An update on the Practice Area at Birkdale – the good news is that they are now allowing players to hit off the grass and not those garbage mats, if you could even call them mats. The bad news – apparently their range closes at 6:30pm right now according to the employee inside although i have never seen a sign stating this and i go to their range about 3 times a week b/c im part of that Bogies to Birdies deal. Also, recently the last couple times I have gone they are out of balls as was the case yesterday 4/30. When I asked why they are always out of balls the response I got from the guy inside was “we don’t have a range picker hired yet” my first thought was well why can’t you go pick them up? There was 3 employees in the golfshop. Then my second thought was how does a golf course not have a range picker hired an! d its almost May. Unbelievable! Also, there isn’t any yardage markers on the range so you have to guestimate how far your hitting the ball. Finally, the balls are horrendous I get excited when there is a normal ball mixed in the bucket just b/c I know I’m going to get an accurate read on the ball flight.I’m not sure what is going on with the management of this course, and for that, all of the CT Courses but it has gone downhill. I don’t know who would pay full price to golf at any of those courses. Not worth the money.