Hollywood Driving Range

The Hollywood Driving Range, manufactured by Williams in April 1965, is a golf-themed bat game rather than a conventional pinball machine, and a charming example of the novelty games Williams produced alongside its pinball line in the 1960s. Each game gives the player fifteen balls, all just 5/8 inch in diameter, and the cabinet features mechanical backbox animation in the form of a bagatelle, along with a backglass marquee and a Formica lockdown bar.

The scoring system rewards persistence and accuracy across eleven hanging targets. Hitting a red target when lit scores 100 points; doing this three times raises the lit value to 500 points, and hitting five 500-point red targets raises their value again to 1,000 points. Blue targets award 50 points and kick a ball into the backglass bagatelle, where it can score 10, 100, or 1,000 points, tying the backbox animation directly into the gameplay.

Little is known about the game's designer, and trade records even disagreed on its release date until Billboard's April 1965 New Game Announcement confirmed it was then in distribution. For enthusiasts seeking rare and unusual electro-mechanical amusements, the Hollywood Driving Range offers an intriguing detour from the pinball mainstream.