Step 1: Choose Your Level – Decide which deck fits your mood before you walk out with your bucket: Lower Deck (Ground Level): Better if you want to stay cool/shaded or if it’s a windy day. This is also where the non-smoking stalls are located. Upper Deck: Great for a “bird’s-eye view” of your ball flight and tends to have more open stalls if the facility is busy. Step 2: Walk down the row of stalls. An “open” bay is simply one that doesn’t have a golf bag, a bucket of balls, or a person standing in it. Step 3: Set Your “Claim” – Place your golf bag in the stand or leaning against the back bench. Set your bucket of balls down on the ground near the front of the mat. (Pro Tip: If you need to run back to your car or the restroom, leaving your bag or bucket in the stall is the universal signal that the spot is “taken.”) Step 4: Check the Mat Direction – Most stalls are set up for right-handed hitters by default. If you are a lefty, look for the stalls that have enough clearance or specific mat configurations to accommodate your swing without hitting the divider poles.