Activities Near DePaul: Diversey Driving Range
I’m originally from a pretty suburban area in Michigan, and I played on my high school golf team. I still really enjoy playing, and the fact that there are no conveniently located golf courses near campus was one of the drawbacks in my mind when I chose DePaul. However, the Diversey Driving Range offers a perfect opportunity to get some swings in and keep my game up, all while being within walking distance from the Lincoln Park Campus.
This driving range has been a part of the city since 1916. It’s in a prime location along Lakeshore Drive, offering incredibly scenic views while you’re practicing. It was originally created as a nine-hole course, but was transitioned into a driving range as needs in the city grew. Like I mentioned, there are no real options to play golf anywhere in the city besides indoor simulators, so a full-length outdoor driving range like this one is a real privilege. The entire hitting area uses synthetic turf to maintain quality, and there are two decks to hit from in order to maximize the available space. There are also heated stall options during winter to keep the range open year-round, and there are two synthetic putting greens to practice your short game. It is truly a perfect spot for people who love to golf but live in the city and cannot get to far-away courses easily.
The craziest thing about this whole situation for me is that I did not find out about it until my sophomore year. The existence of the driving range on Diversey Parkway is really not advertised or mentioned anywhere throughout the city. I had simply resigned to the fact that I was only going to be able to play golf when I went home, but I could not have been more wrong. It only takes about 30 minutes to walk from the Lincoln Park Campus to the driving range. On top of golf, I am also a big fan of walks through the city, so this offered kind of a perfect situation for me. I would put four or five clubs in my backpack, walk on over to the driving range, spend an hour or so hitting golf balls, then walk back. It’s a perfect opportunity to get outside, see some of the city, and keep up on your golf game as a DePaul student.
There is also a full 18-hole mini golf course at the driving range as well. This is one of my all time favorite spots to bring people, especially for a date or other one-on-one hangout. The Diversey Driving Range is open daily from 9 AM to 9 PM, and the last time to get balls is 8 PM. Pricing is very reasonable for the location, with small buckets at $11 and large buckets at $17. They also have a membership program you can join for $30 that offers discounted rates for range balls and mini golf, which is $11 regularly. Again, I cannot make it clear how convenient this location is, particularly for DePaul students. If you don’t want to do the 30 minute walk, you can take the brown line one stop north from campus (around a 3 minute ride) and then walk straight east on Diversey for about 10 minutes instead.
The overall vibe of the Diversey Driving Range, from the practice putting areas, mini golf course, and the range itself, is really fun and inviting. When you come during peak hours, sure it’s busy, but the community is great. People love golf and they love to have fun while they play. Whether you want to come out and try the game, or seriously commit to keeping your skills sharp after you’ve enrolled at DePaul, the Diversey Driving Range is a great spot to check out and I highly recommend it.
~Jeff