Yankee Trace adds $50,000, state-of-the-art simulators
Devices touted as ideal for golfers of all skill levels.
CENTERVILLE — The Golf Club at Yankee Trace is going high tech this year with two new amenities. The club has transformed the tornado shelter located in the lower level of the clubhouse into the SIMS Golf Studio with three state-ofthe-art $50,000 golf simulators and will also be adding something special for those who want to listen to music and sports while they hit the course.
Yankee Trace PGA pro Steve Marino explained that the golf simulators are ideal for people who have never played the game, beginners, intermediate and advanced golfers and for professional golfers who use them to fine tune swing mechanics.
Each simulator costs around $50,000 and will add state-of-the art features that can be used year-round.
“These machines are not video games, they are equipped with advanced technology to capture the path of a golf club and the flight of a golf ball to measure the distances you would produce outside playing on a real golf course,” Marino said.
Golf simulators have been around for years, but the technological advancements made recently have taken them to a whole new level, according to Marino, and now they are the closest thing to playing golf on a real course.
“Simulators are not just for an entertaining round of golf, they are now the go-to method for accurate club-fitting and game improvement with state-of-the-art instruction,” Marino said. “Not to mention juniors just discovering the game are building sound, functional golf swings on simulators long before hitting their first drive down the fairway on a real golf course.”
Marino likes the fact that the simulators can help Yankee Trace offer something that adds value immediately, but also supports the golf course in the future.
“There is no doubt that golf simulators will play an integral part of golf ’s future as more and more golfers and non-golfers experience the power of simulated golf,” he said. “They are already the best devices to learn how to get a golf ball airborne consistently and the data they capture and record is invaluable if your goal is to a be single-digit or scratch golfer.”
Golf simulators are reserved by the hour. On weekdays, the simulator fee is $33 per hour, but Friday that goes to $36, and Saturday and Sunday the cost is $39 per hour. The rate reflects the price of the bay rental time, regardless of number of golfers.
A session can be as short as one hour or as long as four hours. On average it takes about 45 minutes for one person to play 18 holes.
“To make sure you make it to the 18th green, we suggest allotting one hour per player,” Marino said. “Therefore, two players will need two hours, three players will need three hours.”
In April, Yankee Trace will introduce a brand new golf cart fleet equipped with streaming music, live sports feeds and news wires. Marino said both of the upgrades — the simulators and golf car fleet — will “provide a modern twist and high tech boost” to the business.
“We are all excited about the new items coming out to Yankee Trace,” Centerville City Manager Wayne Davis said.