Public driving range construction near completion

A £240,000 driving range, which is being constructed at a Merseyside golf club after feedback from local residents found they wanted more golf practice facilities, is nearly complete.

With work on the new range at Bootle Golf Course entering its final weeks, Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, went along to see how the work is progressing.

Construction of the 10-bay shed is just about complete, the fencing is in place and the outfield has been seeded and tended by Green Sefton’s team and is benefiting from the recent mix of sunshine and rain.

With the main building sealed, work to fit it out and add the facilities is getting underway. Final fitting will include equipment such as the ball dispensers. The range will also have a dedicated coaching bay.

Councillor Moncur said: “It’s good to see the new driving range taking shape and I look forward to us being open, hopefully in the coming weeks.

“By investing in this new £240,000 floodlit driving range, Sefton Council is giving existing players a chance to practice more perfect their game, including during the winter months when it can often be too dark to play.

“And we are giving people who live and work locally the chance to try out the game, with coaching should they want it.”

More than eight tonnes of steel plus one tonne of press steel purlins – the equivalent of 200,000 golf balls – was used to erect the frame for the main building. Before that, over 90 cubic metres of concrete for the foundations was laid out.

Councillor Moncur (left) at the range

Moncur added: “When we consulted local people and course users, they told us they wanted more practice facilities, which is just what we are providing here.

“The opportunity to give golf a go at Bootle Driving Range may be just the opportunity a future champion needs to get started on their career.”

Construction of the new driving range is not preventing play at Bootle Golf Course where adult prices start at £13 per round.