Outside In
Jim McWethy, owner of Mistwood Golf Dome in Bolingbrook, Illinois, calls his indoor golf facility Chicago’s best now that he’s incorporated Toptracer technology under the inflatable roof. It’s America’s first domed practice range to use the technology that brings indoors an outdoor golf experience – replete with course simulation, games and more. Mistwood has 60,000 square feet of physical space, but the technology virtually eliminates walls and boundaries.
Cameras and an electric grid track every ball struck from its 30 tee boxes (Toptracer’s largest U.S. installation yet), completely transforming the traditional practice range experience. In game mode, golfers hit balls at physical targets while a screen to their side displays their shots on one of several virtual courses, including Pebble Beach. There’s no putting, so golfers chip to pins: the closer they land on the fly, the better their score. One person can play a full round in 45 minutes, a foursome in about 100.
“It’s an incredible experience for avid golfers that we believe will also convert non-golfers,” says McWethy.
This is a less-pricey way for existing ranges to tech out and compete with physical Topgolf-like facilities. If Mistwood’s venture proves successful, expect to see more openings like it.
The Links at Petco IS BACK
The Links at Petco Park, the original stadium golf experience, was back in downtown San Diego. It was the fourth year in a row for the event, which is hosted by Callaway Golf and the San Diego Padres. As part of the experience, golfers had the unique opportunity to take shots onto the playing field from various tees along an unrivaled, redesigned course within the ballpark.
The fully-immersive nine-hole course featured signature holes from years past at home plate and the roof of the Western Metal Supply Co. building. As part of the course layout configuration, participants were also able to tee off from underneath the National League’s largest video board screen in left field.
