RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA – Mark Kostenbauer is serious about golf. He’s also serious about making golf fun. So when the owner of World Class Golf in Rapid City gets asked the most frequent question people unfamiliar with his business have — “Is this like the Nintendo Wii?” — he cracks a smile and explains that what he offers is much closer to the real thing.

Walk inside the Jackson Boulevard property, and the virtual reality is readily apparent. The main desk looks like a countertop one could find at a clubhouse, with snack opportunities behind. A couple of TVs and places to sit are scattered throughout the main area. There’s no pro shop, but the entire course is just a few steps away.

Kostenbauer’s facility has two alcoves set up with Full Swing Golf, a popular golf simulator that is used both as a recreational opportunity and an instructional tool for those looking to improve their swing or work on their game. The software is connected to a projector that relays images onto a large, padded screen. Golfers can take full swings with any of their clubs into a pair of invisible, infrared laser tracking curtains near the screen. The tracking system picks up data about a struck ball at two different points during its flight that translate the results to the computer screen, showing how far and in what direction the ball would travel.

“In an instant, the system gives you details about your launch angle, ball speed and spin as well,” Kostenbauer said. “To this day, it still amazes me.”

Another version of the simulator’s software is set up at a national sporting goods chain and provides a slew of numerical data that help individuals get fitted for clubs that match their unique swing. Even professionals, such as two-time PGA Tour champion Mark Wilson, use the system to practice their swing repetition if they are in weather conditions ill-suited for outdoor golf. In a climate like Rapid City’s, the prospect of indoor golf during the winter months excites both players who have used the technology before and those who are unfamiliar with it.

“It’s pretty realistic,” said Richard “Doc” Michel, who has used the system about once a week since November. “You can tell pretty easily whether you’re pushing or pulling, and how much. But for the most part, I think it just keeps your swing routine and your patterns down.”

Michel said the group he plays with especially likes the choice of courses available to players. Kostenbauer said there are 55 18-hole layouts to choose from, including the locations of two of the past three U.S. Opens. Only two of those 55 choices are fictional layouts, he said. In addition to the choice of courses, the software also comes with a driving range that goes into further swing analysis detail. There’s also an approach green and a practice chipping and putting area loaded into the program. “You can come in here and go through (each club in) your bag pretty quickly,” Kostenbauer said. “You can get a good idea how far you hit each club. And when you get outside you can use that information to choose the club that will get you over hazards.”

Michel and other players, such as Bill Casper, who said he’s been using the technology several times a week for two years, said the distance they hit their clubs indoors is slightly inflated compared to the outdoor game. The lies inside are nearly perfect every time from the fairway, and the artificial surface can reduce resistance when striking the golf ball. “Figuring out the approximate distance I hit my irons has really helped me when I go outside,” Casper said. “Most courses have a couple of yardage markers, but otherwise it’s a guessing game. (The software) gives you a good perspective from shorter distances and in.”

Although the possibility exists for local teaching professionals to use the simulator in their instruction, Kostenbauer said he hasn’t pressed the issue just yet.
“It’s not a runaway train,” he said. For now, he’s focused on attracting families and players to have as much fun as possible while there’s still a chill in the air. Kostenbauer said he knows nothing will replace golfing outside. His intention is to provide an entertainment opportunity that can have added benefits.

“It’s just another avenue to continue to play,” he said. “This is something that’s for everybody, from the beginner to the scratch golfer and people in-between. It fits everybody’s needs.”

Beyond the enjoyment, Casper said it’s the perfect way to get a golfer’s game in shape when spring arrives. “Especially in the wintertime, instead of letting your game sit there, get out here and play,” he said. “It can’t help but improve your game.”

Danny Lawhon, Journal staff