£240k municipal driving range in Merseyside opens

A new 10-bay driving range, located at Bootle Golf Course in Merseyside, has opened today.

By investing in the new £240,000 floodlit driving range, Sefton Council is providing existing players with the opportunity to practice more as well as giving non-golfers a chance to give the sport a try.

Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “I am delighted that this new facility is now open and that local golfers will be able to carry on practising their game through the remainder of the winter months where the short days can make it difficult to fit in a round.

“This is an exciting week for golf in Sefton with announcement that July’s Cazoo Classic will be held at Hillside, on Sefton’s glorious Golf Coast and our new Bootle driving range gives local people to give golf a try and might even give a future Cazoo Classic Champion the first step in their career.

“It’s just £6 for 100 balls or £4 for 50 and people can just turn up, pay and play, any time between 8am and 9pm Sunday to Friday and from 8am to 7pm on Saturdays.”

Sefton Council’s decision to build the new driving range at Bootle Golf Course was backed by local people and course users during a consultation that took place in 2019.

Cllr Moncur added:  “When we consulted local people and course users about how they wanted to see facilities improved and expanded they told us they wanted more practice facilities, which is what they now have.”

The new Bootle Driving Range features a dedicated coaching bay and in the future, the council’s Green Sefton team will be advertising for a course professional to provide this training.