Golf Glossary
Range fee
In short
The range fee is the charge for using a golf facility's practice area, above all the driving range. It is in effect the entry ticket for the range, just as the green fee is the entry ticket for the course. How much it is and what it includes is decided by each facility.
Range fee in golf: the meaning explained
Besides the course, golf facilities offer practice areas. These include the driving range for hitting long shots, often a putting green for putting and a chipping green for the short game. Using these areas usually costs money. That charge is called the range fee.
The term combines ‘range’ for practice area and ‘fee’ for charge. It is modelled on the word green fee. You pay the green fee for a round on the course and the range fee for practising on the range. Some facilities call it a practice area fee.
One point for beginners: a range fee is not a membership and not a contract. You pay it when needed, usually at a machine or at the desk. There is no fixed amount, each operator sets level and scope itself.
What the range fee covers and what it does not
The range fee entitles you to use the practice area. Usually that means the driving range and often the putting green. The balls are frequently charged separately, often called ball money or basket fee. For the balls you fetch a basket or take balls from a machine using a token or card.
Typical pricing models are:
- Range fee plus ball charge: you pay for access and balls separately.
- Flat charge per basket: the fee is included in the price of the basket.
- Time model: you book a mat for a set time and hit as many balls as you like in that time.
- Day or week pass: you pay once and use the range several times.
Which model a facility uses is normally on its website or at the entrance. Prices differ greatly from facility to facility and are therefore not given here.
Who pays a range fee and who does not?
That depends on the operator. As a rough guide:
- Members often pay no range fee at their home facility. Use is included in the membership.
- Guests and members of other clubs usually pay a range fee when they practise there.
- At public ranges without a course every visitor pays the fee or books time or balls.
Whether a Platzreife is needed also depends on the facility. For the driving range it is usually not required. Beginners can often practise there without one, as long as the facility allows it. Discounts for a DGV card, juniors or groups exist only if the operator offers them. Ask before your visit what applies in your case.
Range fee, green fee and ball charge compared
Three terms are often confused.
- Green fee: the charge for a round on the golf course. It applies to the course, not the range.
- Range fee: the charge for using the practice area, above all the driving range.
- Ball charge or basket fee: the price of the balls you hit on the range.
Some facilities include use of the range in the green fee, others charge for it separately. That is up to the operator. If you want to play a round, ask when booking your tee time whether warming up beforehand is included.
One note on the confusion: the range fee is for the facility, not for the ball. The ball can cost extra. Together the two decide your cost for a practice session.
Practical example: two visits, two models
Two players practise at different facilities.
Player A visits a facility with a range fee plus ball charge. She pays the fee for access and then takes a basket of balls. After the first basket she is warmed up and decides whether to take a second. She determines the quantity herself.
Player B visits a range with a time model. He books a mat for a set time and hits as many balls as he can in that time. There is no basket. Someone who practises briskly uses the time better. Someone who thinks for a long time hits fewer balls.
Neither model is better in general. The time model suits you if you analyse data, take breaks and practise with a coach. The basket model suits you if you want to hit a set number of balls on purpose.
How a visit to the range works
The procedure is similar at most facilities. You register at the desk or a machine and pay the range fee or book time. Then you receive balls in a basket, via a card or directly at the mat. Then you pick a free hitting bay.
A few safety rules apply on the range that matter to everyone:
- Hit only from your own mat and only towards the target area.
- Never step in front of the hitting line while others are hitting.
- Only pull balls towards you from your own mat, not your neighbour's.
- Keep your distance from players who are about to swing.
At the end you return any unused balls and leave the mat tidy. If you warm up before a round, allow a little time. As a rough guide, ten to fifteen minutes on the range plus some putts and chips is often enough before your tee time.
Tips: using cost and time on the range sensibly
A plan is worthwhile when you pay a range fee.
- Check the website or notice board before your visit. They show the pricing model and opening hours.
- Practise in blocks: warm-up, irons, driver, target game. Change club regularly.
- Set a goal for every session, such as ‘wedges only, to 50 metres’.
- Keep a record. A simple note of distances per club is enough for your own distance table.
- Take a lesson if needed. A PGA professional shows in a short time what to work on.
Typical mistakes are too many balls without a break and practice without a target. Both use up time and money and achieve little. Fewer but deliberate shots with a clear intention are better.
Try it at Golf Lounge
At the Golf Lounge in Hamburg-Moorfleet the principle is called mat booking: you book one of the 32 covered hitting mats online and go straight to it without checking in at the counter. Choose between right-handed or left-handed and between level 1 and 2. A TrackMan monitor runs at every mat. The range is covered and heated, so it can be used all year round. Each mat has a ball box and three irons, and up to four people can share one mat.
Frequently asked questions
What is the range fee in golf?
The range fee is the charge for using a golf facility's practice area, above all the driving range. It is the entry ticket for the range. Whether balls are included or paid for separately is decided by the operator. The amount differs from facility to facility.
What is the difference between range fee and green fee?
The green fee is the charge for a round on the golf course, the range fee the charge for the practice area. Some facilities include the range in the green fee, others charge for it separately. When you book your tee time, ask whether warming up is included.
Do I have to pay a range fee as a member?
At your own home facility usually not, because use is often included in the membership. At other facilities guests and members of other clubs usually pay a range fee. What counts is always the operator's rule. Ask in advance. Rules for guests at other clubs can also differ, so a quick look at the website helps.
Do I need a Platzreife for the driving range?
As a rule, no. The driving range can usually be used without a Platzreife, and beginners may practise there. The Platzreife is only needed for the course itself. The operator's rules always apply, so check the facility's website. If you are unsure, a short look at the facility's website or a call to the desk gives certainty.
Are balls included in the range fee?
That depends on the operator. At many facilities balls are charged separately as a ball charge or basket fee. With time models the balls are usually included in the booking. Find out before your visit how the facility charges. The number of balls per basket is also set by each facility, so it is not the same everywhere.
As of: October 2026