Your First Trip to the Driving Range: A Beginner’s Guide

Your first visit to a driving range can feel slightly intimidating, especially if everyone around you seems to know exactly what they’re doing. This guide covers what to take, how much it costs, where to stand and what to practise.

A driving range is probably the easiest place to hit your first proper golf shots.

You don’t need a handicap, a tee time or a full set of clubs. Nobody keeps score, and nobody cares if your first few shots barely leave the ground.

You turn up, get a basket of balls, find an available bay and start hitting.

There are still a few things worth knowing before you go.

Do you need to book?

Most driving ranges don’t require advance booking.

You can usually arrive, pay for a basket of balls and use any free bay. Some modern venues use booked time slots or automated bays, particularly during busy evenings and weekends.

Check the range’s website before travelling. It should tell you whether booking is required, how much a basket costs and whether clubs are available to hire.

If there’s no information online, turning up during a quieter weekday afternoon is usually a safe option.

How much does a driving range cost?

Prices vary depending on the venue and the number of balls you buy.

A smaller basket may contain around 30 to 50 balls, while larger baskets often contain 75 to 120. A first-time visitor rarely needs the biggest option.

Around 50 balls is enough for your first session. Hitting more doesn’t always mean learning more, especially once you become tired and your swing starts getting faster.

Many ranges charge somewhere around £5 to £12 per basket. Venues with ball-tracking screens, games and heated bays may cost more.

Some ranges also charge a separate bay fee.

Do you need your own golf clubs?

You don’t need to own a full set before visiting a range.

Many venues offer club hire, although the quality and availability can vary. Call ahead or check the website if you’ll need to borrow one.

A single mid-iron is enough for a first session. A 7-iron or 8-iron is a good choice because it’s easier to control than a driver or long iron.

If you’re borrowing clubs from a friend, take two or three rather than carrying an entire bag. A pitching wedge, 7-iron and hybrid would give you enough variety.

You don’t need to bring golf balls. Driving ranges supply their own, and you shouldn’t use your personal balls unless the venue specifically allows it.

What should you wear?

Most driving ranges have relaxed dress rules.

Trainers, comfortable trousers or shorts and a top that allows you to move freely should be fine. You don’t normally need golf shoes, a collared shirt or traditional golf clothing.

Avoid footwear with poor grip, particularly if you’re using an outdoor mat in wet weather.

You may also want an extra layer. Covered bays protect you from rain, but they can still be cold and windy.

A golf glove is optional. It can help with grip and prevent rubbing, but you don’t need to buy one before your first visit.

What happens when you arrive?

The exact setup differs between venues, but the process is usually simple.

Pay for your balls at reception, through a machine or using the range’s app. You may receive a basket of balls immediately or a code that operates a dispenser.

Find an empty bay and place your basket somewhere it won’t be struck by your club.

The hitting area will usually have a rubber mat and a tee. Some tees are fixed into the mat, while others can be changed for different heights.

Keep your clubs, bag and personal belongings inside your own bay.

Wait until the space behind you is clear before swinging.

Will people be watching you?

Probably not.

Most golfers at the range are focused on their own shots. Some will be practising seriously, while others are there with friends or trying golf for the first time themselves.

Poor shots are normal. Experienced golfers hit them too.

The main range safety rules matter far more than how well you strike the ball:

• Stay inside your bay while hitting.
• Check behind you before swinging.
• Don’t walk onto the range to collect a ball or broken tee.
• Don’t swing a club near someone else.
• Keep children supervised.
• Stop immediately if range staff ask everyone to pause.

You may accidentally hit the side divider, miss the ball or send one along the ground. None of this is unusual for a beginner.

Which club should you start with?

Start with a pitching wedge, 9-iron or 8-iron.

Shorter clubs are generally easier to control. They also encourage you to make a calmer swing instead of trying to hit the ball as far as possible.

Place the ball roughly in the middle of your stance. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart, with your knees relaxed rather than deeply bent.

Make a few short swings before attempting a full one.

Try to brush the mat after contacting the ball. You don’t need to scoop it into the air. The club’s loft will do that for you.

Once you can make reasonable contact, move on to a 7-iron or hybrid.

Leave the driver until later in the session.

Should beginners hit a driver?

You can hit a driver, but it shouldn’t take up the whole session.

The driver is long, lightly lofted and designed to send the ball a long way. That also makes it harder to control.

It can be enjoyable to finish with a few drives, particularly if you’ve spent most of the session hitting shorter clubs. Just don’t judge your entire visit by whether you can hit it well.

Check that the range tee is tall enough. Around half the golf ball should sit above the top edge of the driver when the club is resting behind it.

Stand with the ball closer to your front foot rather than in the middle of your stance.

You don’t need to swing as hard as possible. A balanced swing that finds the middle of the clubface will usually travel further than a wild effort.

Don’t rush through the basket

It’s easy to hit one ball after another without thinking.

That can turn 50 balls into ten minutes of exercise rather than a useful practice session.

After each shot, take a moment to notice:

• Where the ball started
• Whether it curved
• How the contact felt
• Whether you stayed balanced
• Where the club struck the ground

You don’t need to diagnose every fault. Simply paying attention will stop you from repeating shots without learning anything.

Step away from the mat every few balls. Relax your hands, take a breath and reset your stance.

A simple first driving-range session

This session uses around 50 balls and should take roughly 40 to 60 minutes.

Warm-up without a ball

Make ten slow swings with a short iron.

Start with small waist-height swings before gradually making them longer. Focus on balance and turning your body rather than speed.

Ten short wedge shots

Hit ten balls with a pitching wedge or 9-iron.

Use half-swings and aim for clean contact. Don’t worry about distance.

Fifteen shots with a 7-iron

Make a normal swing at around three-quarters effort.

Pick a broad target area rather than aiming at a tiny flag. Notice whether the ball tends to start left, right or straight.

Ten shots with a hybrid or fairway wood

Tee the ball slightly if you struggle to hit it from the mat.

Keep the swing controlled. These clubs may travel further without needing extra effort.

Ten drives

Finish with the driver if you’d like to use one.

Pause between shots and check your balance. Don’t keep increasing your swing speed after a poor drive.

Five final shots with your favourite club

Return to whichever club felt easiest.

Finishing with a club you can strike reasonably well gives you a useful reference point for your next visit.

What should you aim at?

Choose a target before every shot.

It can be a distance marker, flag, post or patch of grass. The target doesn’t need to be small.

Aiming gives your practice some purpose and helps you notice your usual shot pattern.

Don’t keep changing targets based on where the previous ball went. Pick one, line yourself up and hit several shots towards it.

Many beginners accidentally aim too far to the right because the feet and shoulders aren’t pointing in the same direction as the clubface.

Place the club behind the ball first, aim the face at the target, then set your feet.

Should you use the range’s tracking technology?

Some driving ranges use systems such as Toptracer or TrackMan Range.

These screens can show estimated distance, ball speed, launch direction and shot shape. They may also include games, virtual courses and target challenges.

The numbers can be useful, but you don’t need to understand all of them on your first visit.

Pay attention to carry distance rather than the total distance after the ball rolls. Carry tells you how far the ball travelled through the air and is more useful when choosing clubs on a course.

Don’t chase ball speed. Consistent contact matters more.

A target game can make the session more enjoyable, but use it after you’ve spent some time getting comfortable with the basics.

Common mistakes during a first range visit

The first is trying to hit every ball as hard as possible.

Speed develops more naturally when your grip, balance and contact improve. Forcing it usually creates more misses.

The second is using only the driver. It may be the most satisfying club when you strike it well, but it’s also one of the hardest.

The third is copying several different swing tips during the same session. Pick one simple thought and stay with it.

The fourth is continuing after you’re tired. If your hands are sore, your back feels tight or every shot is becoming worse, stop. You don’t have to finish the basket.

The fifth is expecting the ball to fly perfectly straight. Most golfers have some curve in their shots. Your first target is regular contact, not perfection.

Do you need a lesson before going?

You can visit a driving range without having a lesson.

Trying it on your own first may help you decide whether you enjoy hitting balls before paying for coaching.

A beginner lesson can save you from guessing at the basics. A professional can help with grip, posture and alignment before bad habits become familiar.

Some ranges offer group beginner sessions, which are often cheaper and less intimidating than a private lesson.

You can also ask whether the venue runs taster sessions or beginner packages.

What should you do after your first visit?

Make a note of which club felt easiest and which shots caused the most trouble.

That gives you a simple starting point next time.

Your second visit doesn’t need a completely different plan. Repeat the same basic session and look for small signs of progress, such as more shots getting into the air or finishing somewhere near your target.

You’re ready to try a short par-3 course once you can make contact often enough to keep the ball moving. You don’t need to hit every shot cleanly before playing away from the range.

For the next session, take 50 balls, one short iron, one mid-iron and a driver or hybrid. Spend at least half the basket on the two shorter clubs.