Topgolf at Watford
A REVOLUTIONARY CONCEPT IN GOLF DRIVING RANGE DESIGN
Topgolf is really the new way to play and practice golf. The whole concept is to have fun for all of the family to enjoy the experience together.
The breakthrough which makes this possible is the placement of a microchip inside the golf ball to when it is scanned entering one of the target greens, a score can be given, depending upon the distance and proximity to the centre of the target. The concept was to create a more family orientated golf experience similar to that of bowling alleys where each bay is for several players and individual scores appear on the screen. The targets were set within a full-size artificial turf golf outfield in order that few golf balls would be lost by plugging and the whole area is surrounded with high ball stop netting. For the latest information see Topgolf Driving Range Watford website.
Trafford Park Driving Range
Steve Ritson worked on the early layout and concept design on behalf of Roger Griffiths Associates for Playgolf’s new driving range at Trafford Park Manchester which was completed in 2000.
On the outskirts of Manchester this modern driving range was designed to create a realistic golf experience for golfers, with target greens, bunkering, fairways, trees and ponds in an attractive setting. Ritson Golf Design were appointed to develop the concept plan for the range outfield for Roger Griffiths Associates.
The range building designed by Charles Mador is a superb example of a modern two-tiered driving range with 64 bays and provides excellent facilities for the golfers including heated driving bays, a restaurant / bar and golf shop. Since opening the Trafford Park Golf Range has proved a great success.
Erewash Valley Golf Driving Range
Erewash Valley Golf Club is a beautiful golf course in Derbyshire appointed Steve Ritson to redesign and upgrade their practice facilities from an informal open grass area to a covered driving range.
The new covered golf range was designed as a realistic outfield featuring golf green targets set within a remodelled landform using the importation of inert soils which will allow the golfers to see all the targets up to 300 yards and at the same time create an attractive rolling landscape to tie in with the rest of the existing golf course. The landform was created using the latest Trimble GPS systems and allowed our plans to be loaded directly into the bulldozers on site. See the results at Erewash Valley Golf Club Website.
Radlett Driving Range
This was an existing driving range which was dominated by a large sycamore tree in the centre of the outfield, beyond which the land dipped which meant that the players could not see where the balls were landing.
The tree which was in poor condition was removed as this should not have been the focus of the range and instead the range was extended and remodelled using imported inert fill, to create a range which was modelled as a golf course with green targets and all areas of the outfield could clearly be seen.
The range now has a new lease of life and is a well run modern and popular facility – see Simon Garner Golf.
Tilgate Forest Golf Driving Range
Steve was the designer on behalf of Roger Griffiths Assoc for this existing range which was remodelled and extended to create an outfield which could contain more golf balls and the golfers could see all of the way ot the end of the range.
The par 3 course at surrounding the original range was also then re-designed to accomodate the new larger range and extensive planting of native woodland trees and shrubs were added all around the range to compensate for the loss of some mature trees in the ancient wood surrounding. Visit Tilgate Forest Golf Range if you want to use the Toptracer range.
Ullesthorpe Driving Range
The range here was created as an addition to the golf course in adjacent land, however the shape of the land meant that the far end of the land could not be seen from any range building and the land sloped steeply from left to right.
We therefore used the importation of clean subsoils to re-shape the land so that the range outfield was levelled from left to right and that the rear of the range was raised so that the whole of the landing area was visible from the proposed golf driving range bays.
The range construction is due to be completed and grassed in 2025 for opening the following year but we have created a flythrough here to give you a sneak preview as we know you just cant wait to use this fantastic new golf facility which we anticipate will be popular to members, hotel guests and the local people of Leicestershire.