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Will.S 04-16-2024 06:18 PM

Driving Range
 
We are coming for a lifestyle visit the end of May.
Q: Is there a cost to use the driving range ? Balls & Club rental ?
Thanks.

ThirdOfFive 04-16-2024 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will.S (Post 2322190)
We are coming for a lifestyle visit the end of May.
Q: Is there a cost to use the driving range ? Balls & Club rental ?
Thanks.

There are several in TV. We use the one behind Wal-Mart off 466. Pretty informal: You pay for a token or tokens which can be redeemed at the ball dispensing machine for a bucket of balls: small or large. Don't recall the exact cost....$8 for a small bucket, maybe? The range is pretty large and usually not hard to find a spot to hit from.

Don't know if they rent clubs or not.

mtdjed 04-16-2024 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will.S (Post 2322190)
We are coming for a lifestyle visit the end of May.
Q: Is there a cost to use the driving range ? Balls & Club rental ?
Thanks.

In answer to your question, yes there is a cost to use driving range which is the cost of a bucket of balls. They might have a limited number of clubs to lend out.

But my question is why would you do that? You can go to a driving range anytime, anywhere, Rather, try a Executive course or Pitch and Put if you have limited skills, but better yet use your time to explore this place. If you are on a lifestyle visit to determine whether this could be a home EXPLORE. If you are only using the Lifestyle visit as a vacation, relax at the pool, read a book, enjoy.

In either event, welcome and enjoy.

MrChip72 04-16-2024 06:44 PM

There's a few options:

1) A Villages driving range $6 for a half bucket of balls.
2) Oxford golf near 466/301 $8 for about double the amount as the Villages ranges. They have grass and mats to hit off of. They do have rental clubs available at the range.
3) Lady Lake driving range $6 for a large bucket bigger than the others. No rental clubs but best deal in town. Hitting off mats.
4) Continental Country club driving range $9 for a large bucket like Lady Lake. Hitting off mats. The pro shop might have clubs you can rent I think.

dewilson58 04-16-2024 08:28 PM

Jus use The Villages ranges.

Will.S 04-16-2024 09:11 PM

This will be our 2nd time there.. Just want to do some normal stuff.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtdjed (Post 2322194)
In answer to your question, yes there is a cost to use driving range which is the cost of a bucket of balls. They might have a limited number of clubs to lend out.

But my question is why would you do that? You can go to a driving range anytime, anywhere, Rather, try a Executive course or Pitch and Put if you have limited skills, but better yet use your time to explore this place. If you are on a lifestyle visit to determine whether this could be a home EXPLORE. If you are only using the Lifestyle visit as a vacation, relax at the pool, read a book, enjoy.

In either event, welcome and enjoy.


tophcfa 04-16-2024 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will.S (Post 2322216)
This will be our 2nd time there.. Just want to do some normal stuff.

Since golf seems to be what you consider normal stuff, you’re going to want to venture well north of where they put you up for a lifestyle visit (closer to the Lake Sumter area) and checkout the areas where most of the golf courses are located. Good luck with your visit.

MrChip72 04-16-2024 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tophcfa (Post 2322221)
Since golf seems to be what you consider normal stuff, you’re going to want to venture well north of where they put you up for a lifestyle visit (closer to the Lake Sumter area) and checkout the areas where most of the golf courses are located. Good luck with your visit.

To be honest, the courses south of 44 are all in much better shape than 9/10 of the courses North of 466A right now. I've been playing a lot of both in the past month and I'm not a fan of putting on some of the greens half covered in sand North of 466A. I would recommend sticking to the courses south of 44 until they sort all that out.

Rwirish 04-18-2024 05:06 AM

Courses south of 44? FR and few between.

strangefire 04-18-2024 05:57 AM

I believe you have all the information you need here, but just wanted to mention that The Villages does not have a state-of-the-art practice facility.

bowlingal 04-18-2024 06:09 AM

why has no one mentioned the Sarasota golf pro shop/driving range/executive course?

billmbmorris 04-18-2024 06:19 AM

because u can never get on it

dtennent 04-18-2024 06:42 AM

Two points
1) Just a quick correction, cost for balls at Continental Country is $4.50 for a small bucket and $8.00 for a large bucket. If you buy a card and pay $180, the buckets will be deducted from that amount at $2.25 for a small and $4.00 for a large bucket.

2) If you look around the garage sales, you can find a reasonable set of clubs to start playing. Then sign up for some lessons before you develop any bad habits. (Not that I have any bad habits, but I read that it can happen!)

SHIBUMI 04-18-2024 07:59 AM

Please clarify
 
What is a state of the art practice facility?????????


Quote:

Originally Posted by strangefire (Post 2322568)
I believe you have all the information you need here, but just wanted to mention that The Villages does not have a state-of-the-art practice facility.


Jayhawk 04-18-2024 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billmbmorris (Post 2322572)
because u can never get on it

No one goes there, it's too busy.

:boom:

DrHitch 04-18-2024 08:46 AM

As others have posted, there are driving ranges inside The Villages that are managed by The Villages corporate... There are also many other driving ranges located within driving or golf cart distance that are independent... And less expensive!

My favorite place is the driving range in Lady Lake that is accessible by golf cart from Spanish Springs

JMintzer 04-18-2024 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billmbmorris (Post 2322572)
because u can never get on it

I've never had a problem... Maybe a 15 minute wait, but I always get a tee box...

Camranhvet 04-18-2024 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayhawk (Post 2322619)
No one goes there, it's too busy.

:boom:

If no one goes there then it logically must be wide open!

Two Bills 04-18-2024 12:12 PM

Pitch and putt next to Edna's used to supply clubs for a round.
Don't know if they still do.
Better than a driving range, where most only practice their faults anyway.:icon_wink:

Jayhawk 04-18-2024 05:47 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Quote:

Originally Posted by Camranhvet (Post 2322700)
If no one goes there then it logically must be wide open!

Sarcasm much?

Attachment 103733

tophcfa 04-18-2024 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrHitch (Post 2322624)
As others have posted, there are driving ranges inside The Villages that are managed by The Villages corporate... There are also many other driving ranges located within driving or golf cart distance that are independent... And less expensive!

My favorite place is the driving range in Lady Lake that is accessible by golf cart from Spanish Springs

That’s where we go, pulse there are a couple private golf instructors there that are good and give very reasonably priced lessons. Also, the Lady Lake Farmers market is there every Tuesday morning (they close the market during the summer).

tophcfa 04-18-2024 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrHitch (Post 2322624)
As others have posted, there are driving ranges inside The Villages that are managed by The Villages corporate... There are also many other driving ranges located within driving or golf cart distance that are independent... And less expensive!

My favorite place is the driving range in Lady Lake that is accessible by golf cart from Spanish Springs

That’s where we go, pulse there are a couple private golf instructors there that are good and give very reasonably priced lessons (we like Barney Beard). Also, the Lady Lake Farmers market is there every Tuesday morning (they close the market during the summer).

Snakster66 04-19-2024 06:45 AM

Continental prepay seems like a good deal for hitting some balls if I land in reasonable proximity to there

Snakster66 04-19-2024 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayhawk (Post 2322619)
No one goes there, it's too busy.

:boom:

Well played Yogi

mntlblok 04-19-2024 09:24 AM

Bunker practice
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Iwaszko (Post 2322604)
What is a state of the art practice facility?????????

One aspect of the bunker practice available at the Sarasota practice facility that I *love* is that your shots are directed against a rather steep hill with a wooden "wall" built into it. In my experience, a mighty tiny percentage of golfers ever spend any significant time in a practice bunker - and for plenty of good reasons. One of the biggest reasons, I believe, is that many of the "misses" - including both sh**ks and skulls - have a way of flying much more rapidly and sometimes lower and more loudly than intended, drawing the type of attention that many of us, I'm guessing, might rather avoid. Not only does this unique arrangement of bunker, hill, and wooden wall save the otherwise long walk of shame to retrieve said misses, it seems to greatly reduce the risk of inadvertent decapitation - also residing on the embarrassing side.

The two bunkers *are* rather deep and much of the forward portions are overly steep but the consistency of the sand seems to be in the ballpark of what I've tended to find on many of the executive courses. They can get a little "thin" down in the flat areas at the bottoms, but some judicious raking can pretty well get you the "depth" situation that you might prefer.

An "acceptable" downside to this arrangement is that you get no real feel for what kind of "roll out" there might have been as the landing area is also quite sloped, as well as not being mown to typical putting green height. This *does*, however, offer the opportunity for practicing pitches off a downhill lie for returning the balls to the bunker for further practice - *if* you have had the patience to manage to actually have some balls escape the sand - another of those "plenty of good reasons" for spending little time there. :-)

Even with this exceptional arrangement, I've rarely had to "wait" for an opportunity to practice sand shots there. It looks like there *used* to be a practice bunker at Evans Prairie and there's one at Palmer Legends (or was that Glenview?) down in the "bottom", but that one may be mostly reserved for lessons. Don't get up north much. . .

UpNorth 04-19-2024 11:21 AM

My favorite place is the driving range in Lady Lake that is accessible by golf cart from Spanish Springs[/QUOTE]

Nice to know that it is staffed by Lions Club volunteers, and that the proceeds go to local charities. Worth supporting!

Gulfcoast 04-23-2024 03:49 PM

We are just finishing up a Lifestyle visit and, although we are not golfers (yet), we had planned to go to a driving range but simply ran out of time. We did, however, make it to a pitch and putt which was so much fun! It's like a small 18 hole golf course where you can rent clubs/balls. You walk from hole to hole rather than use a golf cart. The golf courses, including pitch and putt, have dress code rules - so be sure to familiarize yourself with them before you go to one.

I wish we had had more time to try a driving range and an executive course. The executive courses are rated experience levels 1-4 so you can select a course based on your experience level. When we come back we're definitely going to try one. But I want to look into lessons, first.

Enjoy your visit. There is so much to see and do! We ate lunch one day over at the Fenney Grill and afterwards took a walk on the boardwalk nature trail. We saw a mama gator and her three babies in the water sunning themselves! We also saw turtles and lots of different kinds of birds. Fenney has a golf course although I don't know the particulars of it but it might be worth looking into.

Pondboy 04-23-2024 05:37 PM

Am I missing something? No one referring them to the one at Arnold Palmer County Club. They also have a nice outdoor patio for lunch/dinner and a cold beverage.

That’s where I’d go vs. Sarasota.

HoosierPa 04-25-2024 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrChip72 (Post 2322196)
There's a few options:

1) A Villages driving range $6 for a half bucket of balls.
2) Oxford golf near 466/301 $8 for about double the amount as the Villages ranges. They have grass and mats to hit off of. They do have rental clubs available at the range.
3) Lady Lake driving range $6 for a large bucket bigger than the others. No rental clubs but best deal in town. Hitting off mats.
4) Continental Country club driving range $9 for a large bucket like Lady Lake. Hitting off mats. The pro shop might have clubs you can rent I think.


At Continental, you can buy a range discount pass and save 50%


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