Hugh O’Brien, the assistant manager of the Columbia Golf Simulator, takes a swing. The launch monitor above measures nearly every facet of the swing and trajectory of the ball. (Al Zdon)
My first shot was at hole number 12, a par three at the Augusta National Golf Club, the middle hole in the legendary Amen Corner.
I whacked it, but it went in the water — known as the also legendary Rae’s Creek. My second shot went in the water. My third shot dribbled off to the left. My sixth shot bounced on the green and just rolled off. I quit while I was ahead.
No, I can’t afford golf trips to Georgia. I was showing off my swing at the recently opened Columbia Golf Simulator which opened in November in the former golf course manor.
In fact, there are three bays of simulators open every day of the week, each including a large screen that shows the hole you’re playing, a mat to hit from and a device overhead called a launch monitor.
The monitor measures your swing in just about every possible way, from the height and distance to the velocity to the accuracy. It’s even got a measuring tool called the smash factor that determines how much club you got on the ball.
At the same time, you can watch your shot arc toward the green, or the creek, on the massive screen in front of you.
And if all that isn’t enough, there’s a full bar available and a restaurant that offers standard items such as burgers and fries.
There’s some sticker shock at the cost of the simulator, $45 an hour — $40 for seniors and juniors during the day.
But as the assistant at the shop, Hugh O’Brien, said, “A common use of the simulators is for a group of four people renting it for three or four hours, so it’s not that much per person.”
O’Brien said it’s a little like going to a bowling alley. “You can play as fast or as slow as you want, it doesn’t matter. It’s your time.”
Each bay is private with its own table. Golfers can eat, drink and watch a sporting event on the large TV in the bay.
Some golfers will like to play a classic course like Augusta or Pebble Beach, he said, while others will simply come to work on their swing, especially in the winter time. “A golfer can play an 18-hole course in about an hour.”
There are over a thousand courses you can choose from, including some made-up courses, like Star Wars golf. The three simulators are made up of brand new GS-Pro equipment. Clubs can be rented.
Beginning in January, leagues will be available, both two-person best ball and a morning senior league.
While the simulators give the golfer a chance to play in the winter, Columbia managers think they will be open in the summer too. “Players can come in and warm up. High school teams can get a jump on the season. And you can play on a rainy day.”
The simulators with their myriad analytics can also serve in helping a golfer choose a new set of clubs, or they can be used with a golf professional at hand to offer lessons. The monitor can also take pictures of your club hitting the ball at impact, showing exactly how clean your contact is.
“It’s for a regular golfer, for the serious golfer, or a group of guys or women who want to just have a fun outing,” O’Brien said.
The phone number at the Columbia Golf Simulator is 612-230-6520 and the email is columbiagolf@minneapolisparks.org.
The simulator can allow golfers to play over 1,000 courses, both real and fictional. (Al Zdon)