How Much Does a Bucket of Balls Cost at a Driving Range?

"How much is a bucket?" is the first question anyone asks about a driving range, and the honest answer is that it depends on three things: how many balls you want, whether you are a member, and what time you walk in. Golf Center of Arlington publishes all three variables, so you can work out your exact cost before you leave the house. Here is the whole picture, including the per-ball math and what is bundled in that other ranges charge extra for.

What are the bucket prices at Golf Center of Arlington?

There are three bucket sizes. Every bucket, regardless of size, earns rewards points: 100 points ($1 in value) for non-members and 200 points ($2) for members.

Buckets are sold at the clubhouse counter during staffed hours and at the ball dispenser during the 8–9 AM Early Bird window. The last bucket of the day is sold one hour before closing; hours are Monday–Saturday 8 AM–11 PM and Sunday 8 AM–10 PM. The current sheet for everything else on site, from mini golf to clinics, lives on the price list.

Prices as published on golfcenterofarlington.com; subject to change.

What does that work out to per ball?

Per-ball cost is the cleanest way to compare sizes, and it drops as the bucket gets bigger.

Two notes on that math. The rewards points are real money on your next visit, so a member's $15 medium bucket effectively nets out to $13 after the $2 in points. And the 30% off special, covered next, changes the regular column for most of the day.

How do the daily specials change the price?

Golf Center of Arlington runs two standing specials every day and a one-time offer for new guests. None of them require a coupon; two of them require you to know they exist.

1. Early Bird, 8–9 AM, every day. The range is self-service during this hour. You buy balls directly from the dispenser and everyone pays the member price: $15, $20 or $25. This is the lowest walk-up price on the property, and it comes with the quietest hour of the day.
2. 30% off regular bucket prices, 9 AM–6 PM, every day. Mention the special at check-in. Thirty percent off $21 is $14.70, off $28 is $19.60, and off $35 is $24.50, so the daytime price for non-members lands within a few cents of the member price on every size.
3. $10 off your first visit. New guests who join the email and rewards list get $10 off. On a medium bucket that is close to half price for your first session.

Evenings after 6 PM are the one window where non-members pay the full regular price. If you mostly practice after work under the lights, that is the strongest case for a membership, and the hours and best-times guide walks through when the range is busiest.

What comes free with every bucket?

Bucket price only tells part of the story. A bucket at Golf Center of Arlington includes things that are add-ons or simply unavailable elsewhere.

• Toptracer on every hitting station. All 18 covered bays and all 28 natural-grass areas have a Toptracer screen showing carry, distance, ball speed, launch angle and accuracy, plus games and 20+ virtual courses. There is no per-hour bay fee layered on top of the bucket.
• The short game practice area. Putting green, chipping green, sand bunkers and uneven-lie stations, free with any bucket. See the free short game practice area page for a practice plan.
• Power Tee automatic teeing in the covered bays, so you are not bending over to re-tee 90 times.
• Covered, heated bays and night lighting. The same bucket price applies in July heat, a January cold snap, rain, or 9 PM in the dark.
• 12 color-coded target greens and high-quality practice balls.
• Rewards points on every purchase, doubled for members. Points are worth cash on your next bucket, so they are a price cut in slow motion.

How does this compare with other DFW ranges?

We are not going to quote other facilities' prices here; they change and we would rather you check them yourself. What we can say in general terms is how DFW range pricing tends to be structured, so you compare like with like.

Many ranges sell balls only, then charge separately for a tracked or technology-equipped bay, often by the hour. Others include tracking but sell time rather than balls, which penalizes anyone who likes to slow down between shots. Some charge for the short game area or do not have one. At Golf Center of Arlington, the bucket is the whole price: tracking, teeing system, cover, lighting and short game area are all included, and you hit at your own pace. When you compare, ask three questions of any range: Is the bay fee separate? Is there a time limit on the bay? Is the putting and chipping area free? For a broader look at what to expect from a modern range, read our guide to how a driving range works.

Which bucket size should you buy?

Match the bucket to the session, not the ego

A 60-ball medium bucket is right for a warm-up before a round, a focused 30–40 minute session on one club, or a first visit where you are learning the Toptracer screen. Ninety balls suits a full practice hour with a plan: wedges, mid-irons, driver. The 120-ball extra large is for a long session, two people sharing a bay, or a night when you want to play a full virtual round on Toptracer and still have balls left for the Driving Challenge. Two friends often split a large bucket at one bay, which is an inexpensive way to try the range together.

How do you pay less over time?

If you visit more than twice a month, the answer is membership. It costs $18 per month or $129 per year, and it locks in the member column on every bucket at every hour, doubles your rewards points and drops the group clinic price from $37 to $30. Three medium buckets a month covers the monthly fee on savings alone. The full break-even table, including large and extra-large buckets, is on our driving range membership value page.

If you visit less often, the plan is simpler: come during the 30% off window or the Early Bird hour, join the rewards list for $10 off your first visit, and keep your points. Either way, everything else you need before a visit, including hours, policies and what to bring, is in one place on Plan Your Visit: hours, prices and memberships. For the range itself, including bays, grass tees and Toptracer, see the complete guide to the Golf Center of Arlington driving range.