NEW LENOX, IL — Four friends have melded minds—and passions—to tee up an indoor recreation spot opening soon in New Lenox.
Kate and Tony Koch, with friends Heather and Tom Wallerstedt, can’t wait to swing open the door on their business Country Club Social—a family-friendly business featuring golf (and multi-sport) simulators, ping pong, interactive darts, and food and drink.
The women can admit it was a concept inspired, in large part, by their husbands—and their time-consuming hobby.
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“Every wife that’s married to a husband that golfs, this is a happy medium,” Koch said. “They won’t be gone eight hours on a Sunday.”
Courtesy of Bob Pearson
Country Club Social, located at 2465 E. Joliet Hwy., might not have the actual fairways golfers like to hit, but the multi-purpose space features something a golf course might lack—versatility.
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“Obviously, we want something fun for kids,” Wallerstedt said.
“We are locals, that are family friendly people, we just wanted a space for people to come enjoy, and give back to the community. And in the wintertime, give our kids something to do.
“It kind of snowballed from there. We started making a dream, then we brought on Tony and Kate.”
Heather and Tom Wallerstedt lived in Mokena before moving to New Lenox; Tony and Kate Koch live in Manhattan. Wallerstedt is a physical therapy assistant; Koch is an assistant superintendent in Lemont District 113A. Tony Koch and Tom Wallerstedt have worked together as pipefitters for 20 years.
Courtesy of Bob Pearson
“Everyone has their own talents that they brought in,” Wallerstedt said, “so it truly has been a teamwork approach.”
Step inside the New Lenox spot to a cozy setting with plush, rich leather couches, and a bar—a hint of country club luxury tucked into a suburban strip mall.
The simulator bays are large, able to accommodate 8–10 people each.
“We stuck with three, so we could make them as big as possible,” said Koch. “That was important for a family feel.”
Customers will be able to kick back and order food remotely from nearby North & Maple, just down the sidewalk in the same strip mall.
“North & Maple has been wonderful,” Wallerstedt said. “All customers will have to do is scan the QR code, order, and runners will bring the food down.”
Courtesy of Bob Pearson
The drink menu is streamlined, focused on simplicity.
“We wanted it to focus on efficiency,” Koch said. “Drinks are cans and bottles, few cocktails—2-3 signature drinks, to make sure the quality is consistent across the board.”
They’ll also feature Prime buckets for kids’ birthdays, and adult cocktails will be golf-themed.
They also selected an organic, single-serve wine option in Wander + Ivy.
“We’re really focusing on quality of products,” Koch said. “We really found our niche with the wine, as well.”
Courtesy of Bob Pearson
They’ll offer leagues that enable groups of friends to enjoy the fun and competition of weekly play, with an entire bay reserved for their group.
The space is also available for booking for private events.
“Hosting your next event at our golf simulator venue is the perfect way to combine fun, competition, and a relaxed social atmosphere,” the website reads.
Booking options extended to singular golf, dart or ping-pong as well as combination of multi-sport reservations.
“Whether it’s a birthday party, corporate outing, team-building event, or just a get-together with friends, our state-of-the-art simulators, interactive dart bays and ping pong areas with customizable packages make planning easy and enjoyable.”
Monthly memberships are also available for $40. Members save $10 every time they golf, and $5 off every time they play darts. There are no initiation fees, no contracts, and members can cancel at any time. Find out more online.
The owners are planning on a Friday, Dec. 19 grand opening, and are currently accepting reservations for holiday parties, corporate events, and birthday parties. Gift cards are also available for purchase online.
Koch said they’re eager to show the community what they’ve been working on. You can follow them on Facebook for the latest updates.
“Reaching this final stretch is a mix of relief, excitement, and gratitude,” she said. “We’re built on big dreams and bigger support from this community, now it’s time to bring the fun to life.”
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