Hank Swank’s Driving Range

Summary: Hank Swank’s is a relaxed no-frills fun and affordable driving range, free putting green, and 9-hole Par 3 golf course for beginner golfers. Leave your expectations, judgements, and dress code in the parking lot!

Address: 6101 E Olive Avenue, Fresno, CA 93727

Major Cross Streets: Olive Avenue and Fowler Avenue

Phone: 559-252-7077

Ranking System: There are three basic factors I will be ranking Driving Ranges on: Fun, Affordability, and Challenge. For me, these are the existential encounters I want to experience when engaging with this type of golfing environment. The criteria is based on a three point scale represented by a stack of range balls for each point. One stack of range balls is the lowest rating while three stacks of range balls are the highest. It’s pretty simple; let’s keep it that way;)

Breakdown: I arrived to Hank Swank’s parking lot expecting to walk the 9-hole Par 3 golf course, but my hopes were dashed when I observed three sets of foursomes standing around on the first tee box looking lost. I’ve found that most golfers who take advantage of this hidden gem are beginners, family’s wanting to create a memory together, hackers, lonely souls in blue jeans and sneakers, or those looking for a quick golf fix. I’m kind of in the middle of all these. Within the past six months, I’ve transitioned to taking my game more seriously and trying to focus on improving all facets through practice and time on the course. The results have been gratifying and led to scores in the mid to high 80’s and steady low 90’s returns. I live approximately three and half miles from this golf course/driving range, and it is my go to for “on the fly” golf therapy. It is not an isolated incident when there is a rock pile on the tee box because you are not able to call ahead for tee times.

But I was not to be deterred and walked into the mobile home; scratch that, I mean clubhouse to buy a bucket of golf balls. Despite the disjointed atmosphere, the customer service here is impeccable and the elderly woman or gentleman who typically work the front desk are always smiling, joking, and engaging with whomever walks through the door. I paid $9.00 for a metal bucket filled with “90-some” (this was according to the front desk employee) slightly damaged discolored range balls and walked to the driving range located approximately 20 yards from the club house. It should be noted that the driving range, first tee box, and putting green are within walking distance of each other, and the only area to practice chipping is on the driving range.

It’s winter, so the Bermuda grass is dormant. If you don’t know what that means, basically you are hitting off dirt because there are no artificial turf mats available. Even in the summer and spring months, the beginner golfers destroy any remnants of green grass by leaving large divots everywhere; unless of course you’re lucky, and they moved the hitting areas back in order to allow the grass to heal (It’s like hitting the lottery when this happens). The driving range is marked in increments of 50 yards (blue barrel with signage or a small target affixed to a wooden post), 100 yards, 150 yards, 200 yards, and 250 yards. If you’re hoping to work on driving the ball long distances, you’ll have to go somewhere else. Further, the mounds of dirt that are supposed to represent greens are dismal representations of the real thing. I tend to use them as focal points instead of trying to imagine them as anything near a real target green. Both times I have brought my daughters here, they subsequently launched their golf clubs into the middle of the range. I was able to shut the course down, retrieve the golf clubs, and receive verbal encouragement from those who most likely had a similar experience in their golfing adventures. People understand that this is a place where you can freely explore the game without worrying about what the guy or gal next to you thinks of your swing.

Final Thoughts: Hank Swank’s is what it is and doesn’t try to pretend to be what it’s not. I like the fact there is a place where pretentious golf players are nonexistent, personal expectations are left in the parking lot, dress codes are replaced with the attitude of “come as yourself”, and anyone can work on their game in a non-judgmental environment. In my opinion, this is a must try slice of blue-collar golf because I can’t imagine there are to many places like this left in America.