[Marathon Man]

Originally Posted by MrChip72

What's with the serious lack of driving ranges within TV? There are 4 on TV property that are well North of 466A plus the public one at Lady Lake and another public one in Oxford.

The newest one at the Sarasota Golf Practice Center was built 13 years ago. Hasn't TV over tripled in size since 2011? I don't see any reason that a range couldn't have been added to any of the executive course south of 466A or 44 for that matter. There's certainly no shortage of land that TV owns.

Incidentally, I went to the Sarasota driving range today for the first time. I'm south of 44 so normally just drive a few minute outside of TV to the Continental Country club and use their range for $4/small or $6/large. When I went to Sarasota today I was directed to buy a token from a booth for $6. I then took the token to a machine and proceeded have it fill the bucket. It filled the bucket up to around the 1/3rd mark. I then pointed out to someone that the machine must be malfunctioning but then was made aware that you only get that much per token. I understand that they need to make a profit, but charging the same price as the outside TV places for 1/4 of the range balls just seems like gouging.

So, you would like a third driving range?

[SHIBUMI]

Little known fact, balls dispensed by number react differently, number one balls go low, number 2 go high, number 3 go straight, and number 4 hook or slice, best to know which you want...........

[Eclas]

Continental Country Club is making a very good profit on their range.

[Birdrm]

Originally Posted by Laker14

I prefer hitting off of grass over matts, however, I prefer matts over dirt. I can't imagine how, or how much it would cost, to provide space and seed and maintenance to allow for all of us hackers to hit off of actual grass, here in TV.

I only use Oxford Range behind the Walmart on 466, they have all grass and a small bucket is $5!

[SHIBUMI]

Ranges take up too much valuable land...any new ranges should be over water to be less costly. And yes, there are more needed.

[TerryCamlin]

The Developer will spend the minimum if people keep buying homes at the pace they are. There already are not enough Sports Pools. The people who suffer are those who bought years ago that now have to share everything with the new folks south of 44. They are not even building indoor Rec Centers in Dabney or Dunham. Forget Adult pools there are not even enough family pools to support the population down there. So forget about getting a driving range. You get one more in Eastport someday. Also what is up with these pitch and putts? Lazy way to make a golf course. Enjoy folks I will stay happily forever North of 44.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Rich Iwaszko

Little known fact, balls dispensed by number react differently, number one balls go low, number 2 go high, number 3 go straight, and number 4 hook or slice, best to know which you want...........

Is that because of the different weight of the ink needed to print those numbers????

[dtennent]

While I am a golfer and would like to see more courses, the developer decided to broaden the choice of amenities south of 44. To me, the fact that they now are building more courses indicates they are listening. The lead time to plan and build these features has to be several years.

[jimmy o]

Originally Posted by MrChip72

What's with the serious lack of driving ranges within TV? There are 4 on TV property that are well North of 466A plus the public one at Lady Lake and another public one in Oxford.

The newest one at the Sarasota Golf Practice Center was built 13 years ago. Hasn't TV over tripled in size since 2011? I don't see any reason that a range couldn't have been added to any of the executive course south of 466A or 44 for that matter. There's certainly no shortage of land that TV owns.

Incidentally, I went to the Sarasota driving range today for the first time. I'm south of 44 so normally just drive a few minute outside of TV to the Continental Country club and use their range for $4/small or $6/large. When I went to Sarasota today I was directed to buy a token from a booth for $6. I then took the token to a machine and proceeded have it fill the bucket. It filled the bucket up to around the 1/3rd mark. I then pointed out to someone that the machine must be malfunctioning but then was made aware that you only get that much per token. I understand that they need to make a profit, but charging the same price as the outside TV places for 1/4 of the range balls just seems like gouging.

TV has either a driving range or a ball cage at every championship course. The driving ranges change per ball e.g. ($5/40) by using tokens you can fill bucket part way or to the top. I have never been to the range when every spot was taken. To me that means there are enough of them. The cages are free to use. The idea of both range and cage is to loosen you up before a round or work out a kink. If you want to improve your game you need lessons. I’ve often commented to my friends how nice it is to have cages available for free. I feel your complaint is unfounded, but each if us all feel differently about different things. I always tend to look in the bright side.

[MrChip72]

Originally Posted by Marathon Man

So, you would like a third driving range?

For the 17 villages south of 44. The closest driving range (Sarasota) is 20-45 mins by golf cart.

[MrChip72]

Originally Posted by Eclas

Continental Country Club is making a very good profit on their range.

I did a rough napkin calculation that they could be pulling in close to $1M in yearly gross revenue from their range based on how many people I see using it.

I have no idea how much their range costs to run, but I can't imagine it's that much when it's all mats and balls are dispensed by an unmanned machine.

[kkingston57]

Originally Posted by Keefelane66

We support the American Legion driving range on Rolling Acres $6 large bucket

Mats only and because it is very flat it is very hard to determine how far the ball goes. Best range in and around TV is Glenview.

[kkingston57]

Originally Posted by Eclas

Continental Country Club is making a very good profit on their range.

Probably due to leasing out portions of the range for lessons and having mats. Have a lot of green, hard to get off, scuff marks on my irons

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by jimmy o

To me that means there are enough of them. The cages are free to use. The idea of both range and cage is to loosen you up before a round or work out a kink. If you want to improve your game you need lessons. I’ve often commented to my friends how nice it is to have cages available for free. I feel your complaint is unfounded, but each if us all feel differently about different things. I always tend to look in the bright side.

Spoken as someone who's not a golfer, but plays at golf occasionally.

[Laker14]

Originally Posted by jimmy o

TV has either a driving range or a ball cage at every championship course. The driving ranges change per ball e.g. ($5/40) by using tokens you can fill bucket part way or to the top. I have never been to the range when every spot was taken. To me that means there are enough of them. The cages are free to use. The idea of both range and cage is to loosen you up before a round or work out a kink. If you want to improve your game you need lessons. I’ve often commented to my friends how nice it is to have cages available for free. I feel your complaint is unfounded, but each if us all feel differently about different things. I always tend to look in the bright side.

a cage is barely better than a practice swing. You learn about your swing by evaluating the feel of the ball on the club face (which you get in a cage) AND, flight of the ball, which obviously you do not get in a cage.