As the days grow shorter and nights get darker, it’s time to work on your golf swing at the driving range or in a state-of-the-art studio. Our region is home to some fantastic practice facilities to help keep your swing in shape, improve your game and learn from some of the best coaches. Try these…
Billingham Golf Club
The driving range at Billingham Golf Club is open to members and visitors daily. Here you’ll find six covered bays along with a specialised training bay. There is also an outside hitting area which can accommodate up to five players. Group and individual coaching is available – including regular junior and women’s group and introductory sessions – follow Billingham Golf Club on social media for the latest info.
Billingham Golf Club, Sandy Lane, Billingham, TS22 5NA, tel 01642 533 816, www.billinghamgolfclub.com
Blackwell Grange Golf Club
Blackwell Grange’s driving range is the ideal place to hone your swing with the 13-bay covered driving range at the centre of the club’s extensive practice facilities. Those facilities also include a short game practice area and a Jonathan Gaunt-designed practice putting green. You’ll also find a six-hole academy course and well-stocked pro shop here along with a state-of-the-art swing studio. The studio offers the chance to hit balls inside and out onto the range using TrackMan technology. Tuition is also available from professionals Peter Raine and Aaron Cox.
Blackwell Grange Golf Club, Snipe Lane, Darlington, DL2 2SA, tel 01325 464 458, www.blackwellgrangegolf.com
High Gosforth Park Golf Club
High Gosforth Park’s driving range is open to the public seven days a week from 9am. The floodlit range features 28 bays with high-quality mats, Srixon golf balls, and multiple targets to enhance your session. Ten of the range bays offer industry-leading Toptracer technology, which tracks every shot and gives golfers access to a number of games, including the chance to play some of the world’s best courses. Range bays are available to reserve online through the club’s website, using the Elitelive app, or by calling the golf shop. Range vouchers are also available for regular visitors, while the team of PGA professionals are on-hand to help you improve your game.
High Gosforth Park Golf Club, High Gosforth Park, Newcastle, NE3 5HQ, tel 0191 236 3322, www.parklandsgolf.co.uk
Longhirst Hall Golf Course
Open to members and the public daily, the driving range and academy at Longhirst Hall is one of the finest practice facilities in Northumberland. The floodlit range has 14 bays with power tees along with a teaching studio, where you’ll find PGA professionals Paul Fiddes and John Harrison. The academy is also home to a 360-degree short game practice area with space to practise your chipping, pitching and bunker play. Academy membership is available for £20 per year and includes discounts on purchases, a free round of golf and social membership of the club.
Longhirst Hall Golf Course, Morpeth, NE61 3LL, tel 01670 791 562, www.longhirstgolf.co.uk
Matfen Hall
The 10-bay floodlit driving range at Matfen Hall has recently been added to with the introduction of Toptracer Range technology – enhancing the practice and playing facilities at the Northumberland resort. Toptracer allows players to track the flight and trajectory of their shots in real-time as well as play top courses around the world, track improvement with detailed data collected on every shot, and put their skills to the test in challenges and games.
Matfen Hall, Matfen, Northumberland, NE20 0RH, tel 01661 886 400, www.matfenhall.com
Newbiggin Golf Club
While the links of Newbiggin present a fantastic place to keep your game sharp over the winter months, you can also hone your skills in the club’s golf studio – powered by TrackMan technology. Work on your yardages with industry-leading ball tracking technology; take on challenges and games – and track your scores against players from across the world; or play one of the greatest courses in the world – all from the comfort of the indoor studio. Lessons with club professional Colin Ferguson are also available in the studio.
Newbiggin Golf Club, Prospect Place, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, NE64 6DW, tel 01670 817 344, www.newbiggingolfclub.co.uk
Ramside Hall Hotel, Golf and Spa
Take your practice sessions to the next level at Ramside with Toptracer technology available on the driving range, allowing golfers to track shots, play fun games and test their ability on some of the world’s best courses. Toptracer is available in each bay at Ramside’s floodlit driving range and offers the chance to track every shot in your practice session. As well as allowing you to gather data, there are a range of modes including The Approach Challenge, Closest to Pin games, and more. All your data is stored on your account in the Toptracer app, which enhances the experience further.
Ramside Hall, Carrville, Durham, DH1 1TD, tel 0191 3869 514, www.ramsidehallhotel.co.uk/golf
Ross Jackson Golf
Based at Middlesbrough Municipal Golf Centre, Ross Jackson Golf is home to industry-leading TrackMan 4 technology. The team offers a tour-level custom fitting experience in the studio – with the option to get fit for any club in your bag, from driver to putter – with equipment from all of golf’s leading brands. The studio is also used for coaching, with the team of four PGA professionals delivering sessions on all areas of the game from beginners to elite players, and everyone in between.
Ross Jackson Golf, Middlesbrough Municipal Golf Centre, Ladgate Lane, Middlesbrough, TS5 7YZ, tel 01642 319 718, www.rossjacksongolf.co.uk
