Last Updated on April 17, 2024 by Britt Olizarowicz
Some country club driving range rules are unwritten. However, there is a code of conduct and a general way of behaving at a driving range that all golfers should know.
You have likely had that experience before with someone who just truly doesn’t know what they are doing.
You know, the one sending chunks of dirt flying, with their music playing, tossing a few range balls in their bag?
As a golf professional who spent years of my life on the driving range, I’ve seen some terrible examples of poor driving range behavior. To make sure you don’t become one of these bad examples, these are the driving range rules to make note of.
Driving Range Rules (The Obvious and the Not So Obvious)
As a golf professional and also a scratch golfer, I’ve spent some time on the driving range.
In fact, I’ve spent a good portion of my life on the driving range.
As a kid, we didn’t belong to a country club, but I had worked out a deal at a local driving range to be able to practice there for a reduced rate. The driving range brought in golfers with low handicaps and those swinging the club for the first time.
All I can say is that it was quite the education. Here are a few things I learned back then and then as I went on to become a professional.
Follow The Turf Patterns
Golf course superintendents will thank me for putting this as one of the first country club driving range rules.
When you take divots at the driving range, they must follow a pattern. When you do this, it’s much easier for grass to grow back.
Why does that matter to you?
By the end of the season, you will have grass to hit off of as opposed to a pile of sand, seed, and dirt.
Simply hit one shot after the next, following the divot pattern you created. To be honest, this usually ends up teeing the ball up for you just slightly, and it’s a great place to hit from.
Do Not Move Anything
Leave the driving range as you found it.
The stations are set up by the golf course staff to ensure safety and to make sure that everyone has ample space to swing a club. I know you may feel tight sometimes, but you should move down the range to a spot with fewer people around you.
When you move the stations, you create a mess for the staff, and you actually may create a hazard for a golfer that comes out to practice later in the day.
Wear Golf Clothes
I know how tempting it is to go to the gym and then try and hit the range on your way home. It seems like a perfect time to go for a range session and burn a few extra calories when you work on your game.
Don’t do this.
Wear golf attire on the range; it’s just part of the deal.
The Unwritten Teaching Rules
If you want to give your wife, husband, child, or best friend a few tips out on the range, that’s completely acceptable.
However, you must never offer unsolicited advice. As nice as people are about your tips, they secretly wish you would stop talking. Even if you are a great player and can see the faults in their swing, leave them alone.
In addition, if a golf professional is out on the range teaching a lesson, let them be. Don’t interrupt the lesson, as this is a paid service and can distract the professional and the student.
Be Courteous When The Range Is Busy
If it’s a Saturday morning and golfers are covering the range, don’t show up to practice with your family of five and take up five spots. Instead, take one or two and leave room for others.
Of course, you are paying money for your use of the range, but try to think about this the other way around. Would you like to stand and wait?
Accompany Your Family
When you have family in town for a visit, you may want to let them head up to the driving range to work on their game. Go to the range with them at first, get settled, and explain where everything is and how it all works.
When you feel comfortable that they can conduct themselves, come and get them at the end of the practice session. Family golf is fun.
I’ve seen too many situations of people allowing non-golfers to use the range and having it end poorly.
Music and Noise
Speakers for the golf course are becoming increasingly popular. However, they are not necessarily meant for the driving range. Just because you are feeling some classic rock in your hitting area does not mean everybody wants to be exposed to it.
Find some great wireless headphones if you feel like you need something to listen to while you work on your game.
Watch Your Mouth
You know that shot you hit where the dirt flies further than the ball?
We all have done it.
We all have thought of the same combination of four-letter words.
It’s fine to think these words, but please don’t say them. My kids are always with me at the range, and although golf will undoubtedly teach them some lessons, this is one I wouldn’t mind putting off.
You never know who you will offend, so be careful how you speak while hitting golf balls at the range.
Read The Signs
Some driving ranges post signs about maximum length. Make sure you follow these signs. Even if you are really proud of your total distances, the driving range has these rules to keep people safe.
If you need to practice the driver, head to another range, but don’t try to hit “just one.”
I was on the back of the driving range with my kids the other day, and it’s a long range. Someone from the other side flew a golf ball over our heads. This was no accident. If you can hit the ball that far, you know you can.
They politely waved from the other side of the range and took out a wedge to hit after that.
However, the situation could have ended up much different.
Frequently Asked Driving Range Questions
Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions about driving ranges and the essential rules for using them.
What not to do at the driving range?
A few of the most important things not to do at a driving range include:
- Hitting the ball off the range.
- Talking and rough housing.
- Wearing inappropriate clothing that is not golf specific.
Do you have to wear golf clothes to a driving range?
You should wear golf clothes to a driving range, some ranges are a bit relaxed about this, but it’s still a good idea to wear golf clothes when you are practicing your game at the range.
How many balls do you hit at a driving range before the round?
Hitting about 30 golf balls before a round of golf at the range is all that is necessary to feel relaxed and warmed up. However, hitting the golf balls is not the only way to warm up; you should also be stretching.
Can you talk at a driving range?
Talking at a driving range is acceptable, but keeping your voice down is best. Many golfers want to focus while hitting balls, which becomes difficult when people talk loudly around you.
Is it OK to wear jeans to driving range?
Some driving ranges allow jeans, but it is best to call and confirm this before you show up. If you want to be on the safe side, you can wear golf clothes with a collared shirt.
Final Thoughts
Following driving range rules benefits not only yourself but everyone around you. The rules help to better keep the practice facilities in better condition. Do your best to abide by the rules to avoid being politely approached by golf staff for reminders.
