[CathBraunn]

New one, definitely. I love my range, 300$ yearly pass, 2 large buckets a day and you can hit off real grass with plenty of targets. Their putting green is awesome too. Used to have a bunker on it, but people would overhit the green way too often, so they took it out . I remember when a guy was hitting out of the bunker, and this had to be the biggest mishit I've ever seen, but it went completely opposite of where he was aiming and went right through the club's bar window. I can tell ya I've never seen him around the club again.

[ñàéäèíã]

Update, I am thinking about ditching the range pass, getting a CCE Mat for home and joining a club (Prairie Highlands) for $50 a month as I think actual golfing will do me more good than just hitting balls at a range.

[Loopyjr]

Update, I am thinking about ditching the range pass, getting a CCE Mat for home and joining a club (Prairie Highlands) for $50 a month as I think actual golfing will do me more good than just hitting balls at a range.

I like your thinking, 15 mins of short game work at their chipping area + 9 holers after work will be awesome.

[iceleliewBync]

Do you have to pay anything additional to play? That's a killer deal a month for PH if you don't have to pay anything else, just show up and play. Wish one of the clubs up north would do that. Smithville had started to offer something like the Club, but you still had to pay to play.

[ñàéäèíã]

Do you have to pay anything additional to play? That's a killer deal a month for PH if you don't have to pay anything else, just show up and play. Wish one of the clubs up north would do that. Smithville had started to offer something like the Club, but you still had to pay to play.

No, you don't have to pay any extra but it doesn't include a cart, but I am buying a ClicGear 3.0 for that purpose and to get some exercise in the process. It is a pretty sweet deal and am very excited to get started there, I am going either tomorrow or Wed to sign up I think. I work near Dubs, and went there quite a bit. Re: The Club, I think it's actually a pretty crappy deal, being that you have to pay $30 just to pay $20 every time you play, but whatever.

[iceleliewBync]

You will love the cart. I have a Clic Gear 2.0 and love it. I agree with the club, but, considering how much it would cost to buy a round at each club, it's still works out cheaper, as long as you play at least 4 times a month. Do you get any reciprocal privileges with Heartland, the former HillCrest?

[ñàéäèíã]

My range pass lapsed on me last week and i'm thinking of joining a different club/range.

I typically go to the range 3-4x a week over lunch lasting about 1-1.5 hrs. I started golf just last year and went about it practicing a lot and got better just by that alone. I really enjoy going to the range and for me it's a stress reliever and fun to improve and work on my swing as I've been working very hard on a slicefixer/rotational body swing over the past 4 months and plan to get even better at it.

The one I went to was simply a practice range with a lot of targets, a couple practice chipping/putting greens with a 18 hole executive chip and putt course. The thing about this place is that it isn't the nicest, and the grass to hit off of isn't real fairway grass, it's weeds everywhere, and at least 2nd cut of rough high... I probably only played the course 10 or so times since last year as it's not really a place where people go to play with buddies and I often see people with cut offs, no shirts, sports shorts, etc... The fairways aren't really fairways as the entire place is all mowed the same, about 1st cut on most courses and is usually more weeds than grass . When I go to the range there I will wear t-shirt and shorts as well sometimes, but not on the course. It was $54/month.

I'm thinking of joining a nicer golf course and just getting a range pass for about 2/3rds the cost, $375 upfront for a year, but that cost only includes the range pass. It's only a mile or so down the road from the practice facility I went to previously so no big deal there. I went there today over lunch and hit 90 or so balls and it was so very nice to actually hit off grass that is mowed and like a real fairway. Not as many targets, or hitting bays, but much nicer and the greens are 10x nicer to practice on with plenty of room to practice chips, sand shots, putts, etc.

Opinions? Thanks!

[indianstory]

Sounds like a no-brainer. Nicer hitting and chipping area, better putting green, less cost, comparable location. The negatives you mentioned (targets, hitting bays) are far less important, IMO, than the quality of the grass for tee area, chipping, and putting.

[iodigmaFemZem]

Sounds like a no-brainer. Nicer hitting and chipping area, better putting green, less cost, comparable location. The negatives you mentioned (targets, hitting bays) are far less important, IMO, than the quality of the grass for tee area, chipping, and putting.

+1 sounds like you already have your answer.

[Oberjej]

Yea go to the new one for sure!!

[Varbaiskkic]

I say go with the one with the nicer facilities and grass. I tend to get frustrated and bored when the practice area isn't in good shape or not well maintained. I think you'll enjoy the newer place much more.

[theonsushv]

not sure about where you are, but around my way the short game practice areas are generally free

what would the cost be if you just used the range that you currently use (downgrade to a range only membership), and then used the short game facilities at the nicer place?

[ñàéäèíã]

not sure about where you are, but around my way the short game practice areas are generally free

what would the cost be if you just used the range that you currently use (downgrade to a range only membership), and then used the short game facilities at the nicer place?

Yeah, I think the short game areas are free, but I usually like to do both. The cost to just use the range would be the same, as it's a combined membership and you can't get one without the other.

[PapsEdisa]

I'd go with the nicer range. I had a range pass last year to a place that's 30 miles away. Not real convenient, but it's the closest range. But it was a well drained, bent grass hitting area. Only $200. There's a place in Des Moines I used to goto that is $375 I believe. Not bent grass, but well maintained hitting area, tons of hitting bays and lots of targets. It only had one practice green and one practice bunker. Still, my game was never more consistent.

As far as how nice the hitting area is, yes, I do believe it makes a difference. Afterall, were supposed to be practicing as though we were actually playing a round, and to me that means hitting off a trimmed hitting area.

~Rock

[Loopyjr]

What locations are you considering? If you dont feel comfortable posting, shoot me a PM and maybe I can help.

[ñàéäèíã]

What locations are you considering? If you dont feel comfortable posting, shoot me a PM and maybe I can help.

No problem posting at all. I went to Smileys range previously and thinking about going to Falcon Ridge. Also considering joining Prairie Highlands as they have a sweet deal for unlimited golf m-f for $50 w/o cart.

[Loopyjr]

PH is awesome, just too far for me to drive to and commit. I'm trying to get the wife to move out to the burbs somewhere so I can join a club nearby. I havent been to Falcon Ridge yet.

[ñàéäèíã]

PH is awesome, just too far for me to drive to and commit. I'm trying to get the wife to move out to the burbs somewhere so I can join a club nearby. I havent been to Falcon Ridge yet.

Yeah, PH is a very nice course, and I don't live THAT far away. I live in OP and it's in the far reaches of Olathe, so only about a 25 min drive, but just don't know what to do... I can either play more golf, probably only once a week, but still worth it for $50/month or hit more balls, usually at least 3x a week.

[healty-back]

Go to the well maintained range.

Properly maintained range facilities are my pet peeve. A local range here has a practice green and a chipping green that are closed for almost 2 months to start the season, because they don't maintain them properly. So in effect, when I am paying 12 bucks for a bucket of balls for their "practice facility", it is to just pound balls. Can't putt, can't chip, can't use the greens at all.

If I wanted to hit off of weeds/poorly maintained grass, I would be hitting in my backyard.

[iceleliewBync]

Whatever you decide, I would ditch Smiley's and go with either PH or Falcon Ridge. I've never been to Falcon, but loved Prairie. It's just way too far for me to get out there. Practiced at Smiley's once or twice, but didn't like the way the range was set up, so I never went back. Instead, my buddy would comeup north to practice.

What membership are youlooking at? Is it the one combined with Heartland(formerly Hillcrest)? I'm thinking about joining The Club next year. Not bad, $30 a month then $20 to play with a cart at PH, Heartland, Tiffany, Winterstone and Dub's Dread.