On a mid-April day, it’s 50 degrees and raining outside, and suddenly it’s easy to remember why spring can be painful for New England golfers. But on that same day, duffers in Middleton are battling the trees and the pine needles on Augusta National’s famed 13th “Azalea” hole—inside. Welcome to the OptiGolf experience.
Since opening in October 2011, the 7,000-square-foot facility along Route 114 in Middleton has offered North Shore golfers the chance to play their favorite courses without actually hitting the links.
“We like to think of it as indoor golf, not just a simulator,” says General Manager Caleb Reinhold. OptiGolf delivers on that promise. Golfers tee it up before nine wall-size monitors that replicate 75 of the best courses in the world. From there, participants just treat it like a regular round of golf. A solidly struck drive travels down the center of the fairway just like you expect it would. (Yes, you can indeed hit your ball off a tree indoors.) You can even putt, as the computer takes into account the break and speed of the green.
Add an ice-cold beer and it’s your ideal day on the golf course. Happily, OptiGolf offers that, too: There’s a fully stocked bar, along with pizzas, subs, and wraps from nearby Sal’s Pizza. Reinhold isn’t just operating a golf school; he wants people to come in and watch the Red Sox, but also play 18 holes along the way. As he says, OptiGolf is “a sports bar with a golf spin.”
If you need a little help ironing out that slice, then OptiGolf is ready to step in. The shop offers individual lessons with PGA pros from the area. They use video technology to break down your swing piece by piece, looking at everything from your hips to the angle of your club head. OptiGolf also offers free one-hour clinics every Wednesday. There’s no pressure to buy a round, but if you do, then the typical $22 fee for nine holes is discounted. But even without that clinic discount, OptiGolf is still an affordable experience: A full 18-hole round will set you back $40. That’s comparable to most public courses in the region.
Reinhold says it’s the perfect way to work on your game, adding, “There’s no pressure. No one’s walking by on the range to see you.” An added perk: You don’t have to worry about losing any balls. middleton.optigolfcenters.com.