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SAN JOSE, Calif. - The routine becomes normal after a while.
Hit, study the data, hit again.
A buddy and I are testing out the new Trackman range at The Golf Club at Boulder Ridge, a private club that's part of The Bay Club, a multi-course membership managed by Troon Golf. We're having a good time, much more so than if we were just banging balls.
After swinging, we watch each shot drop toward the target greens below our elevated hitting station. A split second later, we turn our attention to the mounted screen to learn why we hit, or missed, our intended landing spot. The screen replays the shape of the shot as the Trackman data reveals the shot's carry distance, ball speed and more. The range was redesigned to make the most out of limited space and give members a great place to practice and train. Covered seating behind the hitting mats allows golfers to relax with a drink while watching someone else hit or to simply escape the elements.
Last fall's installation of the Trackman range at Boulder Ridge is part of a turf war being waged at driving ranges around the country. Trackman, Toptracer Range and Inrange are battling to be game-changers in a section of golf industry that has often been overlooked or neglected altogether. It's likely that the driving range experience will rapidly evolve in the next decade, if not sooner.
"In 2020, we sort of had to convince the company that range technology was actually going to happen, but as we have grown from 50 to 500 ranges in the span of 3 years, this definitely is no longer the case," said Kenneth Pedersen, the head of product at Trackman, which is based in Copenhagen. "Between us and Toptracer, it's about 1,500 ranges with technology installed today. I don't think (the future) is about people doubting if range technology is here to stay, it's about what's going to happen in the pace of production for the industry. If you're looking 5 to 10 years down the line, I doubt there's going to be a driving range that doesn't have some sort of tracking technology. It is a real interesting space to be in right now."
Toptracer Range sets the pace
When I met Ben Sharpe at PGA Merchandise Show Demo Day in Orlando at the end of January, the chief franchise officer/general manager of Topgolf Technologies marveled at how far Toptracer Range has come in a relatively short amount of time since debuting in America in that very spot in 2018.
"At that time, we had 600 bays and 30 sites around the world," he recalled. "In 2023, we have 1,000 sites and 37,500 bays."
In contrast, Trackman completed its 500th install earlier this quarter, while Inrange lists 40 customers on its website with another 10+ coming online soon, including Bethpage Black and Montauk Downs, two popular New York state-owned courses.
The growth potential is enormous, which makes the stakes even higher. Sharpe estimates only 5 percent of ranges in North America offer some sort of tracking technology. Statistics show that golfers tend to hit more balls, stay longer and practice more often if technology is involved. That means a bigger profit margin for any facility willing to bring on a technology partner.
I first stumbled on a Toptracer range during a visit to the Campbell River Golf and Country Club on Vancouver Island in the fall of 2018.
Much like its parent company - Topgolf - the Toptracer Range experience seems to cater mostly to entertaining and engaging golfers, but it can turn serious for those who want to compete or practice. Beginners and children can play games or attempt shots on famous courses. Golfers looking to improve can hit shots to gather data on shot dispersion or how far certain clubs go. To learn more, check out my review.
Sharpe is excited about the evolving Toptracer Coach, a web-enabled platform that works on any internet-connected device. Teaching pros can use an iPad or iPhone to gather more data-driven feedback for their students using Toptracer Ranges. Sharpe said Toptracer ranges track up to 6 billion shots a year. Toptracer technology is also used in simulators like the ones at Topgolf Swing Suites, which are found in a growing number of hotels, gyms and bars around the globe.
"From when you start in a business, you have a vision of what you want to do, but you're not sure how it's going to play out," Sharpe said. "There's been lots of (twists) throughout our journey, but what's undeniable is we have created an industry. Our parent company has nearly 100 big ranges around the world, but there are other (places) that have Toptracer technology that are helping people enjoy the game and hit more balls and bringing a new demographic into the game. That can only be good. We've always wanted to grow the game and I'm proud to say we are part of that solution."
Trackman returns to its roots
Trackman is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Pedersen finds it ironic that the company is returning to its roots with the push to grow Trackman range.
"If you go way back to the initial idea behind Trackman, it was actually what Trackman Range is today, and it is kind of ironic that the technology just wasn’t quite ready at the time," he said. "Their whole vision for the product was to be able to go to the range and practice with purpose. Then we took a 15-year detour."
That detour was still quite successful. Trackman became the launch monitor of choice for Tour and teaching pros looking for accurate, all-encompassing data. Trackman is banking on that reputation to help close the gap with Toptracer. Trackman's radar-based camera system is widely regarded as the most accurate in the industry.
"We believe there is a natural ceiling to the golf entertainment space, like TopGolf, in the same way there was a ceiling to bowling alleys in the 1990s," Pedersen said. "However, the golf club market is starting to move to a more entrepreneurial spirit: 'How can we take our driving range and improve it? It is something that has been neglected for a long time. How can it become a standalone business?' That's where you're going to see the growth for us and our competitors in the next 24 to 36 months."
Trackman's elaborate data is what ultimately sold Boulder Ridge on its new range. "When we were in the decision process to bring this technology to Boulder Ridge, Trackman was first and foremost what we wanted to see because of how great it is for golf," said Brad Sparrer, the golf operations manager at Boulder Ridge. "I think our membership is really going to use this facility and better their games."
Meanwhile, Inrange is making inroads. A company press release indicated that Dobson Ranch in Mesa, Ariz., has seen an immediate boost in driving range business after installing Inrange. It started hosting unique events, such as long drive, closest to the pin and a full experience for the entire Arizona State University baseball team. “The players who knew the old system can’t stop thanking us for bringing in Inrange. We are up on our tech usage by 30% in the first 3 months alone,” noted Matt Stark, the vice president of Partnerships for Dobson Ranch.
Changing the driving range experience in America
Just like golf courses, golf ranges vary in size and stature, from the opulent practice facilities found at high-end country clubs to standalone rural ranges that would be best described as a 'dog track'. Where did you first hit balls? I think my first session was at a KOA campground. Hardly an Oakmont-level experience.
That's what makes the impending range revolution interesting. Many U.S. ranges are just open fields with worn-down hitting mats and beat-up balls or they're multi-sport facilities with batting cages and mini-golf. There's no roof overhead to protect golfers from rain or the hot sun. It won't be easy to convince that owner or operator to invest big money into physical upgrades, let alone the installation of new technology. Many of your father's driving ranges - especially rural ones - will likely stay that way until they die or are sold off for redevelopment.
Pedersen said many ranges overseas already have the infrastructure - the roof, the heaters - that protect the screens and hardware that range technology requires.
Pedersen looks at the evolution of the driving range in three business segments: green-grass ranges at private clubs and public courses, standalone ranges and entertainment facilities. All are ripe for investment.
"I think the American driving range in particular - including Canada - is going to change a lot if you look at the next three years," he said. "In Europe, many driving ranges are already built to support a year-round driving range with covered bays and technology, and I am certain that we will continue to see the same development on the American side of the pond. Driving Range technology has taken off and we do not see it slowing down any time soon.”
Would you like to see tracking technology at the driving range you use regularly? Let us know in the comments below.
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Comments (2)
I sure would love to use Trackman at the range! Wondering if there are any near Hudson, Florida?
The nearest one to you is the new Trackman range at Cabot Citrus Farms. You can search for others at Trackman's locator page. https://www.trackman.com/locator