NEW YORK CITY — Don't have the time — or money — to play 18 holes on your favorite golf course? You can still get your fix by heading to one of New York City’s driving ranges.
From Alley Pond in Queens, which is considered among the top 100 in the country, to views of the Hudson River at Chelsea Piers, there are a variety of ways to get a few practice whacks in around the Big Apple.
And for those who want to stay indoors, there is Golf Manhattan, which lets duffers hit balls onto simulated championship golf courses.
Aside from places to practice your tee shots, some of the ranges also have places to practice your short game, shuttle service and even a beer garden.
Here’s a look at where you can work on your game in the five boroughs.
232-01 Northern Blvd., Queens
718-225-9187
Price:
$12 large bucket (150 balls in the morning, 120 in the evening)
$8 small bucket (80 balls in the morning, 70 in the evening)
$2 club rental
Voted one of America’s top 100 Golf Ranges by the Golf Range Association of America, Alley Pond is also one of the city’s busiest driving ranges. There are 35 hitting stalls, most covered for use throughout the year. The facility also boasts target greens and real grass short game areas, as well as an 18-hole miniature golf course.
3200 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn
718-253-6816
Price:
$11 large bucket (105 balls)
$9 small bucket (60 balls)
$2 per club rental
Brooklyn’s only full-sized driving range, Brooklyn Golf Center is also a complete golf practice facility with a putting green, chipping area, practice bunker and a large natural grass tee area. The facility, which also has an 18-hole miniature golf course, has 75 hitting stalls, 25 of which are covered and heated for year-round use. Every area is fully lit, allowing golfers an opportunity to work on their game long after the sun goes down.
The Golf Club at Chelsea Piers
Pier 59 – 18th Street and Hudson River Park, Manhattan
212-336-6400
Price:
$25 (147 balls off-peak, 90 peak)
$30 (186 balls off-peak, 113 peak)
$50 (323 balls off-peak, 197 peak)
$100 (676 balls off-peak, 411 peak)
$4 per club rental
There might not be a more scenic driving range than Chelsea Piers, where there are 52 heated and weather-protected hitting stalls on four levels with views of the Hudson River. There’s a 200-yard, net-enclosed fairway and instead of a bucket of balls, Chelsea Piers uses an automatic ball tee-up system. The facility also boasts a 1,200-square-foot putting green, indoor putting studio and sand bunker and two full swing simulators.
Randall’s Island Golf Center of New York
1 Randall’s Island
212-427-5689
Price:
$14 large bucket (110 balls)
$10 small bucket (65 balls)
$2 per club rental
One of the city’s hidden gems, the Randall’s Island Golf Center has 80 heated and covered tee stalls, well lit for evening play, as well as a short game practice area and grass tees with 320-yard landing areas for more authentic play. The facility also has two 18-hole miniature golf courses, batting cages, a beer garden and grill and shuttle service from the Upper East Side for $12 round trip.
2727 Arthur Kill Rd., Staten Island
718-317-0101
Price:
$15 jumbo bucket (132 balls)
$11 large bucket (97 balls)
$8 small bucket (57 balls)
$3 per club rental, 2 for $5
There are 55 stalls, 18 covered, heated and lighted, 22 open-air and 15 natural turf tees and 14 elevated, bunkered target greens ranging from 75 to 275 yards. Every stall has its own pin sheet indicating the exact yardage from the stall to the pin of every target green. There’s also a putting green, a chipping green and a sand bunker where you can work on other parts of your game for free.
1 City Island Rd., Pelham Bay Park
718-885-1129
Price:
$13 large bucket (130 balls)
$9 small bucket (70 balls)
$6.50 warm-up bucket (35 balls)
$13 Early bird special 7 a.m. to noon weekdays (200 balls)
$3 per club rental
Located in beautiful Pelham Bay Park and just a quarter mile from Pelham and Split Rock Golf Courses, the Turtle Cove Golf Center has 55 hitting stalls that hit to a 450-yard, real grass field with well-marked targets. There’s also a brand new artificial turf putting green and an 18-hole miniature golf course, as well as batting cages and a café, which includes a covered, open-air patio.
108 West 39 St., Suite 310
212-685-4804
Price:
$60/hour (clubs, balls and gloves are included)
No need to bring sunscreen or shades to this private golf lounge in the heart of the Flatiron where you hit real balls, using real clubs, onto championship courses around the globe thanks to PGA Tour Simulators.
