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Best Driving Ranges In The Peninsula

For players trying to be the next Phil Mickelson, golf isn't just golf. It's strategy, talent and perseverance. It's always good to get an idea of what a course is like by practicing on the facility's driving range, or just spending a little time on driving ranges in general. These Peninsula-area driving ranges promise a little bit of everything — in addition to just practice space — making them the best places to blast a few balls into space.
Man at Driving Range
(credit: Thinkstock)

Burlingame Golf Center
250 Anza Blvd.
Burlingame, CA 94010
(650) 548-2447
www.burlingamegolfcenter.com

Price: $7 to $17 per bucket

Squeeze in a nice golf practice during lunch at this golf range, with excellent long drives perfect for most any golfer. The biggest challenge is handling the wind coming in sideways, but it's a great lesson for difficult courses in the area. When it comest time to try the other hand, or if lefty is just your style, five matted stalls await your long stroke. If you work up an appetite during practice, this driving range boasts a Mexican restaurant inside of its pro shop that golfers here rave about.

 Related: We Serve Up a List of San Francisco's Best Tennis Courts

San Bruno Golf
(credit: sanbrunogolf.com)

San Bruno Golf
2101 Sneath Ln.
San Bruno, CA 94066
(650) 952-1901
www.sanbrunogolf.com

 

Price: $4 to $14 a bucket/$5 short game half hour/$1 per additional 15 minutes

Just south of San Francisco, 38 practice stalls await. Hidden right off the freeway, 20,000 square feet of hitting area and a 1,400-square-foot clubhouse offers both mats and grass tees. Taking a hint from local bars in the area, its happy hour from 7a.m. to 11 a.m. every weekday gives golfers get 15 extra balls to work with. Perfect for new golfers, San Bruno's clubhouse offers plenty of post-game relaxation options, including munchies and drinks.

Related: Best Mini Golf Courses in the Bay

Golf Balls
(credit: Thinkstock)

Mariner's Point Golf Course & Driving Range
2401 East 3rd Ave.
Foster City, CA 94404
(650) 573-7888
www.marinerspoint.com

Price: $8 to $14 a bucket/$20 to $500 for range cards

This clean and well-kept grass range boasts 64 tees, and the lower of its two stories offers automatic tees. This range's amazing view includes planes flying in over the bay. Mariner's Point also offers an adjacent nine-hole course if you can steal yourself away from the awesome driving range. It stays open later than most ranges, offering lighted play late into the night.

Golf Club and Balls
(credit: Thinkstock)

Olympic Club Golf
599 Skyline Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94015
(415) 404-4300
www.olyclub.com
Contact for membership information

Olympic Club Golf includes a more-than-snacks snack bar by its driving range, offers beautiful scenery and is just the envy of everyone playing Harding Park. Located south of Lake Merced, this well-kept driving range boasts regularly rotated grass tee-offs. Members here enjoy access to three golf courses, as well as myriad sports including water polo, skiing, snowboarding, basketball, a fitness center, cycling, lacrosse, rugby, handball, soccer, squash, softball and swimming. Open since 1860, this facility boasts more than a few Olympic-level athletes and world-class facilities to satisfy any golf lover.

Crystal Springs Golf Course
(credit: playcrystalsprings.com)

Crystal Springs Golf Course
6650 Golf Course Dr.
Burlingame, CA 94010
(650) 342-4188
www.playcrystalsprings.com

Price: $7 to $13 per bucket/$50 to $150 value cards

This fun driving range sits next to a course that sees a few gophers and deer from time to time. With 27 mat stations to practice your swing, this gorgeous driving range is an area favorite. Located right off Hwy 280, it's also super convenient for the locals. Expect elevation options, sandtraps and plenty of yardage for practicing your drive. The range works to prep players for its course, which offers similar challenges.

Mel Ball is the founder of AskASalon.com, utilizing her background of 10 years in the beauty industry to promote, market, mentor, and build business for small salons and spas across the country. She links up quality salon or spa talented folks with businesses that need them, and supports the growth of all those in the service industry through her virtual knowledge networking site and real-world events. She resides in San Francisco. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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