- no grass area

5. Milperra (near Bankstown golf course)
- haven't been there for a while. Range balls from memory. Grass area. Night / Day.

6. Hudson Park (near Strathfield Golf course) AND
- only been there once many years ago. Seemed ok. no grass area. Day/night

7. Tempe
- hmmm.. its a range so you can hit some balls
- undercover area
- day / night
- fun trying to hit / drive over the back net OR hit a low flying plane!
But:
- balls are crap! No dimples and half the bucket will fly 5 different ways on each shot
- no grass area


I think that kind of covers it?? All opinions are just mine and from personal experience so happy to here others thoughts.

The ultimate review!!!!!

[Peppas]

But Waz where are the ratings!??!?!?! ;)

[wazandnic]

but waz where are the ratings!??!?!?! ;)

:smt101

[Dotty]

You're lucky to get a bay at Hudson, I've been there a few times towards the end of daylight savings and there's been upwards of 5 people waiting to hit balls.
I went to Hudson Park at lunchtime today. Now run by the council, rather than tendered out.

Mats are new and nice to hit off. $8 bought about 55 balls are a mixture of 25 old Srixon range, 20 new and 10 crazy fluoro yellow rocks.

Still the old problem of muppets (from H... K... or K....?) reserving mats and not hitting balls. I ended up using a mat that looked like it was for teaching. Of the 8 mats in front of me, 5 were not being used, but when one lady finished getting a lesson off her friend, then four others picked up their clubs and freed up those mats also.

[mrbluu]

I was in the area ;-)

[Dotty]

I was in the area ;-)
You would have waited 15 mins for a mat. ;)

[mrbluu]

You would have waited 15 mins for a mat. ;)

We can head to dundas to visit Golfwhang for lunch ;)

[Grunt]

I drove past on a bus Road test, it is in my regular loop.

[Rodent]

I live in the Canterbury area. Hudson's mats are all on a slope. It's ok if you don't mind the ball above your feet. No grass to hit off.
Tempe I would have said NO to because balls travel in an S shape but if they have new balls, perhaps worth a try. No grass area.
I usually go to Milperra because there are grass areas to hit off. Also cheap before 1pm Mon-Fri. Also a chipping green/bunker out the back.

[Waggle]

Went and checked out The Ridge yesterday. Nice set up, the short game area looked rather impressive. Good coaching facilities too which is something I'm currently looking for. It's not the closest range to me however that won't be an issue if i want to go and get some quality short game practice in. One of the best practice facilities in Sydney I'd say.

[wazandnic]

Went and checked out The Ridge yesterday.... One of the best practice facilities in Sydney I'd say.

Yep I'd agree with that. The putting chipping green is huuuge... and a good roll!

[Captain Nemo]

Went and checked out The Ridge yesterday. Nice set up, the short game area looked rather impressive. Good coaching facilities too which is something I'm currently looking for. It's not the closest range to me however that won't be an issue if i want to go and get some quality short game practice in. One of the best practice facilities in Sydney I'd say.

I played soccer with Kurt Stegbauer's bro years back at Miranda.
Nice guy and a very good coach....

[Waggle]

Looking to do their short game clinic to get a feel for the guys first as I've been looking for a new coach since mine moved to Thornleigh.

[Captain Nemo]

You wont do better than Kurt down there...