Paultons Golf Centre

The driving range at Paultons Golf Centre, just outside Salisbury, is where you go if you want to actually hit some balls without the full commitment of 18 holes. It's straightforward - a proper practice facility with covered bays if the weather turns, which in Wiltshire it often does. You pay per bucket of balls and spend as long as you like working on your swing. The greenskeeper keeps it tidy enough, and there's a decent café if you need a break.

Golfers will obviously get the most from it - beginners working on their technique, regulars keeping their eye in between rounds, that sort of thing. But honestly, it's not the sort of place that'll occupy a family for hours. Kids might enjoy whacking a few balls about for twenty minutes, then they'll want to move on. Allow an hour maximum if you're treating it as a casual stop during a wider Wiltshire trip.

If you're basing yourself at one of the nearby campsites - Green Hill Farm is the closest at just over 3 miles - it's a useful morning activity before heading towards Salisbury itself or exploring further into the New Forest. The centre's open 9 to 5 daily, and you don't pay admission, just for the balls you use. It won't be the highlight of your holiday, but if golf's your thing, it beats playing pitch and putt at a holiday park.