Punggol Range..whats going on there??

When the Punggol range first opened, I was excited about having a range just 5 mins drive from my place at Sengkang. Despite being a member of NSRCC, I still frequented the place on weekdays. I took up an intermediate lesson package there by the Academy early this year.

After 9 months of its operations - I have not seen any reason whatsoever for me to continue going there. Here are some of my reasons.

1) Car Park charges. I am charged the same amount on a Sun from 12pm to 2pm as when compared to parking at Vivo City from 6-8pm. Whats up with that.

2) Balls are at $6 for 90 balls. This comes to 0.06 cents as compared to say 0.04 cents at NSRCC

3) Alot of non-playing visitors hanging / walking around the place. Kids treating the place as if its a playground. A family of 10 hoarding over 2 bays - shouting and screaming away with one person being the General Coach....shouting out instructions.

4) Fake Grass on the range. (It has been there from day 1) Cant gauge roll and bounces. Balls land and bounce around like in a pin ball machine.

5) An excuse of a small snack bar at the corner / near the entrance. Not much choices. This just opened over the last two weeks.

6) Drinks in vending machines are expensive.

7) The Academy has since closed down. I thought it was a well run unit over there, but heard they had to move out for business reasons.

8) The putting practice arrangement? Must be the worst in Singapore and dont get me started on the sand pit!!!! It looks like a kids sand play pen at the corner of the range. And to think that this range is actually run by professional golfers and they come up with these arrangements.

Looking at the numbers at the range, I think alot of people have come tried it out and moved out from Punggol. I am going to do the same now.

On top of that, there's always whole families camping out at the place... its dangerous with children running around.

Totally agree, my personal feel on the cons of this range: -

1) Expensive parking 0.60cents per 30min

2) Balls are expensive

3) Very poor facilities, nonsense putting green and sand bunker

4) There is this sales man at world of golf teaching the wrong concept of golf. (Apparently he says that the club he's selling can swing you instead of you swinging the club)

FYI, I was told MCG closed because they were charged $20k/mths rental.

Some more the ERP is not working since day 1. What are the POH Brother doing there ???

Hi Dylan

I am not surprised that the Poh brothers will charge that kind of rates, seeing how they are cutting corners everywhere else. I mean, if it was at MBGC then, that would have been acceptable but at Punggol??

Yes, I find the Sale Chap from World of Golf - selective on who he wants to be nice to. I mean he should be nice to all, if eyes meet - a quick nod would not hurt anyone. The other thing is - Punggol is more a place for beginners and intermediate but the equipment he has in there are for advanced players and high end stuff. And Loud Mouth clothes??

You saw the bunker too?? What a laugh

So far Alvin from World of Golf has been to nice to us.

ahnah wrote:

Some more the ERP is not working since day 1. What are the POH Brother doing there ???

I guess u mean have to insert cashcard to the device to leave. Sound stupid for a newly built place.

Guess the number 1 reason not to go is the parking rate man... So meaning, Stay for 2 hours 31 mins-$3.60. Hit 180 ball at $12. Total $15.60/180 = almost 8.7 cents per ball. The most expensive range per ball in Singapore?

Boycott lor...

ahnah wrote:

So far Alvin from World of Golf has been to nice to us.

You bought stuff from him before?

3131T wrote:

ahnah wrote:

Some more the ERP is not working since day 1. What are the POH Brother doing there ???

I guess u mean have to insert cashcard to the device to leave. Sound stupid for a newly built place.

Guess the number 1 reason not to go is the parking rate man... So meaning, Stay for 2 hours 31 mins-$3.60. Hit 180 ball at $12. Total $15.60/180 = almost 8.7 cents per ball. The most expensive range per ball in Singapore?

Boycott lor...

But there is a workaround.

Before you turn into the main entrance, do a U turn instead .. and park OUTSIDE of the KFC ...

Acemangill wrote:

ahnah wrote:

So far Alvin from World of Golf has been to nice to us.

You bought stuff from him before?

I never buy from him before .. but personally he is friendly to us.

I also commented to him face to face that his item is too LOUD ..i won't wear even is free.

3131T wrote:

Guess the number 1 reason not to go is the parking rate man... So meaning, Stay for 2 hours 31 mins-$3.60. Hit 180 ball at $12. Total $15.60/180 = almost 8.7 cents per ball. The most expensive range per ball in Singapore?

Boycott lor...

Yes, thats the amount id be paying if I continue to stay there 8.6cents a ball on a fake turfed range?

Yes, the ERP thing is really a nightmare, you have to plan your manouvre to get near enough for you to insert your cash card in the machine.

Its a cheap set up and high end charges.

Its a shame the coach from MCG - James is no longer there...he was a hit with the kids..and really looked like he enjoyed teaching them and there was a connection. I am sure the kids felt the same also.

And over the weekend, I received an email from Punggol Golf promoting their new academy - not too sure who the coaches are. It was sent out to 100s of email addresses and they put them all in the CC list !!!!

ahnah wrote:

3131T wrote:

ahnah wrote:

Some more the ERP is not working since day 1. What are the POH Brother doing there ???

I guess u mean have to insert cashcard to the device to leave. Sound stupid for a newly built place.

Guess the number 1 reason not to go is the parking rate man... So meaning, Stay for 2 hours 31 mins-$3.60. Hit 180 ball at $12. Total $15.60/180 = almost 8.7 cents per ball. The most expensive range per ball in Singapore?

Boycott lor...

But there is a workaround.

Before you turn into the main entrance, do a U turn instead .. and park OUTSIDE of the KFC ...

Sigh, me just lazy to walk just that "a bit"...

But in future I suppose thast a cross juction... And bad to square one...

ahnah wrote:

But there is a workaround.

Before you turn into the main entrance, do a U turn instead .. and park OUTSIDE of the KFC ...

But why should we be doing that - with all our bags and clubs? We are using the range, buying his balls and he should be redeeming the car park charges back into our cash cards.

Additional point to be added - now that we're talking about balls.

The balls are dispensed one by one....super slow!

Acemangill wrote:

Its a shame the coach from MCG - James is no longer there...he was a hit with the kids..and really looked like he enjoyed teaching them and there was a connection. I am sure the kids felt the same also.

And over the weekend, I received an email from Punggol Golf promoting their new academy - not too sure who the coaches are. It was sent out to 100s of email addresses and they put them all in the CC list !!!!

we heard that out of suddenly he quarrel with someone in the range and went back to home town already.

Acemangill wrote:

Its a shame the coach from MCG - James is no longer there...he was a hit with the kids..and really looked like he enjoyed teaching them and there was a connection. I am sure the kids felt the same also.

And over the weekend, I received an email from Punggol Golf promoting their new academy - not too sure who the coaches are. It was sent out to 100s of email addresses and they put them all in 4he CC list !!!!

They getting coaches from Toa Payoh range... A fren of mine waiting for the refund from them for his 2 kids... Sad to siad that...

Acemangill wrote:

ahnah wrote:

But there is a workaround.

Before you turn into the main entrance, do a U turn instead .. and park OUTSIDE of the KFC ...

But why should we be doing that - with all our bags and clubs? We are using the range, buying his balls and he should be redeeming the car park charges back into our cash cards.

Additional point to be added - now that we're talking about balls.

The balls are dispensed one by one....super slow!

Yes agree.

Compare with Bishan... it is faster and FREE PARKING !

Driving range at Toa Payoh charges same rate for balls at 4$ for 60 balls over weekend. But the good thing is there is no parking fee and has a decent cafe. Really hope they can last as it is the only range I can easily access. Also the range at bukit batok is charging even higher for balls at 4$ for 50 balls and same parking rates. Punggol is not the only one charging too much.

ahnah wrote:

Acemangill wrote:

ahnah wrote:

But there is a workaround.

Before you turn into the main entrance, do a U turn instead .. and park OUTSIDE of the KFC ...

But why should we be doing that - with all our bags and clubs? We are using the range, buying his balls and he should be redeeming the car park charges back into our cash cards.

Additional point to be added - now that we're talking about balls.

The balls are dispensed one by one....super slow!

Yes agree.

Compare with Bishan... it is faster and FREE PARKING !

Most range no parking charges... Is Ponggol the only one?

3131T wrote:

ahnah wrote:

Acemangill wrote:

ahnah wrote:

But there is a workaround.

Before you turn into the main entrance, do a U turn instead .. and park OUTSIDE of the KFC ...

But why should we be doing that - with all our bags and clubs? We are using the range, buying his balls and he should be redeeming the car park charges back into our cash cards.

Additional point to be added - now that we're talking about balls.

The balls are dispensed one by one....super slow!

Yes agree.

Compare with Bishan... it is faster and FREE PARKING !

Most range no parking charges... Is Ponggol the only one?

Punggol range got charge parking...

Nam... u know i know lor...

Well at NSRCC, if you're not a member there - you have to pay for it and members don't.

The other ranges that I go to - Sembawang and Mandai - its FOC for parking.

James - I do not beleive the rumour about him having a quarrel and left for his home country. I find the quarrel story very unlikely and he is now at SICC which is definitely not in his home country.


WTS : On a separate note : I have a quite a few clubs to let go off. Do PM if keen.

haha so i am not the only person that is turned off by their interest of only making money out of golfers

3131T wrote:

Nam... u know i know lor...

Ooi...u dun tell ppl hor,or that free parking place next time no place for us to park Liao...

Kengnam wrote:

3131T wrote:

Nam... u know i know lor...

Ooi...u dun tell ppl hor,or that free parking place next time no place for us to park Liao...

Ha ha... u hor...