But thanks to high-tech space heaters you wouldn't have known it was that cold standing at the open-air tees at TopGolf — a sporting, entertainment and dining attraction in West Chester Twp.
More than a dozen golfers were happily smacking drives high into the snowflakes Thursday afternoon at the popular Butler County golf facility located just off Interstate 75 that proudly boasts of being open every day of the year — regardless of the weather.
“We’re open year around and we have three rows of heaters in each of our (golfing) bays,” said Annie Winegardner, marketing manager of TopGolf, which is the first of its kind facility in this region.
“We’re keeping it approximately 20 degrees warmer than the outside temperature” and requiring only a “light jacket,” said Winegardner, for golfers wanting some winter-time work on their swings.
It can be a little tough eye-balling your majestic drives as the white golf balls vanish eventually into distant falling flakes, but Top Flight’s balls feature microchips that give golfers exact length in yards their shots travel.
“I have never played golf in the snow before, it’s pretty cool,” said Taylor Jones, a senior at the University of Dayton who took one of her holiday break days to tune up her swing.
“I like the change of scenery and you don’t really feel cold because they have heaters up and it’s kind of nice. It’s kind of hard to see your ball so it’s nice with the technology and everything to know how far you hit it and what target you hit it at,” said Jones.
A few golfing bays away on the second-story of the massive three-deck facility, which is easily visible from Interstate 75 at the Union Centre Blvd interchange, Cody Shannon of Liberty Twp. strikes some drives high and true into the whiteness.
“I’ve never played golf in the snow but it’s quite a good time,” said the University of Cincinnati student. “Everyone is having a good time and it’s staying warm out here. It’s the first time I’ve been here and it’s really fun.”
Since it opened in July, that’s TopGolf’s main goal.
The 64,232-square-foot facility is the 27th opened nationwide and the first in Ohio. It features 102 climate-controlled hitting bays that are able to host up to six players at one time.
TopGolf's regional appeal is linked to its state-of-the-art technology in a social, scenic atmosphere. Guests rack up points by hitting microchip-embedded golf balls into one of 11 colorful, illuminated target areas from 20 to 240 yards on the outfield.
Golf isn’t the only thing available at the new attraction. There are 230 high-definition flatscreen TVs and an extensive food and beverage menu as well as private event space, pool tables, a shuffleboard table, foosball and fire pits.
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