WELLINGTON COUNTY听 鈥� The winter season is here,听 which means summer sports have been put on pause 鈥� or maybe they haven鈥檛.听
As of Dec. 12, a new golf simulator has made its way to Elora and is now open to the public.听
Colton Giddy and Dezmond Slocombe are two 21-year-old best friends who have been 鈥渄reaming of being entrepreneurs鈥� since their high school days.听
The friends opened Birdie Buddies Golf, an indoor golf simulator, hoping to give golf lovers in the community an outlet during the winter months.听
鈥淲e both grew a big passion for the sport of golf itself and with that we spent our winters at golf sims, and we spent our spring and summers at golf courses,鈥� Giddy told the Advertiser.听
He explained Elora never had a golf simulator and he knew of many people who wanted one closer.听
鈥淲e wanted to add to the community,鈥� he said.听
Birdie Buddies Golf includes a 24/7 private room with the simulator, a television, a speaker and a seating area.听
鈥淲e wanted it to be a hang out room as well,鈥� said Giddy.听
The reaction from the community has taken Giddy and Slocombe by surprise, as they had 15 bookings in within five days of opening.听
鈥淚n my eyes it鈥檚 been pretty wild. We got a lot more traction than we expected to right off the bat,鈥� said Giddy.听
As the simulator runs 24 hours, 365 days of the year, customers will need a booking code to enter the building, which is received upon payment. More instructions can be found on the website at .听
Birdie Buddies Golf is located at 6512 色控传媒Road 7 in Elora. Those interested can also view membership packages and gift certificates on the website.听
Grip and Rip in Drayton
Jason Jack fell into the simulator industry on a whim due to the confinement of the COVID-19 pandemic.听
One day while sitting on his couch isolating, he decided to turn an empty space in his building into a family-fun simulation experience.听
Jack owns the Drayton-based business Grip and Rip Simulators and has been operating since 2020.听
鈥淚 have always enjoyed the sport (of golf),鈥� said Jack. 鈥淚 thought what would make some good business and thought of a golf simulator.鈥�听
His original idea changed by the time the business launched, as Jack decided to open a multi-sport simulator private rental.听
鈥淚t gives more family options of different games to play,鈥� explained Jack.听
Guests can play an assortment of games such as golf, baseball, soccer, carnival, shooting, archery and hunting.听
As for business, Jack said, 鈥淪ummer is dreadfully slow and winter is time for people to come indoors.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e looking for things to do and obviously the holidays mean more family time (and) parents looking to entertain their children while they鈥檙e off school, so it tends to be a bit busier,鈥� he added.听
The winter season tends to get busier with the golf lovers as well. The golf simulator is complete with 50 different courses.
鈥淵ou can play all around the world,鈥� he said.听
Jack鈥檚 side project has been popular with the Drayton community and gains 鈥渕any great reviews.鈥�听
Grip and Rip is located at 25 Drayton Industrial Drive and is open from 6am to midnight听 every day of the week.听
鈥淚 just appreciate that the community supports it and I hope they have fun,鈥� added Jack.
鈥淥ne of the unique things about it would be that it鈥檚 self-serve so you have the whole unit to yourself or your group of people for the entire time.鈥�听
The rental costs $50 per听 hour with 鈥渦nlimited people within reason.鈥�听
