Driving Range Etiquette: Do’s and Don’ts – 10 Rules You Can’t Miss
There is no doubt that the driving range is a bit more laid back than the golf course, but there are still rules in place.
Driving range etiquette, especially at a private country club or golf course, is very important. If you have the attitude that etiquette at the range doesn’t matter, you may no longer have a place to practice next week.
Having spent the better part of my life practicing and even working at a driving range, I’ll show you the do’s and don’ts and 10 rules for driving range etiquette that you can’t miss.
For an interactive guide on structuring your range session and drills to work on at the driving range, check out our driving range practice plan!
Driving Range Etiquette – Key Takeaways
If you don’t have all that much time to go through the dos and don’ts of proper driving range etiquette, here are the top things you need to know.
- Wear golf attire on the driving range; even if you aren’t headed to play golf, wearing golf clubs will help you practice and be prepared for your next round of golf.
- Always hit golf balls in a straight line; do not make a random divot pattern.
- Don’t make too much noise or talk to other golfers unless they engage with you; some people are deep in practice.
- Keep your hitting station neat; don’t have your clubs and gear all over the place.
- Forget that tee that went forward on the last swing; don’t make other golfers stop; just grab another tee!
Top 10 Driving Range Rules You Can’t Miss
If you want to have a successful practice session and ensure that everyone else at the driving range feels the same way, here are the top 10 driving range rules you can’t miss. Read them before you head out to practice at the driving range.
1. What do you want to improve in your full swing?
1. Dress for the Occasion
Some golf courses and driving ranges are rather lenient about the dress code. However, I can tell you that other golfers expect you to wear golf attire.
Even if the driving range is a casual place, wear clothing that is appropriate for golf.
One of the great things about wearing golf clothing is you know your range of motion won’t be restricted as you practice. If you want to play great golf, you have to look great too!
2. Stay in Your Booth
Driving ranges are set up so that everyone has a designated hitting area. This area is done a certain way for safety purposes. In your booth, you have plenty of room to swing and hit balls without getting involved with your neighbor’s swing or equipment.
Ensure that as you are hitting and teeing up shots, you stay within your booth.
I’ve seen some amateurs who want a larger area to hit, so they grab some golf balls and make their space wider. Don’t do this.
The staff at the driving range, with a grass tee, alternates the spacing of the driving range setup on a daily basis. This is done to preserve grass and give you a chance to always have a hitting station in great hitting conditions.
Stay in your booth to respect the other golfers and those maintaining the driving range.
3. Respect Distance Markers
If there is a sign at the driving range that says “no shots further than 250 yards,” it’s not a challenge.
In addition, if there are trees lining the side of the range to keep balls in, those are not targets.
Keep the golf balls you are hitting inside the range; it’s part of the deal. Amateur golfers have no idea how expensive it is to maintain all the golf balls and to ensure they don’t go missing.
Respect the distance markers so your favorite driving range stays in business!
4. No Phone Calls
Sometimes, you need your cell phone on the driving range to analyze swing data or look at your wrist action with the HackMotion. However, this is not the time to call your uncle and catch up after the last few months of not speaking to each other.
Phone calls are distracting, and for those trying to practice, it is really hard to focus when someone is on the phone.
5. No Advice
The driving range is not the place to show everyone how much you know about the game of golf. Keep all of your advice to yourself unless people start to ask you for help.
In addition, don’t be asking people around you for advice about your game. If you are trying to learn more about golf or how to fix your slice, bring the HackMotion with you to your driving range session. Having the HackMotion there is a bit like practicing with the help of a professional.
Giving and receiving too much advice at the range has always been looked at as poor etiquette. Don’t restrict your learning; just use the right tools.
6. Leave the Great Players Alone
Sometimes, you will be practicing at the range and notice that there is a golfer with an unbelievable swing.
Yes, you can learn a lot from watching a great player.
However, the key is to do this without bothering that player. If you are standing behind them watching or asking them questions about their game, it takes away from their practice session.
With a swing that great, chances are they work quite hard on their game. Let them be!
This is not to say that watching the player practice and even learning from things like their tempo and wrist action is a problem. Take full advantage of having this prime example in front of you; just do it politely.
Watch from your own hitting station or simply find an area out of the player’s sightline to watch them practice.
Chances are they are used to having people interested in their game; you just want to make sure you are polite about how you go about expressing your interest.
7. Stay Behind the Lines
We have all been to the driving range with the golfer walking out 10 or 15 feet to grab a golf tee.
This is distracting to other golfers and can throw off their routine.
Instead, stay behind the lines for your own safety and bring the necessary equipment with you. Having the right equipment allows a complete practice session without having to distract others.
8. Hit in a Straight Line
If you are practicing at a grass driving range, you must keep your divot pattern in a straight line.
Your section of the range should look like one clean line from the start of your shots. If your section looks like Swiss cheese when finished, the grass tee takes considerably longer to heal.
Hitting a straight line ensures that the next time you come to the range, you will have no trouble finding the perfect area to hit.
9. Clean Up After Yourself
When your practice session is over, leave the range with all of your gear. If you have left a mess with broken bits of golf tees and chunks of grass lying around, try to clean it up as best as possible.
Leave the hitting station the same way you would expect someone else to leave it for you. Always make sure you take all of your gear with you.
10. Turn the Music Off
Music has become a big part of the game of golf. People love having Bluetooth speakers with them out on the golf course. However, on the driving range, the space is a bit limited, and if you are playing music, everyone around you is going to have to listen to it.
This is not fair.
Turn the music off and let everyone practice in silence. If you are the only one out there, then music is acceptable, but keep it at a volume that is still fair and acceptable if another person walks up.
If music really helps you when you practice, look for a headphone that will not be in the way when you take a swing. Wear it as you practice so you are not distracting anyone else, but you can still stay in the zone listening to your music as you practice.
1. What do you want to improve in your full swing?
FAQs
Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions about driving range etiquette and the dos and don’ts of practicing at the driving range.
What should you wear to the driving range?
It is best to wear golf attire to the driving range. Some driving ranges are becoming more lenient in what they let golfers wear, but by wearing golf attire, you know you are always prepared for whatever the rules of the driving range state.
Do you wear a glove at the driving range?
If you wear a glove when you play, you should wear a glove at your practice session on the driving range. The glove worn on the driving range can also help to decrease the chance of getting a blister as you work on your game.
Do people wear jeans to the driving range?
Some driving ranges, especially those independent and not associated with a golf course, will allow jeans to be worn. However, you may want to wear golf attire as you will have an easier time getting the proper range of motion and turning in your golf swing. In addition, the temperature and moisture control of the golf clothing is likely more suitable for a practice session.
How can I make my driving range more fun?
One of the best ways to make the driving range more fun is to bring technology with you. Having data that you can tap into about your golf game is a tremendous benefit to any practice session.
Record your wrist action at setup, at top of the backswing, and impact with the HackMotion and see how close you can get to the wrist patterns that professionals are using.
Final Thoughts
At this point, you should feel slightly more confident about what to do and what not to do at the driving range. The good news is driving range etiquette is much less complicated than golf course etiquette.
Make sure you are aware of other people and respectful of their practice time, and you should never have an issue with the driving range.
Don’t forget to bring your HackMotion to the range so you have something to work on and make your practice session much more enjoyable. You will be glad you did!
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