The Longshore golf course opened last week. Golfers can practice their swings nearby, a few yards from the water. It’s the only driving range in town.
Back in the day — the 1950s through the ’70s — there were more options.
Two driving ranges were connected to miniature golf parks. Both were on Post Road East. Decades ago, both were replaced by condominiums.
One was near Southport. Today it’s Lansdowne. (An adjacent skating rink was turned long ago into the Westport Tennis Club.)
Interestingly, you can drive golf balls to your heart’s contact — all year long, with indoor simulators — at The Clubhouse, a few yards in the other direction. Quite a coincidence.
The other driving range/mini-golf course (photo below) was operated by the Backiel family. These days, it’s the Regents Park condominiums.
Fore!
(Photo courtesy of Jack Backiel)
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Even longer ago there was another small mini golf and driving range on Hillspoint Road across from the mysterious Penguin.
Thanks. The Hillspoint mini-golf was before my time, though I’ve heard of it. I did not know there was a driving range too.
what years were these open? I’ve been swinging a golf club in Westport since the 80s and Longshore has always been the only range in town since I was a kid.
Westport Golf Range 1954-1983.
In the late 70’s I went to drive golf balls at the Backiel Post Road range. In the next tee box was a young man, teens or early twenties. He changed his clubs and kept dropping every ball within 5 feet of every distance markers. I stopped spraying balls all over the field and watched for a while. I asked the obvious question- are you a pro? He said he had played for Staples and was on a mini tour in Florida and trying to make the pro tour. Never asked who he was. ?Brian Claar? John Cooper?
Probably was Brian Claar; he was on the PGA Tour for a ‘cuppa coffee’.
There was someone named Cleary.
The mini golf and driving range was called Top Hat and there was a big sign with a black top hat. We lived off Hillspoint Rd between GF Rd and PRE and often walked down to play mini golf
The mini golf and driving range on Hillspoint Rd was across the street from the Penguin Apts in the 50s. Then it was replaced with split level homes which were replaced with McMansions