How Much Do Golfers Spend at the Driving Range Each Year?

How Practicing at Home Can Save You Money

The driving range is part of the weekly routine for many golfers. It’s where you loosen up, work on your swing, and get in those extra reps outside of a round. But have you ever stopped to calculate how much money you spend at the range each year? The numbers may surprise you.
The Cost of the Driving Range
Across the U.S., small buckets of balls at a typical driving range cost between $8 and $12, while large buckets can run $15 to $20 or more—especially at higher-end facilities.Here’s how that shakes out on an annual basis:

• Occasional golfer (1 range session per week, about 35 visits per year):
   $10 average per visit × 35 = $350/year
• Serious golfer (2–3 sessions per week, closer to 80 visits per year):
   $15 average per visit × 80 = $1,200/year
• Dedicated players using premium ranges or indoor simulators can easily spend $1,500+ annually.

And that’s just for balls!

A Smarter Way to Practice: At-Home Training

What if you could get the same (or better) practice at home, without the ongoing expense? That’s where high-quality practice equipment comes in.

At Five Star Golf Mats, we specialize in durable, commercial-grade golf mats and training nets designed for realistic feedback and long-term use. By investing in your own setup, you can practice anytime, in the comfort of your backyard, garage, or basement.

The Math: How It Pays for Itself

Let’s say you spend around $600 per year on range buckets. A premium golf mat and net bundle from Five Star Golf Mats costs less than that, and lasts for years. In year two, the setup is already saving you hundreds of dollars, and the cost per practice session drops to pennies.

Instead of paying per bucket, you can hit as many balls as you want, whenever you want. That freedom means more practice, better consistency, and long-term savings.
The Bonus: More Reps, More Improvement

It’s not just about the money. Practicing at home makes it easier to get in short, frequent sessions. Ten minutes of daily swings on your Five Star mat often adds up to more reps than a weekly trip to the range, accelerating your improvement without the scheduling hassle.

Driving ranges will always have their place, but if you’re serious about saving money and improving your game, setting up your own practice station at home is the smarter move. With a one-time investment in a quality golf mat and practice net, you can stop paying for every bucket of balls and start practicing on your own terms.