MANKATO — For anyone itching to grab their clubs for a round of golf, Chris Frederick wants you to know The Course opens Jan. 31. No parka required.
The Course is Mankato’s newest indoor golf club, and Frederick promises the best experience based on research by him and his partners. It’s at 551 Belle Ave., at the location of Tee Times, a previous indoor golf simulator.
Because of the research done by him, his wife, Emily, and partners, Michael and Angela Soderlund, plus golf instructor Caleb Christensen, they’re banking on the location of The Course won’t become The Curse.
“We’re a members-only facility that really allows the individual or the member to have and play golf on their time, the way they want to play,” he said of the more than 4,600 square feet that accommodates three bays for simulated golf. Two are private bays, one open in the lobby with adjacent putting green. There’s room for a fourth bay when needed.
The membership levels range from a $35/month Access pass that includes one hour use time per month to the Elite/Corporation level at $699/month that includes 26 hours per month. In all cases, additional hours for play between 4 a.m. and 11 p.m. are available, booked online, for an additional discounted rate, he said.
When you book a tee time, you’re provided a temporary limited-term key code to get into their unattended part of the building. You can reserve from one- to four-hour blocks, based on availability.
“We really rethought how to approach indoor golf, and we’re looking at this not just as a winter-time activity, but a year-round game progression because of the analytics, the cameras. Everything about the system is just different than what you get out on a driving range.”
Each bay includes lounging chairs and space, unlike many simulators that are lined up, narrow and open to whoever is around you, he said. This way the individual golfer just looking to improve his or her swing can do so in private, with two 600-frame-per-second cameras recording your swing to allow you to check your mechanics.
The Golfzon panel records and shows all elements of your swing while the screen in front of you tracks the flight of your ball and shows it on any one of more than 300 programmed courses. The sectional tee box has surfaces that simulate fairways and rough, and that adjust height and angles to match the ball location. The struck ball funnels to a chute and re-tees itself.
When you’re done, it can send your round stats to your phone, along with tips for improving elements that are subpar, Frederick said. That way you can impress your foursome with an improved score during your weekly golf league on the course.
He said they see this as a complement, and not competition, for area golf courses. Unlike a driving range, where golfers can go to work on one type of stroke, the simulation allows working on all aspects of the game — including putting — and lets you visit courses such as Augusta National or Pebble Beach without leaving home.
One casual golfer who hadn’t touched a club in years took a handful of swings Friday and was able to adjust ball placement, grip and knee flex to feel a semblance of proficiency in about 10 minutes.
But individually isn’t the only way you can utilize The Course, Frederick said.
Groups of friends can set a weekly tee time, reserve one of the bays and even bring in food from places such as Papa John’s Pizza next door. They can select a course and compete against each other on a different one each week.
“When the PGA is doing a tournament that is (programmed) on here, you can participate in the tournament with them digitally on this equipment,” he said. “And we’re seeing interest, you know, some people doing birthday parties and stuff like that,” including corporate parties.
While Frederick has been working on it, his kids have come in to play the arcade games that work a lot like video games with golf balls. He and his partners are reaching out to coaches of all levels to get involved, plan to work with other food vendors for catering and, perhaps, golf courses for relationships.
Finally, they’ve learned that people like flexibility with memberships, so you don’t need to register for a year or all parts of the year. People can use it in wintertime, if they want, he said, to keep their game sharp for outdoor golf.
“That’s why our focus is on what is the best technology we can find and the most fun gameplay you can have,” he said. “That’s why we went with the higher-end equipment here.”
For more information, visit thecoursemn.com/.