RM OF SPRINGFIELD — Lucas Mlinar isn’t one to putter around.
Last year, Mlinar started Golf Haven, a business that installs golf simulators in homes and businesses — and he did it while working full-time at a construction company and adjusting to being a first-time dad.
“My life has always been busy,” said Mlinar, 37. “But yeah, with the kid and everything like that, it has become busier.
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Lucas Mlinar, founder of Golf Haven, in an example built at the company’s RM of Springfield HQ.
“You can’t buy time,” he added. “So it’s a matter of (asking yourself), how do you allot it?”
Allotting time to make Golf Haven happen was a priority for Mlinar, who wanted to be the first mover in Manitoba when it comes to installing golf simulators. There are companies in Alberta and Ontario that do it, he said, but none in the keystone province.
The idea for Golf Haven occurred to Mlinar while he was working his day job as the residential project manager at LD Builders Ltd.
The company was increasingly working with clients who wanted golf simulators installed in their homes and businesses, and they were regularly contracting that work to companies outside the province.
Mlinar decided to create Golf Haven in November 2024, and spent the next nine months learning everything he could about the sector.
At the end of August, he launched the business with an open house at the company’s headquarters near Winnipeg in the Rural Municipality of Springfield. Around 400 people showed up for the open house, Mlinar said — more than double the number he and his three business partners were expecting.
The open house offered a first look at Golf Haven’s showroom: a 375-square-foot shed that houses a state-of-the-art golf simulator. Leather couches, a bar with a granite countertop and two 65-inch TVs combine to make the $150,000 building the ultimate escape for people who want a golf simulator on their property but not directly in their home.
The fully-insulated shed, which can be powered using a 30-amp generator, is one of the many turnkey solutions Golf Haven provides, Mlinar said. The luxury sheds start at $77,500.
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A Golf Haven’s standalone sheds start at $77,500, among a list of residential and commercial offerings.
The company also offers simulator packages for residential and commercial outfits that start at $28,500. If customers are looking for something more modest, Mlinar and his three employees will do their best to accommodate them. The company can convert basements, spare rooms and garages, and its offerings include Murphy bed units for easy storage of the simulator when it’s not in use.
Golf Haven works exclusively with products from GolfIn, Garmin, Foresight Sports and Trackman iO — brands Mlinar said he hand-picked because of their quality.
“We’re trying to be the one-stop shop,” he said, adding he and his employees can service the equipment should anything go wrong after installation.
Simulators allow people who may not have five or six hours to spend on a golf course to play a few holes in the comfort of their own home, Mlinar said. They also allow novice players who may be self-conscious about playing in front of others a chance to improve their skills before teeing off in public.
The sport surged in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mlinar said.
Jared Ladobruk, executive director at Golf Manitoba, echoed that assessment, noting because golf is a sport that can be played outdoors at a distance from others, there was an increase in the number of people participating.
According to the National Golf Foundation, adoption of golf simulators has grown by 73 per cent since 2019, driven by increased commercial accessibility and technology-enabled venues.
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Golf Manitoba is in the process of tracking the number of simulators that have sprouted within the province at established golf courses and other businesses, Ladobruk said. He is aware of people installing simulators of all kinds in their homes.
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Golf Haven offers commercial golf simulator installations.
“It’s become a 12-month sport in our province and it’s an exciting time,” Ladobruk said.
For golf enthusiasts who may have a difficult time convincing the people they live with that their home needs a golf simulator, Mlinar points out, ultimately, what Golf Haven builds are multi-purpose entertainment hubs all members of a household can enjoy.
When the screen and projector aren’t being used for golf, they can be used to watch TV, movies and sports or to play video games, he said.
aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca
Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron.
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