The process utilizes a conventional golf practice driving range with added greens with flags for approach shots, the conventional practice putting greens and a computer with a viewing screen. The computer is programmable, as by a cassette tape, to show in sequence layout and data on each of the eighteen holes of a selected classical golf course. The actual drives and approach shots are "played" on the practice driving range and are added to the computer information on the screen to show ball placement on the screened course. A golfer can play realistically any of the great courses of the world and measure his game against the par for those courses by the process, completing putting out for a final score on adjacent practice greens. A putting phase for each hole is preferably done after the drive and approach shots are made for all eighteen holes, or each nine holes, but may be done on the practice green after the drive and approach shots for each hole.

A golf course for playing golf in a reduced space while maintaining the continuity of the game and minimizing the time that other players have to wait. The golf course includes elongated first (20), second (40) and third (60) shot areas adjacent to each other. The areas are provided with the teeing area of the first shot area in close proximity to the fairway and approach/putting shot areas thereby minimizing the walking required from the player. The landing grid areas and the fairway and approach/putting areas are quadriculated in order to permit the ready identification of where a ball landed and to transpose to the landing position for the next shot. A slight grading of the landing grid area of the first and second shot areas permits the determination of the ball's position with the unaided eye. The teeing area is raised with respect to the adjacent fairway area of the first shot area.

An indoor/outdoor recreational golf facility having a plurality of indoor putting greens, an outdoor pitching green, a plurality of mechanized range greens simulating the conventional greens, and a plurality of driving tees. The mechanized range green has a ball retrieval system and electrically relays to a display register, situated adjacent the driving tee, the location of where the ball hit the green relative to a flagstick. The mechanized range green is comprised of a mesh-like netting material segmented into squares. Each square net is supported in a raised position by structural posts and guide wires, and each net slopes inward to a center position. The ball hitting a net rolls through a hole in the center and actuates the electrical position switch, and thereafter automatically returns to a retrieval area. The overall mechanized green is raised above the ground level with an artificial turf sloping to the ground simulating the approach apron. Each tee includes a display board that provides course information, i.e., distance of hole, par, and directs the player as to where and how to proceed with the game.

A golf ball receiving area can be the size of a conventional golf driving range, and is coordinately subdivided in area by pluralities of uniformly spaced latitude and longitude markers used for measuring both distance along and lateral deviation from an intended line of flight. At least one hitting area, small relative to the size of the receiving area, is adjacent the receiving area for simulating grassy driving areas of a golf course, e.g. a tee and a fairway. The intended line of flight preferably extends from the hitting area across the receiving area parallel to the longitude markers. Preferably near each hitting area is a small sand filled area, such as a small sand box, from which a player makes a sand shot. The sand areas simulate sand trap environments of a golf course. A score card depicts a birds-eye view of some or all the holes of a conventional golf course, and each hole depiction has longitudinal and latitudinal graduations. When a player drives a ball from either the hitting area or the sand area onto the receiving area, the player uses the longitude and latitude markers of the receiving area and the corresponding graduations on the depiction of the simulated hole being played to locate his or her ball on the depiction. A putting area, preferably having eighteen cups, and a chipping/pitching area are used for simulating a golf course's greens and chipping/pitching areas, respectively.

This disclosure is directed to an improved, compact golf course having non-walking fairways and greatly reduced area requirements compared to conventional courses yet wherein the player can utilize all of the golf clubs normally used on a conventional nine or eighteen hole golf course as their use was intended without having the need to walk the conventional distances required and without subjecting himself to the personal hazards attendant upon walking the fairways of conventional courses. This golf course is characterized by a plurality of hitting area chutes providing a "binder effect" by restricting the player's field of vision with respect of each fairway target area and each target green provided on the course, and a putting green for each hole. Each hitting chute is arranged to give a different angular orientation or "look" to each common target area on the golf course, be it fairway area or target green. The target green approach chutes are located either adjacent to their respective putting greens or intermediate the target green and putting green. Where the golf course is a nine or eighteen hole course, there are a plurality of common fairway target areas and a plurality of common target greens with each fairway target area and each target green being seen from a different approach angle from each hitting chute. Moreover, a safety moat area is usually provided to discourage or prevent the player from walking the fairways.