Darlington's indoor driving range: real balls, real numbers, no weather.
Three warm, dry simulator bays on Lingfield Way. Hit your own clubs or ours, see the carry of every shot to the yard, and never queue for a mat under floodlights again.
A driving range in Darlington that's open when the outdoor ones aren't.
Virtual Fairways is an indoor driving range and golf simulator venue with three 4K bays at Evans Business Park, Darlington. Bay hire is £13.50 per 30 minutes (£27 an hour), charged per bay*, with balls included, clubs to hire and free parking at the door.
You hit real balls into the screen. One bay runs TrackMan, the same radar used on the professional tours, and the other two run ProTee VX launch monitors with GSPro course software, so every shot comes back with ball speed, launch, spin, carry and curve. Switch to range mode and it's targets and yardages; switch to a course and it's a round on one of 2000+ layouts. Either way you're warm, dry and nobody is hitting into the wind.
There's no golf club to join and no membership needed. The range is open to everyone Wednesday to Sunday, and you can book a single half hour or hold a bay for the evening.
Range mode with targets
Pick a club, pick a target and hit balls. Distance markers, dispersion patterns and a shot log build up as you go, so you leave knowing your real seven-iron number rather than guessing it from a limited-flight range ball.
Every shot measured
On an outdoor range you watch the ball and hope. Here the screen tells you why the shot went where it did. Read what the numbers mean if it's your first time seeing them.
Your own bay, not a mat in a row
Each bay is private, warm and has its own seating and screen. Bring a mate to share the cost, or come alone and work through the bag with the bar bringing a coffee over.
Clubs to hire
Clubs are available to hire for £10, so you can come straight from work. Bring your own if you'd rather groove the clubs you actually play with. Trainers are fine and there's no dress code.
Bucket of balls vs an hour in a bay.
A bucket at an outdoor range is cheaper for one person hitting alone on a fine evening. From October to March, and for anyone who wants to know what their shots are doing, the bay wins.
| What matters | Indoor bay | Outdoor range |
|---|---|---|
| How it's charged | Per bay, £27 an hour* | Per bucket, per person |
| Balls | Standard balls, real carry | Limited-flight range balls |
| Shot data | Speed, launch, spin, carry and curve on every shot | Depends on the bay; often none |
| Weather | Warm, dry, identical all year | Floodlights and a cold grip in winter |
| Play a course | 2000+ courses, full rounds | Practice only |
| Clubs | £10 to hire, or bring your own | Bring your own |
| Best for | Winter practice, real yardages, groups | Cheap solo volume in summer |
Want the longer version? Read golf simulator vs driving range and how accurate golf simulators are.
Where else you can practise near Darlington.
We're not the only place in town to hit balls, and we're not always the right one. Here's who else you should know about, and when they'd suit you better than us.
Blackwell Grange Golf Club
A 13-bay floodlit Toptracer range on the south side of town, open to non-members without booking, plus putting and short-game areas. Better than us if you want to turn up unannounced, hit a large volume of balls cheaply on your own, or practise chipping and putting on real grass.
Darlington Golf Club
The club at Haughton Grange has a driving range open to the public as well as members, with balls from the shop on site and PGA professionals for lessons. Better than us if you're after formal coaching or you want the range and eighteen holes in the same trip.
Headlam Hall
About fifteen minutes west of Darlington, a 10-bay range with a putting green and chipping area in open countryside, daylight hours only. Better than us if it's a fine summer evening and you'd rather be outside, or you're making a day of it.
So when are we the right call?
When the weather has beaten the outdoor options, when you want the full shot data on every ball rather than a rough idea, when you're practising with friends and want a bar and a sofa in the bay, or when you'd like to finish the session by playing a real course. October to March, that's most evenings.
What it costs, and how to book.
£13.50 per 30 minutes, or £27 an hour, per bay*. Four sharing a bay work out around £12.75 each for the hour, and regulars save more with top-up packages and memberships on the pricing page. Ask for the TrackMan bay when you book if you want the tour-grade radar.
Both routes are on the book now page. Weekday afternoons are the quietest time for practice. Cancel at least 24 hours before your slot and we'll move you or refund the booked time.
Finding us.
Unit 30, Evans Business Park, Lingfield Way, Darlington DL1 4QZ. Two minutes off the A66 and barely longer from the A1(M), with free parking right outside the door. About 20 minutes from Stockton and 25 from Durham and Middlesbrough.
Open Wednesday to Sunday, afternoons into the evening in the week and from 10am at the weekend. Check this week's hours before you set off.
Before you set off.
Can I just hit balls rather than play a course?
Yes. Every bay has a range mode with targets and a shot log. Tell us you're in to practise and we'll set it up before you arrive.
How long should I book?
Thirty minutes is about a large bucket's worth of balls with data on each one. An hour lets you work through the bag properly and finish with nine holes.
Do I need to be any good?
No. Complete beginners use the same bays as single-figure golfers. More answers on the FAQ page, or read the first visit guide for 10% off.
Hit balls tonight.
Message us with a day and a rough time and we'll book you straight in, no account needed.
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