Indoor golf center swings into action in St. Joseph

The chill in the air doesn't have to mean it's time to put the golf clubs away now that SWM Indoor Golf has gone into business.

The recreation center which owners describe as the area's first indoor golf center officially opens Oct. 17. From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. that day golfers of all levels will be able to compete for prizes in a series of challenges such as closest-to-pin, long drive, putting, and bunker shot.

SWM Indoor Golf  at 600 Langley Avenue in St. Joseph offers 2,700 square feet  state-of-the-art golf simulators where golfers of all ages can play a round of golf or work on their swing on the virtual driving range.

Richard Askren and Michael Alexander, both from Coloma, and avid golfers, developed the idea for their new business several years ago. They wanted to create a facility where golfers could play the game all year long, but Askren and Alexander were not sure how to go about making it happen.

They turned to Cornerstone Alliance for assistance. "We knew that our idea was a good one, but weren’t completely certain on how to implement the logistics to make it happen; they were such a great resource, and this experience would have been much more difficult without their expertise and guidance," says Askren.

Plans for leagues and lessons are in the works. So are plans offer a portable golf simulator for rent to be used off site.

Golfers will be able to reserve time on the simulators to play a round of virtual golf or practice their swing beginning Oct. 19.

"Golf is such a popular sport, and with so many great courses in our area, we wanted to develop a space where golfers of all skill levels could hone their game throughout the year, and not have to risk losing momentum due to our sometimes long and cold winters," says Askren.

Source: Susan Cox, Cornerstone Alliance