driving range etiquette

Etiquette is important no matter what part of the golf course you are on, including the driving range.

And although the atmosphere on the practice range is a little more relaxed than it is out on the course, you still have to be aware of your surroundings. So, if you aren’t quite sure how you should act on the range, use some of the guidelines below.

Fix Your Divots

You wouldn’t take a huge chunk out of the ground in the middle of the fairway without replacing it, would you? Well, don’t do it on the driving range either. Courses know that their range is going to take a beating throughout the duration of the season but they also assume that players are going to help them keep it in good condition. Usually, you’ll see buckets of divot mix all over the range and they’re not there for decoration. They’re supposed to be used. So use them.

Players on the Course Always Have the Right of Way

Some clubs don’t have the luxury of keeping their driving range completely separated from the golf course, so they have to put it wherever they have space. In these cases, the range is usually considered out-of-bounds but when it’s not, it can cause some confusion.

If someone from the course hits an errant shot onto the range when you’re hitting balls, stop and let them play. You’re not under any time constraints but they are. Always give them the right-of-way.

Don’t Purposely Aim at The Picker

The kid picking the range is not a target and as tempting as it might be to aim at the cart he’s driving, you shouldn’t do it. Sure, it has a net around it so the odds of actually hitting him are slim to none but do you really want to take that chance? Let him do his job so you can hit balls. Aim at something else.

Don’t Get Carried Away With Chatting

It’s okay to interact with other players on the range but a lot of people are out there to work on their game, so don’t get carried away. If you just happen to start chatting with someone that walks by it’s okay, but if you want to carry on a long conversation, step back off the range so that you’re not bothering anybody. You wouldn’t talk in someones backswing on the course so try to avoid doing it on the range as well.