Twenty years ago, Tucson had five standalone golf driving ranges. Now? None.
Jack Conrad operated a large and busy driving range on River Road that has since been replaced by a subdivision of homes. There were also driving ranges on Tanque Verde Road, on West Price Road and on East 22nd Street.
The last survivor was the Practice Tee, at 4050 W. Costco Drive, near Interstate 10 and Orange Grove Road. It went out of business on July 1 as fewer and fewer golfers paid $7 or whatever to hit a bucket of balls.
Much like the diminishing play on American (and Tucson) golf courses, the old driving-range game has not been grasped by millennials.
Why? I think it’s because hitting a bucket of balls is not always fun. There is little instant gratification. It’s frustrating and, if you do it right, difficult.
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If you want to hit a few practice shots, now you have to drive to an authentic golf course. You won’t have any difficulty finding a space.
