Search for night golf and you will find both outdoor driving ranges open after dark and indoor simulation golf. Though both are golf at night, what you can do differs greatly.
Which to choose when you want to swing a club in Kyoto in the evening? Here are the differences, on four points: hours, weather, price and who is with you.
An outdoor floodlit range is a place to hit balls
The great advantage of an outdoor floodlit range is that you hit real balls under the lights and see the distance and the flight with your own eyes. The cost per ball is low, which suits anyone who wants to hit two or three hundred.
Closing time, though, is usually around 10pm. That often does not work after a meal or on a day that ran long, which makes it awkward as a late-evening option.
An indoor simulator is a place to spend the evening
Indoor simulation golf is mostly played as a round on a course shown on screen. Numbers appear for every shot, so it is closer to playing a round than to practising.
Another difference is that you play indoors, in comfort, with a drink to hand. Anyone who wants to hit balls will find it thin, but for spending the evening in conversation this is the one that fits.
- To hit a lot of balls, the outdoor range
- For a round and conversation, the indoor simulator
- With a beginner in the group, indoors is the safe choice
The weather and the season affect them quite differently
Outdoors, a covered bay means the range opens in the rain, but Kyoto summer nights stay warm and the winters are bitterly cold. Comfort changes a great deal with the season.
Indoors the conditions are the same all year. A sudden shower does not wreck the plan, and everyday clothes are fine. If you want to fix a plan in advance, indoors is the more predictable.
The pricing splits between balls and time
Outdoor ranges usually charge for the bay plus the balls, so you pay for what you hit. A short visit is cheap; a long one adds up.
Indoors, time is the basis. A booth for two hours at a set price, or a price per person, where the more of you there are the less each pays. With free-flow drinks included, the bill is easier to predict too.
- Outdoors: bay charge plus balls
- Indoors: by time (per booth or per person)
- With food and drink, an indoor set plan is the clearest
Whether it works with someone who does not play
At an outdoor range, anyone not hitting is largely waiting. There may be a bench, but it is rarely built for spending a long time comfortably.
At an indoor venue with a bar counter and sofa seating, those not playing can enjoy a drink in the same room. For business entertaining, or a group with mixed experience, this difference tells.
For golf at night in Gion, Kyoto
Gion Country Club is an indoor golf bar three minutes on foot from Gion-Shijo Station, open from 7pm until 5am. Our hours really begin where the outdoor floodlit ranges close.
Play the world's great courses on the simulator, with the bar, darts and karaoke alongside. Clubs, gloves and shoes are lent free of charge, so you can come straight from work.
Frequently asked questions
Are there outdoor floodlit driving ranges in Kyoto?
There are several in the city and just outside it. Most close around 10pm, so check the hours in advance.
Is there anywhere to play golf late at night?
Some indoor simulation golf venues open late. Gion Country Club is open until 5am.
Can a beginner enjoy golf at night?
An indoor simulator suits beginners: someone explains the controls, and you can play without worrying about distance.
