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Th ursday, November 16, 2017 • WATERLOO CHRONICLE • 17Serving your community since 1856 Located in the heart of Uptown Waterloo | www.luthervillage.org 141 Father David Bauer Dr. Waterloo Luther Village is excited to launch our all-inclusive secured Memory and Dementia Care floor. Call today to book a tour (519) 783-3710 Now Open! • Free Blood Glucose Monitor & Teaching • Free Blood Pressure Check • Compounding Friendly Professional Team... where your total health is our goal! hours Mon.-Fri. 9am-7pm • Sat. 9am-4pm 519-747-0320 373 Bridge St. Waterloo www.thpharmacy.com By Bob Vrbanac Chronicle Sta� As the winter chill sets in the idea of playing golf is becom-ing a happy memory. But a new indoor golf simulator is hoping to change the landscape for veteran golfers and those just getting into the game. And this isn't your same old golf simulator. GolfPlay Inc. at 4500 King St. S. is the latest in Korean golf tech- nology. Korea has become the home of cutting edge golf technology, and actually runs golf cafés where people can socialize in addition to playing the game. The country is so golf mad that their female golfers now dominate the women's pro tour, and the men aren't that far behind. So the simulators that Steve Harris, owner of GolfPlay Inc., brought over to Canada are the very best in the new technology including an automatic ball return system and a motorized floor board that can change the lie for golfers and simulate inclines and depressions. "I think veteran golfers will freak the � rst time they see that," said Har- ris. "That will change the way they play the game indoors. "This is really amazing technol- ogy out of Korea that o� ers all kinds of points of differentiation into the experience." But it's not just the veteran golfers that Harris wants to bring into his new facility that should open by the end of the year. In addition to the eight simulation bays, including a reserved area that can be used for private parties, he's also brought in a stone-baked pizza oven and is making the food and drink match the top notch experience. That's because in addition to the veteran golfer, he's looking to tap into the millennial market and give them another entertainment experience. People of any skill level can play, and with the game in decline with some of the younger crowd he wants to bring them back in with more of a fun experience. "I've been to golf simulators, and theses experiences are usually aimed at men, and the food is a secondary consideration since they're crammed into tight spaces," said Harris. "It's usually off the beaten track in an industrial park or a 'b-mall.' "So they aren't really geared toward women for starters and they don't really o� er a nice environment -- it's usually bare bones." He said some might be happy with that, but he wasn't and he saw a need in the golf community to present something di� erent. "I saw there was a gap in the mar- ket for simulated golf that could be an entry point for new golfers, millenni- als and others who have never tried the game and are intimidated by the game. "It can be intimidating to play the game if you didn't grow up playing it, and I wanted to break down some of that. I wanted to take away the whole reverential attitude of golf." Harris said you won't see pictures of golf greats on the wall. Instead it will be contemporary decor with leather couches and a cool vibe instead of club house constraints. "It will be upscale and we focus on good food with a chef and a great menu, craft beer and wine" he said. "It will have a nice roomy environ- ment, and even our golf bays are big- ger." As the girls and guys become more accustomed to the game, there will also be pros employed by GolfPlayInc. to provide lessons and tips, and analy- sis they can do of players swings. � ey are even thinking of adding a current to one of the bays so that play- ers can train in private so as to escape other people's critical gaze. Harris said they will reach out to corporations and others looking to do some team building. And since play- ing golf is still one of the languages of international commerce he said it will be great for local tech companies or other businesses looking to give their employees a leg up. But in the end the experience will be all about having some fun while playing golf and getting rid of the stiffness that seems to surround the game. "It's about making it a little less serious and putting a little more fun back into golf," said Harris. "That's why it's called Golf Play, because we're not trying to be stu� y or exclu- sive." For more information, and for GolfPlay's o� cial opening visit golf- play.ca. Changing the face of the game GolfPlay Inc. brings a di� erent kind of golf simulator experience to attract a younger crowd BUSINESS WATERLOO CHRONICLEWATERLOO CHRONICLE Changing the face of the game WATERLOO CHRONICLEWATERLOO CHRONICLEWATERLOO CHRONICLE BOB VRBANAC PHOTO Steve Harris, owner of GolfPlay Inc., is bringing a new golf simulator experience to the region that hopes to attract a crowd who want to have fun with the grand old game.