Going to a driving range for the first time

You do not need your own clubs or any experience to use a driving range. You buy a bucket of balls at the counter or a ball machine, take a hitting station, and hit toward the targets. Of the ranges we list that say anything about clubs, 27 lend them for free and 15 rent them for a fee. Start with a short iron, keep the session short, and consider a lesson: 148 of our 318 ranges say they offer them.

By the Range and Putt editorial team. Published November 12, 2026, updated November 12, 2026. Figures are recalculated from our listings whenever they change.

Do you need your own clubs?

Usually not. Most ranges that say anything about clubs lend or rent them, but many do not mention clubs online, and a few do not offer them at all. Among the ranges we list:

27 lend clubs at no charge, including AllGolf at CB Smith Park, Arundel Golf Park, BFM Driving Range & Mini Golf and Big Swing Golf Center.
15 rent them for a fee, such as Anchor Golf Center ($4 a driver, $2 an iron), Bill Wright Golf Complex at Jefferson Park (Rental clubs, $26) and Del Mar Golf Center (Loaner clubs $5 each, sets $50; junior clubs free).
3 say they do not provide clubs, including Aroma Golf Range, Fossil Trace Golf Club and Midwest Golf Dome.
Topgolf includes clubs in the bay price, and you can bring your own.

The PGA of America notes that you can rent a set at the clubhouse when you check in at a golf facility. If a listing says "Not stated" for club rental, call before you go.

How buying balls works

There are three common setups. At most ranges you pay at a counter or pro shop and get a bucket or a token. At others you pay at a ball machine that takes a card or a code; the Fairfax County ranges in Virginia sell PIN codes that expire at the end of the day, and the Golf Center of Arlington in Texas runs self-service from the dispenser before 9 am. Bay venues such as Topgolf and some golf domes sell time instead of balls. Some ranges no longer take cash; the UW Golf Range in Seattle accepts cards only.

A simple first session

The PGA of America's advice on practice is to plan before you start, stretch, begin with a short club and work up to longer ones, and pick a small, specific target for every shot. For a first visit that might look like this:

Buy the smallest bucket. It is usually around 35 balls.
Stretch and make a few slow practice swings.
Hit a third of the balls with a short iron or wedge at the nearest target.
Move to a middle iron for the next third.
Try a few longer clubs at the end, and stop while you are still enjoying it.

GOLF.com's range-etiquette rules add that mats are a forgiving place to learn and help with alignment, so there is no need to wait for grass tees.

Rules you may meet

Each range sets its own rules. A few that appear on the ranges we list:

Irons only: Crystal Woods Golf Club, Francis A. Gross Driving Range & Learning Center and Glencoe Golf Club.
Age limits or adult supervision for children at Brookview Golf, Forest Park Driving Range, Glencoe Golf Club and Heritage Bluffs Public Golf Club.
Time limits at busy times: Sugar Creek Golf Course asks golfers to keep to one large bucket or half an hour when others are waiting.
At Topgolf, guests under 16 must be with someone 21 or older.

Read our guide to driving range etiquette for the unwritten rules.

Lessons

148 of the 318 ranges we list say they offer lessons, from one-off private sessions to group clinics for beginners. Some park districts run beginner classes; Montgomery Parks in Maryland, for example, runs a four-week Beginner Golf class at the South Germantown Driving Range.

Good places to start

Questions people ask

Can you go to a driving range without clubs?

Yes, at most ranges. 27 of the ranges we list lend clubs for free and 15 rent them. A few, such as Aroma Golf Range, ask you to bring your own.

How many balls should a beginner buy?

In our view, the smallest bucket, usually about 35 balls, is enough for a first session.

Do I need to book a driving range?

Usually not. Of the ranges we list that say how it works, 26 are walk-in only, 64 take bookings as well as walk-ins and 1 require a booking. Bay venues such as Topgolf and Chelsea Piers take bookings.

Sources

A Beginner's Guide to Visiting a Golf Facility for the First Time PGA of America, published October 31, 2022, read November 12, 2026
5 Keys to Practicing with a Purpose PGA of America, published August 15, 2021, read November 12, 2026
Driving-range etiquette? Yep, it’s a thing. Follow these 11 rules when you practice (Josh Sens) GOLF.com, published November 2, 2023, read November 12, 2026
Range and Putt listings: 318 driving ranges, each checked against the range's own website or operator, most recently November 12, 2026. Each listing links to its own sources.

See something wrong? Send a correction. Read how we work in our editorial policy.