Rio Wilkie and Thornhill company PGT Group are bringing a big piece of South Korean culture into Newmarket.
Indoor, simulated golf courses are plentiful in the country, Wilkie said, without much space available for sprawling golf courses as in Canada.
With Newmarket having plenty of golf courses in the area, Wilkie said it was a logical pick for a site for a new simulated golf facility.
“If you want to keep practising in fall, especially wintertime, they need something. Driving ranges only go so far,” he said. “We figured we might as well have a nice, comfy, convenient location. Have a nice drink, have a bite and practise.”
Buddy Plus indoor golf club has opened in Newmarket at 17310 Yonge St. The virtual golf facility allows golfers to work on their game with specialized systems and projectors. The facility features open bays, private rooms and a counter space where participants can grab a snack.
Newmarket is the first location for the company, though the website indicates more franchises are planned. Wilkie, a project co-ordinator with PGT Group, said the company has a deal to license the namesake Buddy Plus machines from Korea and is the first business to bring them from Korea to Canada.
“Indoor golf, in particular, is quite big in Korea,” he said, adding that the owners of PGT Group are all avid golfers. “It seemed like a very good market.”
The business hopes to offer a few things that other golf simulator ones do not, Wilkie said. That includes a mixture of private rooms and open bays, a snack offering and automated teeing system.
“We have (automated tees) set up for every single one of our machines, and the convenience that actually gives our customers is considerable,” he said.
Wilkie is a Toronto native hailing from Alberta, where he said he had golfers in his family. Helping run this new enterprise for his company is a way for him to potentially improve his game, he said.
“It was kind of a good opportunity to get a little bit of lessons, a little bit of instruction,” he said. “There’s been a good opportunity to learn and observe.”
Indoor golf simulators give golfers a great chance to hone their game, Wilkie said, with simulators able to precisely track your swing and give you information about it.
“It’s good for really dialling in that fine-tuned nature of your shot. Figure out where you need to go to get the most out of every single shot,” he said. “If you’re just an amateur, it is a good way to start practising, start building up your confidence.”
The store is open, but Wilkie said they plan to have a grand opening celebration at the end of August, including a $1,000 longest drive competition.
“We’re happy to be open and part of the Newmarket community and hope to see folks around.”
You can find more information at buddyplus.ca.
