GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS, Ohio (WCMH) — A business in Grandview Heights has launched with a simple strategy: Let golfers golf, rain or shine.
The lounge-style venue is part of X-Golf, a chain of virtual golf simulator bars, with Michael Wezner taking the helm at the Columbus franchise. It opened on Jan. 7 at the turn of the new year in the Grandview Yard district, and Wezner said he plans to bring more to central Ohio.
“X-Golf Powell opens, fingers crossed, at the end of this year, early next year. … Little bit different from this space, it’ll still be as awesome, but two large garage doors that open up to a patio,” Wezner said.
The seven virtual golf simulators featured inside the venue use an automated teeing system and an overhead system of lasers to track the movement of a golf ball when players swing. From there, a projector screen gives a 3D-rendered visual of where the ball goes on a virtual course. X-Golf also lets its patrons bring their clubs, to practice with the same ones they would normally use.
“You’re going to get what is essentially a real-time, tangible feel for what the ball would do out on the course,” Wezner said.
The venue also has a bar as well as group seating for customers to hang out even if they aren’t booking a booth to play. During its opening months in the winter, Wezner said that X-Golf provided an opportunity for golfers to keep up with the game despite the weather conditions.
“I’m already working with some of the country clubs in the area to bring in their crew of golfers to kind of serve as a place to do high-level golf while their course just isn’t serving that need for them,” Wezner said. “It’s also a place to go to when … it’s dark out, or it’s cold out, or too warm out, rainy, or you have a client meeting and you need just a quieter atmosphere with air conditioning.”
The Grandview Heights location is open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to midnight on Friday through Saturday. To book one of the seven golf simulators for a day, visit X-Golf’s website or call 614-549-7119.
