Cheer up, year-round golf is here
No need to put away your clubs just because it’s winter
Tee time just got a little easier in the winter thanks to a new virtual golf facility in Spokane Valley.
Indoor Golf along Appleway near Barker Road opened Nov. 22 complete with two golf simulators and a driving range. Two golf professionals also are available for instruction and private lessons.
“I miss the game just as much as everyone else during the winter,” said owner Johnny Humphreys. “There’s this twitch (of the wrist) we get during the winter.”
So for the avid golfers who need to keep their game up to par year-round, or for those looking for instruction or some social golfing, or even for those who want to take their home video golfing up a notch or two, Indoor Golf could be the answer.
Golfers can choose from more than a dozen famous courses to play on the golf simulators and play 18 holes. Cost is $30 per hour. Cost for use of the driving range is $15 per hour or $10 for 30 minutes. A swing analysis system features digital video is available at the driving range.
For the virtual game, two high-definition screens of about 16-by-15 feet display the course and each shot. Golfers take aim from just a few feet away and swing their clubs just as hard as normal using an actual golf ball to make the shot. The large screen absorbs the impact and the ball drops to the ground. The computer software tracks and represents the entire shot, from impact to how the ball bounces visually on screen. In this way, the golfer has a detailed analysis of the entire flight of the ball. The virtual aspect is nearly immediate when displaying results, including speed and distance.
It was for the love of the game – and missing the game during the area’s long winters – that Humphreys, decided to open his business. The former CEO of Liberty Lake’s Itron Inc. said Indoor Golf is one of a kind for the Spokane area now and said many have missed the opportunity to golf locally indoors ever since the Four Seasons Golf Dome closed several years ago.
Humphreys purchased the property and remodeled the existing building that can accommodate 49 people. Food and beverages also are available at Indoor Golf, and tee times must be scheduled just like outdoor golf.