Press Visit
Other than a blogging event with the Bournemouth Bloggers a few years ago, I haven’t really ever played golf or gone to a driving range before. It’s not that I don’t think I would like golf, but I just lack the confidence of being able to hit the ball properly if I were to go along with other people. When Jackie from Route PR got in touch and asked if I would be interested in heading along to Paultons Golf Centre, near Romsey, for a lesson and some lunch, I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to get myself more comfortable with holding and swinging a club, before doing it in public.
I asked my aunt to come along as my plus one, as I know she has played golf a few times before, and as it was the day before her birthday, and would be a nice opportunity for us to have some food in the sunshine, without the children. We drove up in my aunt’s car, and I was pleasantly surprised to find it was only a half hour car journey from us in Bournemouth – nice and easy to get to and a really lovely location, just down the road from the Paultons Park family attraction.
On arrival, we were impressed by the beautifully maintained grounds. The centre has a Championship course, and the Academy course, as well as TopTracer driving range. We had brunch (I had the full English breakfast and my aunt had gammon, egg and chips) outside the clubhouse, sitting on the sunny terraced area, enjoying a cold drink in the sunshine. It was just what I needed to relax, unwind and chill out whilst chatting to my aunt.
After we had finished eating, we went for a little wander, to explore, before meeting up with David Green, Director of Golf for Paultons, and our PGA Fellow Professional teacher for the afternoon. The lesson took place in the driving range, where David showed us the TopTracer interactive screens which have been installed, to give a better and more interactive user experience. You can see your progress, set yourself challenges and even play games.
I was impressed to hear about how child friendly the venue is, even for little ones, one of the games called Go Fish is perfect for those who aren’t yet confident hitting the ball, as you can pick it up and throw it if you are struggling! I definitely want to come back at some point with the children, as I am sure they would love it.

David taught my us how to properly grip the club, which felt so strange to begin with, but really helped me to swing and make contact with the ball almost every time. He also taught the proper stance, distance to stand from the ball, and how to swing the club to make the most impact. The screen showed me how well I was doing on each ball, and it was a little addictive to challenge myself to do better as I went along. I managed to get over 100yds by the end of the session, which was apparently good, so I was pleased!
I really enjoyed our visit to Paultons Golf Centre, and will definitely look into coming back with the children next time. I am keen to attempt a round of golf as well, now that I am able to hit the ball and get a proper swing on it. For anybody looking for a golf centre in the Hampshire/Dorset area that is family friendly, and welcoming, Paultons Golf Centre is definitely worth checking out.
I was invited along for a complimentary golf lesson and lunch, for the purpose of this review, however all words and images are my own.
