The year 2006 was bad for the casual, sometimes ironic activity of hitting buckets of golf balls, for that was the year SOMA's beloved Mission Bay golf complex shut down and became a vacant dirt lot (which it remains). But relief can still be had within the city proper. The range at the esteemed, very clubby Presidio Golf Course is perched just inside Golden Gate Park, next to the Arguello entrance, so you can slip in largely undetected with your credibility intact. The fairway veers sharply to the right, which does a number on your perspective but is very forgiving to a whiplash slice. It also slopes down, way down, giving the appearance of balls shooting into the distance when they might only be falling straight down (a boon if you've brought a friend along). It's also set in one of the nicest areas of the city, ringed by the Presidio's famous trees and offering sweeping views. The complex also provides a six-hole putting green with an option rarely seen at public courses: You can pull out your wedge and chip onto it. Fees run from $7 for 35 balls to $12 for 100.