Golf driving ranges

For a lot of people, a driving range is the first place they ever hit a golf ball.

Others go back every week to work on one part of their game. These notes are for anyone using a range in the UK, whether that is the first visit or the five hundredth.

Golf beyond the course

The R&A is one of golf's governing bodies, and it looks after the Rules of Golf. Each year it counts how many people play outside the USA and Mexico. Its 2025 report, published in June 2026, counted 112.2 million adults and juniors playing golf in some form.

Of those, 68.3 million took part away from a full course. That includes shorter formats, driving ranges and simulators. The R&A says these formats bring in new players and suit people with less time.

Ranges for children and families

The same report looked at homes in Great Britain and Ireland with children aged 6 to 17. In 70% of them, the children had taken part in some form of golf in the last year. In 12.5%, they had played at a driving range with range technology.

The Golf Foundation runs programmes that introduce children from all backgrounds to golf. Its GolfSixes League is a team competition for juniors at local clubs. It is meant as a first step for children who are ready to play on a course.

From the range to the course

A handicap comes from rounds played on a rated course. England Golf explains how a golfer in England can get one without joining a club.

Golfers with a disability

Since January 2023, the Rules of Golf have included the changes for players with disabilities, as Rule 25. It changes some rules so that players with certain disabilities can play fairly with anyone.

It covers players who are blind or have some levels of vision impairment, and players who are amputees. It also covers players who use mobility devices and players with intellectual disabilities. A player who is blind, for example, may have an aide help with stance and aim.

Why people play