Good luck, sounds fun!

Here is a very good article about starting your own business and how to start a driving a driving range. Think it might be very helpful. Remember the three steps of starting a service business - location, location, location. Wishing you the very best in your venture.

startingyourbusiness.com/.../

That sounds like such a cool idea. Good luck.

I actually help start one before i was even interested or started playing golf. They wanted everything automated. Entry to Range area, Range Fee Collection, Booth/Lane rental, Ball machine, ball pick up, etc... All I helped with were the cameras. Anyway, I always thought about how i would do it and the "automate as much as possible" seems the way to keep cost down. They had a card machine at the entrance that you needed to pay for to be a member and put credits on. Then each activity was debited entry to range area, balls, indoor booth (8), I would add private putting areas, teaching booth with launch monitor, cameras and video screen. and a 3 hole Par 10 course around the range.

A very cool idea.

Good luck with your idea.

You might want to start with the National Golf Range Association. A friend started his own range, from raw property, a couple of years ago. It's not profitable yet despite being pretty busy, with some grass tee areas and a practice chipping/putting area with extra membership fees. One thing that has been difficult, believe it or not, has been getting golf balls. This might be easing now, but for a year or two, they were in short supply (at least, new ones).

Good luck as I imagine it will be hard work setting it ip

Good luck, there's a lot of work to do after you are up and running just to keep it going.

I mentioned in a previous email about investigating National Golf Range Association but have learned that there are at least a couple of similar organizations. The range near me learned about recommendations for things like building a winter facility including heater recommendations, positioning, etc. It's good information depending upon your location. I just don't know which organization they used for their construction guidelines. And while they do not use any netting around the perimeter (for appearances), it might be worth investigating in order to help control ball spread out.

so, you worked all your life, retired and now want to create yourself a new job/business that likely runs a razor thin margin? Passions are great... good luck!

Thank you, everyone!

I found an excellent property to buy and am in that process now.

I'm buying the driving range netting I need from US Netting, www.usnetting.com/.../

I'm buying some targets, I don't really see these at alot of the other driving ranges around here, they look like fun. www.wittekgolf.com/.../yardage-markings

And of course, I'm buying all the clubs and balls from Titleist!

I'm sure there is much more that I'm going to need that I'm not thinking of right now. It's just going to be me and my family running the place at the moment and I can't wait to get started! I just have to wait for the deal to go through. Fingers crossed!!

Your loyalty is exceptional. Might want to rethink the Titleist clubs. Those that don’t bring their own clubs can make solid contact - with everything but the ball. For balls, Pinnacle range balls can work well and not suffer as much shrinkage as Tour Soft balls even marked as range. Let alone Pro-V marked as XXXX or Range.

Earnest Golf and other Doppler or camera vendors offer range units. We only have one range using Top Tracer and only on the (hearted) bays covered. Such are Wisconsin winters. Games are a big attraction for Top Golf.

Best of luck with your business plan.

Please keep us updated.

HI LBennet,

I am also very interested in starting my own driving range or even working together on the project with you. What is your email address? I have a few questions for you. Feel free to shoot me a private message as well!

The original posting is over a year older. Recently, cally announced it is spinning off Top Golf. It appears the novelty of a new location works, but sales per unit opened longer than a year are stagnant or declining. It is a tough market. Be sure the business plan assesses what competitors there are and the likelihood of attracting customers to a new site.
One site in my area is thriving, though in part that I have to wait in line for the customers signing up for the batting cages, the game room, the indoor and outdoor putt-putt courses, and the 9 hole par 3 course. They did add Top Tracer to all their bays about 3 years ago.