By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
Golf Shack, a new golf simulator business in Tontogany, lets golfers of any age and ability take a swing at Pebble Beach, Augusta National, home of the Masters Tournament, or one of nearly 2,000 golf courses across the globe without a passport.
Lane. Lee, a lifelong golfer and Tontogany resident, has built a little piece of heaven for golfers who want to golf year-round or who prefer to squeeze in a full golf game in 45 minutes rather than hours.
“This is for the golfer that’s busy, who wants to run out after work and knock out a round really quick,” Lee said. “Compared to a traditional four-hour round of golf, the speed and convenience of the Golf Shack is great for people who have limited time.”
Lee, who worked for 20 years as a web designer before he flipped houses for several years, was ready to try something new.
“I never had an idea to do this, but my back was starting to tell me maybe it’s time to slow down on the building stuff,” he said.
A love for the game, which came from eight years of team play in high school and college and “tons of great memories” playing golf with his dad for nearly 30 years, provided the “why” for the business.
“I was ready to maybe try something new. We had friends that had a neighbor who had a simulator. I tried it out, and I thought maybe it could work for me,” he said.
His last flip was to turn a workshop filled to the rafters with dirt, dust, building supplies and miscellaneous items into the Golf Shack. He cleaned it out and created the space that includes a 16 ‘ x 10’ golf simulator with 4K Ultra graphics, a 30 ‘x 15 ‘putting and chipping green, a golf workout area, lounge and big-screen TV for watching sports.
The business was designed to appeal to a broad audience, Lee said. In addition to golfers who want to play in cold or bad weather, casual golfers, or those who are busy, he also hopes the facility attracts young players or local golf teams who need a practice venue.
He plans to offer winter leagues and and junior camps. As a youth coach, whose Red Team recently won the First Tee-Lake Erie league and championship, Lee will offer junior camps for youth. He also plans to start men’s and women’s leagues.
With a business model built on affordability, competitive hourly rates, the ease of online booking, and the sale of reasonably priced used golf clubs, his goal is to make the sport more accessible.
The golf simulator is also a training tool that provides precise metrics on swing speed, ball speed and distance, “which you don’t get at a driving range,” he said.
Instead, golfers can pick their course, whether it is Muirfield in Ohio, Tobacco Road in North Carolina or Jack’s Point in New Zealand.
The simulator also has some fun courses, geared at younger golfers. There is a Jurassic Park version, where golfers must shoot over a dinosaur who pops up, or a Minecraft-like course that features tunnels to the holes. Teens might choose
“I’ll probably never get to play Augusta National in person, so this is as close as I will get,” he said.
Because he understands that “I’m out here a-ways,” his pricing strategy is designed to be competitive to attract customers from nearby towns.
Weekday simulator rental, Wednesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., is $35 per hour and can be used by up to four people. Putting on the GS Laser putting green is free before or after golfing on the simulator.
Lee offers a “single golfer” one-hour weekday package during regular hours on Wednesday and Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday for $25.
Weekend rates are $45 per hour. Weekend hours are Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
A “members only” option is available on Tuesday and after hours for up to four people for $25 per hour. For the “members only” package, golfers are eligible to become members after playing at least three rounds of golf at the Golf Shack, obtaining approval from the owner, and being willing to operate the simulator themselves, because there is no staffing during those hours.
He offers golf lessons for $50 per hour, but “bring a friend and you can split the cost,” Lee suggested. Gift cards are also available online.
The Golf Shack at 18550 Washington St., Tontogany.
The Golf Shack at 18550 Washington St., Tontogany, sits off the street a little bit; the driveway is immediately west of the railroad tracks.
For more information and to book online, visit https://golfshackohio.com/.
