[SALYBOW]

You can hit off grass at both buffalo ridge and tree tops on rolling acres south. We went ther yesterday and it is amazing, it is also a bit cheaper.

[golfnut]

which one did you go to yesterday...gn

[jerseyvillager]

I agree with posts like:

Buffalo Junction, behind Walmart on 466, GRrrrrreat range, lessons and employees...

$200 worth of balls for $100. is the best deal currently. This would give you 25 days of a large bucket per day - more than enough to hit. Best deal around.

[dolpterry]

Buffalo Junction is a good range ,but it is not family orientated. There is no teaching or helping out allowed at all except for there instructors. Fathers cannot help there kids and husbands cannot help there wives. They say it is for safety reason's but there pro's are ok to have other people stand close during lessions and it seems fine. If two people go together they cannot use the same hitting area, they must use separate stalls which when busy can be a long ways apart. It has not bothered me as i go alone but have seen several altercations at the desk inside and on the range.

[RichieLion]

Originally Posted by dolpterry

Buffalo Junction is a good range ,but it is not family orientated. There is no teaching or helping out allowed at all except for there instructors. Fathers cannot help there kids and husbands cannot help there wives. They say it is for safety reason's but there pro's are ok to have other people stand close during lessions and it seems fine. If two people go together they cannot use the same hitting area, they must use separate stalls which when busy can be a long ways apart. It has not bothered me as i go alone but have seen several altercations at the desk inside and on the range.

I've never seen problems at Pat Leahy's Buffalo Ridge range. Maybe I've always been lucky to go when it's not too crowded. The pros there give lessons in a dedicated area off from where the golfers are driving. It's a well kept range and it's a great place to go. They have a great short game area with a chipping and putting area with a sand trap to practice out of, besides the driving range.

If you'd like to teach the little ones when they're here, I would suggest the Lady Lake range on Rolling Acres. They're pretty laid back there, but you have to hit off mats.

[ajbrown]

Originally Posted by dolpterry

There is no teaching or helping out allowed at all except for there instructors. Fathers cannot help there kids and husbands cannot help there wives. They say it is for safety reason's but there pro's are ok to have other people stand close during lessions and it seems fine. .

I saw "no teaching" policy enforced at Palmer range last spring. A woman was their giving lessons to another woman and a pro came out and explained she could not do that. It did not sound like it was about safety, it was clearly about the teaching staff owned the range and did not want non staff teachers there. No idea how that turned out.

I myself was asked to leave and not bring folks back to teach by the head pro/manager at a driving range in Norton, MA. He was a friend and told me that his staff had seen me with multiple people there and complained to him. I explained to no avail that I was teaching friends of my wife for free and I figured giving his range the business was enough. I also pointed out (to no avail) that these people would not pay $75/hour anytime soon, so his teachers were safe. His range, his rules, no argument from me.

<Soapbox with no offense intended>

As far as Buffalo not allowing fathers to help children and husbands to help wives, this could be a blessing in disguise. Being a range rat for much of my life I have watched the potential of more youngsters and wives new to game ruined in the first few sessions by their loving and well meaning teachers. I have many examples, but the one that really got me was....

I was at Sarasota Range last year and a young man of 12'ish (clearly a beginner) was swinging a club. I thought to myself. Wow isn't it amazing how kids swing naturally, maybe he plays baseball or something. He hit a few and was struggling, like most beginners he had posture issues and was trying to hit the ball instead of just making the natural swings he makes in his practice swing.

Over comes his loving teacher.... the teacher hit a few, I would guess he did not break 90 alot and his swing lacked the freedom of his sons. After a barrage of swing thoughts (left arm, keep your head down, elbow, wrist cock, etc, none of which was relevant to this young man's golf development at this stage, the poor kid could barely start his swing. I wanted to call child services (I joke, he was probably a great dad, but this was golf swing abuse)

I am not sure why I tell this, but it drives me nuts to watch people that have no idea how they hit a golf ball themselves give orders to beginners that they may never recover from and they both often end up frustrated by the experience.

There are obviously exceptions to this rule and it is a pure joy to watch a good teacher help someone understand the game.

</soapbox>

[Russ_Boston]

Obviously I go to the same range in Norton as AJ.

But I go to others and I have never seen much teaching allowed. Most of the time our ranges are crowded and it takes way too long if someone is allowed to teach others.

I used to teach my son in an open field. Then when he was old enough he took private/group lessons. He'd be teaching me now

[RichieLion]

I was at Patrick Leahy's Buffalo Junction range today and he said he doesn't allow adults teaching each other for liability reasons, and that's why he insists on only one golfer per station. He also does this for reasons of quiet at the range in consideration for other golfers, he said.

Patrick and Dina also said they often make arrangements for customers who want to show their grandchildren the game by putting them off to the side in the area usually reserved for private lessons with the pros. Dina said to see her in the office and she would be pleased to try to accommodate you.

Again for reasons of liability and noise, they don't want you in the same hitting station with another person, adult or child.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by RichieLion

I was at Patrick Leahy's Buffalo Junction range today and he said he doesn't allow adults teaching each other for liability reasons, and that's why he insists on only one golfer per station. He also does this for reasons of quiet at the range in consideration for other golfers, he said.

Patrick and Dina also said they often make arrangements for customers who want to show their grandchildren the game by putting them off to the side in the area usually reserved for private lessons with the pros. Dina said to see her in the office and she would be pleased to try to accommodate you.

Again for reasons of liability and noise, they don't want you in the same hitting station with another person, adult or child.

Isn't it amazing that by just asking a few questions you get the reasons for the rules and an offer to accomodate a need. True business people. Thanks for sharing.

[Taj44]

I take lessons at Leahy's Buffalo Junction, and really they have a wonderful facility, and as people and business people, they are the best. I find their rates on range balls to be the best around as well.

[k2at]

Buffalo Junction will absolutely not allow one to give any instruction to someone else. I took a friend there, bought a bucket of balls and proceeded to show him which end of the club you hold and which end you hit with. The women owner came out, accused me of giving lessons for pay, and told me to leave. My friend never held a club in his hand and all I was doing was to give him some pointers so he could hit his balls. The women was insulting, totally off base and I pointed this out to her. I left with my friend at her request and would not go back there to drive balls if she gave me $50 a basket. The range at Rolling Acre Road is a better range and the owner had no problem with my giving some basic pointers to my friend.

[taylor111947]

From this thread I'm getting the impression that there are no driving ranges at the TV courses. Am I wrong? I can't imagine not being able to practice before a round.

[golf2140]

Originally Posted by taylor111947

From this thread I'm getting the impression that there are no driving ranges at the TV courses. Am I wrong? I can't imagine not being able to practice before a round.

Lopez, Palmer, Gleniew have ranges. They will also have a range on the new course along 466a

[katezbox]

Originally Posted by RichieLion

I was at Patrick Leahy's Buffalo Junction range today and he said he doesn't allow adults teaching each other for liability reasons, and that's why he insists on only one golfer per station. He also does this for reasons of quiet at the range in consideration for other golfers, he said.

Patrick and Dina also said they often make arrangements for customers who want to show their grandchildren the game by putting them off to the side in the area usually reserved for private lessons with the pros. Dina said to see her in the office and she would be pleased to try to accommodate you.

Again for reasons of liability and noise, they don't want you in the same hitting station with another person, adult or child.

Richie,

Thank you for such a good explanation. I know that when I was a new golfer, I did ind it distracting for other patrons to be providing instruction to their friends/family.

[graciegirl]

I have golfed for 40 years and I haven't been to a range that management disallowed pointers to beginners from friends or family members.

It's their property and business and they can do what they want. AND of course it does take away from the cash that the instructors make.

But...