Written by Robert Pruitt
President, Southern Poly Manufacturing (SoPoly)

Over the last several years, our team has spent a lot of time working with golf facilities that are rethinking how their driving ranges function. What I’m seeing more and more is a shift away from the traditional practice range toward designs that look and operate much more like a Topgolf-style environment.

These newer ranges aren’t built just for practice. They connect the driving range to the clubhouse, food and beverage areas, and social spaces, creating an experience that keeps people on site longer and generates additional revenue for the course. Many facilities are also adding shot-tracking technology that provides instant feedback on ball speed, distance, and accuracy, similar to what golfers experience at Topgolf. That same technology is now making its way into traditional driving ranges, changing how golfers practice and how these spaces are used.

In that environment, seating isn’t décor. It’s infrastructure. And if it isn’t designed for how these spaces are actually used, it becomes a problem quickly.

How Driving Ranges Are Being Designed Today

Most modern driving ranges are built around individual bays. Each bay includes a hitting mat, and everything behind that mat is designed to support people waiting, socializing, eating, or observing.

These bays have to handle constant foot traffic, high turnover throughout the day, food and drink service, direct sun and heat, and frequent cleaning. That combination puts far more stress on furniture than most people expect.

What a Typical Bay Looks Like

In most of the facilities we work with, the bay layout follows a similar pattern.

At the front is the hitting mat. Just behind it are golf bag holders. Behind the bags is the main seating area, typically arranged in a stadium-style configuration.

I often compare this to a bowling alley. Seating is arranged so people in the back can still see what’s happening in front of them, while making efficient use of the bay’s depth.

In that primary seating area, facilities typically choose deep seating with a coffee table or dining-height chairs with side tables.

Behind that zone, many ranges add a slimmer table, usually around 24 inches wide, paired with stools. This creates a higher viewing and eating area while keeping the footprint tight.

This is a table we specifically designed for driving ranges and other sporting and recreational environments. It’s used anywhere space is limited, traffic is high, and sightlines matter. While it’s a simple piece, it plays an important role in how these bays function day to day.

All of these elements—hitting area, bag storage, seating, tables—need to work together inside a confined space. That’s why proportion, weight, and construction matter just as much as appearance.

Don’t Overlook the Supporting Pieces

Seating is only part of the system. In driving ranges that serve food and beverages, trash receptacles matter more than most people realize.

Most facilities deploy one open-top trash receptacle for every two bays, or one for every three to four bays, depending on traffic and service volume.

When these pieces match the furniture and overall color scheme, the space feels intentional. When they don’t, they stand out immediately.

Why Material and Construction Matter So Much

Driving ranges are some of the toughest environments for outdoor furniture.

From what I’ve seen, seating in these spaces deals with constant sitting and standing, chairs and stools being moved all day, food and drink spills, high heat and direct sun, and regular wipe-downs and pressure washing.

Furniture designed for residential patios, or even light commercial use, usually doesn’t hold up long-term in this setting.

Heavier, high-density furniture performs better because it doesn’t blow around or tip over, handles the high cycle of people getting in and out of seats, and maintains its structure over time.

We’ve also found that materials with UV stabilization throughout, not just surface coatings, hold their appearance far longer, especially in southern climates.

Just as important, furniture that can be easily wiped down or pressure washed makes maintenance simpler for staff and helps facilities keep these spaces clean with minimal effort.

Why We Design and Build the Way We Do at SoPoly

One of the reasons we’re able to design furniture specifically for environments like modern driving ranges is how our operation is structured.

We are vertically integrated. Under one roof, we produce our own poly lumber, manufacture our own furniture using that lumber, and build our own cushions in-house.

As far as I know, we are the only company in this space that controls all three of those processes internally.

That matters because it allows us to control material density and consistency, design furniture around real-world use rather than catalog constraints, make components that work together as a system, and adjust designs based on what we see in the field.

Instead of sourcing lumber from one supplier, cushions from another, and assembling furniture elsewhere, we design everything to work together from the start. That approach is especially important in high-traffic environments like driving ranges, where durability and repeatability matter more than anything else.

Next Steps

If you’re planning a new driving range or upgrading existing bays, we’ve developed seating solutions designed specifically for modern golf practice environments.

You can review our Golf Driving Range Seating Packages or request a quote to talk through layouts, quantities, and timelines based on your facility.