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Driving Range

ThatGuy

ThatGuy

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Does it bother anybody else when you go to a driving range and there's people just standing around talking out there? I like to practice in a semi-quiet environment and every day I go there's people laughing and talking loud on the range, not even trying to keep it down. Other people could be hitting there too if they weren't taking up the spot just chatting.

Maybe it's just me?
 
The chatter doesn't bother me. I just go about my business and block it out. Though, if it's an extended conversation and they aren't hitting balls, they should relinquish their spot so someone else can use it.
 
If they are taking up spots on a full range, yeah that would bother me. But the talking in general, no that wouldn't bother me at all
 
I don't mind idle chatter as much. I not a big fan of a party atmosphere but that's why I take my bluetooth headphones with me just in case I need to block them out.

It also depends on why I am going to the range. If I am just trying to groove something, not so worried. If I am trying to focus on a specific drill sequence, etc., might bother me a bit more.
 
It is the range talk away no reason to be quiet on the range
 
I don’t mind the chatter. That’s what headphones are for.
 
Range talk doesn't bother me. I do it with my buddies when at the range. Only time where it is acceptable to carry on a conversation while swinging the golf club
 
The range is social central for the regulars. Doesn't bother me.
 
I don't see it as a problem. Its an open public space
 
I go once a week with 4-5 friends in the evening after work and we are typically drinking pitchers and chatting about life. The range also has high school practice some nights so there are dozens of high schoolers there. The occasional group of newbies who have it teed up too high and are ricocheting balls off the ceiling are also present.

It's madness but I enjoy it lol. Never expected quiet or had a hard time focusing on improving my swing, but I have seen some people wear headphones/ air pods when they're trying to zone in.

Are you saying people are standing in bays without any balls? Or just hitting them slower because they're also chatting? I'm ok with the latter.
 
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Doesn't bother me at all
 
Talking on the range doesn't bother me at all.
 
It's the range, people can bring a grill and make hot dogs for all I care. They can put music on or even play in a drum line. It's practice.

 
The only time talking on the range bothers me is when it's a 30 hdcp coming over to me to try and give me some swing tips.

If they're not doing that, then talk away.
 
I joined a course with a players club. $50 month, discount greens fees and two large buckets of range balls everyday if you choose. I’m convinced there is a fair sized contingent that doesn’t actually play golf but goes there to socialize. It’s not the talking and yammering about that’s annoying. It’s that they are clueless about others waiting
 
You've actually brought up a whole bunch of items, which I'll tackle one comment at a time.

Consideration for others is no longer a regular part of many people's upbringing. Shame on us adults. Yes, if all the stalls are being used, hogging a stall in this way is rude and inconsiderate. Being LOUD and boisterous as if you are the only people there is a sign of immaturity and a poor upbringing.

Expecting a public driving range to be peaceful and quiet is pretty unrealistic. There are going to be lots of people there.

Earbuds are a tried and true solution for people who want to create a particular mood while they practice and keep all the distractions out.

Fellow golfers who are willing to take others to the driving range and show them the ropes are true heroes of our game. They may do more to grow the game than any other single contribution. When they do so, there is going to be conversation and interaction.

I'm seeing more families come out to the range together. Sometimes a father and daughter or son, sometimes an extended family. Personally, I'd like to encourage this. What a good and wholesome activity for families. Most will take one or two bays, even though they have more people taking part. Since, they always have family members waiting their turn, I expect conversation and am okay with that.

I want everyone to feel welcome at the range: young and old, experience and rank beginner. Men and women. If they are a child or a beginner I don't expect them to know what to do. How to keep themselves and others safe. The difference between a putting practice green and a chipping/pitching practice green. Help clue them in with gentleness and show you really care. If you don't, how are they going to know? Or they might encounter someone who just yells at them or talks down to them and drives them from the game. If you see someone else do that intervene on their behalf. You may have saved someone from leaving our game before they got started and may even have taught the rude block who was abrupt with them a thing or two about how to 'play nice'.
 
Doesn't bother me, if anything it's additional training on how to shut out side chatter at the cart when you're on the course and they think that you can't hear them.
 
I don't mind the talking on the range. It annoys me when the workers will walk up in the middle of my swing to take my basket away especially if they go to dump out the last few balls.
 
NullNomad said:
Doesn't bother me, if anything it's additional training on how to shut out side chatter at the cart when you're on the course and they think that you can't hear them.
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Good point! When on the course, I've had playing partners apologize for the noise or other distractions they created during my swing. I can't remember the last time I actually noticed during my swing. I credit my range time as making me impervious to those kinds of distractions.
 
Like others have mentioned. Talking/laughing/carrying on is fine. I have headphones if it bothers me too much, but if they are in stalls not hitting golf balls and people are waiting, then ya, pretty annoying and not very courteous.
 
Jtubb17 said:
I don't mind the talking on the range. It annoys me when the workers will walk up in the middle of my swing to take my basket away especially if they go to dump out the last few balls.
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Yeah, the things I do notice are the things people do to put themselves in danger. No doubt the result of my professional safety and security training, plus all the years being dad and grandpa. The funny thing is that never results in a bad swing. If I see a safety item like that, everything else stops and I address the safety issue. Again, part of my training.
 
I might notice the noise at the range, but it doesn't bother me. I just do what I went there to do. I have the ability to tune the excess noise out.

That said, I have a long time friend who practices, and sometimes plays with ear plugs installed.

Other people I know wear head phones, and/or ear buds while listening to their own music.

To play there best, a golfer can't/shouldn't let what others around them are doing bother them.
 
As long as they're not hogging up actual range spots, talk away. Screaming and being unruly is one thing, but normal chatter is fine with me. The range is a social spot at some courses for sure. One around here actually has an outdoor dining patio less than ten feed from the range stations.

There's no such thing as silence on neighborhood courses I play the most, with kids, cars, etc. within earshot so I'm used to it. I do know that some folks are more sensitive to noise, but that's just not me. Earbuds are a great recommendation
 
I go to a range that is right next to the community pool. On certain days I can hear the water yoga class taking place because its broadcasted through speakers. Funny, but does not bother me at all. Neither do people talking.
 
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