Looking for an acceptable place to hit golf balls midst the searing heat of summer? The Wylie Golf…read moreCenter is a unique range that just might fit the bill.
Situated off Rochelle Drive, this used to be not just a range, but also an executive golf course, perfect for a quick and enjoyable round of golf. Alas, the course was closed, and the location is reborn as the Wylie Range. The executive course is now in disrepair, overgrown with weeds and bushes....a pity! Behind the diminutive club house is a cricket field, used by certain leagues throughout the season.
The very real advantage of this range is its unique (for our area) double decker design, with hitting off mats on the first and second floor. (This two story design is very common in Japan, which I spied on my trip there a few years ago, given the premium on real estate in major cities there.) But the advantage in our city is the respite from the sun during practice. And should the intrepid golfer prefer grass, there is also an area left of the main area for that type of practice.
The staff is always pleasant and welcoming, and the facility offers clubs for sale (I am unsure if the pricing is competitive) and offers some club repair. Lessons are offered by the pros at the range, adults and youngsters often seen taking advantage of this feature.
One feature of the range is that the terrain drops away from the hitting area, which I find somewhat difficult to determine actual distances I am hitting, despite markers that one can target. But this is perhaps just my particular issue.
Balls are of newer Callaway range balls, in contradistinction to some complaints from a couple of years ago, some complaining of old, shoddy balls. Sadly, the short game area is definitely lacking, with bunkers filled with pebbles and overgrown with grass. The chipping grass is marked with weeds, and the larger putting area did not survive the summer heat: dead grass, not even tended today. This is a major disappointment, as years ago, the putting area was large and of different breaks that would allow development of skill with this aspect of the game.
But given the shortcomings of the short game area, the double decker range is a blessing for our climate during the summer, and in truth is my "go to" range for that one reason.
If you love hitting balls, but do not want to suffer so much with the sun, visit the range on Rochelle. I think you will enjoy the experience!!
