X-Golf Bel Air makes golf a year-round activity
The weather outside is frightful, with clumps of snow falling at the rate of about an inch per hour. But at X-Golf in Bel Air, linksmen in short sleeves are working on their swings, as comfortable as if it were a sunny day in June.
The new franchise opened in November to give golfers a chance to practice when the calendar and elements don’t cooperate.
“You cannot golf outside when it is cold or snowy or dark,” said Justin Bongiorno, who co-owns the 5,000-square-foot facility with golf pro Mike Murphy and pub owner Matt Remsnyder. “But with indoor golf, you can play year-round.”
The facilities consist of a half-dozen bays with backdrops showing different courses and obstacles on which golfers can test their skills. Once customers press a button, out rolls a golf ball that tees up automatically. Hit the ball hard enough to smack the screen, and dozens of overhead cameras and sensors provide feedback on everything from the path of the club, the club face orientation, the ball speed, backspin and more.
The owners are proud of their golf simulators, which Bongiorno describes as “the most advanced and accurate golf simulator in the world,” and that their facility is affiliated with the PGA of America.
Another advantage: golfers don’t have to bring balls, or chase the ball all over the bay once they have struck it.
Bongiorno said that indoor golf facilities have existed in the U.S. for about two decades, but began to really take off during the pandemic when a dramatic surge of outdoor golfers made getting a tee time difficult.
“For a long time, golf offered only one flavor,” Murphy said.
“You can spend six hours on a weekend playing 18 holes of golf, and then your wife yells at you. But in Japan, indoor golf is pretty much all they do. It’s a technology-driven culture. They have a large population and not a lot of space for outdoor golf courses.”
Remsnyder, who owns Harford County staple Sean Bolan’s Irish Pub, is in charge of replicating the 19th hole experience at X-Golf. Golfers can order drinks from the full bar as well as such typical pub grub as crab rangoon, egg rolls, chicken tenders and dessert.
The owners said they’re aiming to build a golfing community at X-Golf. Customers can take lessons from club pro Zach Billings, attend golf clinics in the summer, and participate in leagues and tournament competitions during the school year. This winter, leagues operate three nights a week, but Bongiorno expects that to grow to five nights a week next year.
\\\\\\XGolf Bel Air is an indoor golf simulator in the Festival shopping center. (Lloyd Fox/Staff photo)An X-Golf franchise owned by other businessmen has opened in Pasadena, and later this year, other franchises are set to open in Annapolis, Eldersburg and Frederick. But Bongiorno, Murphy and Remsnyder are looking into opening a second location in White Marsh.
“We hope to use this facility to support the community any way we can through golf,” Murphy said.
X-Golf Bel Air, 5 Bel Air S. Pkwy. is open daily. Prices range from $50 to rent a bay for an hour to $500 for an annual membership. For details, visit https://xgolfbelair.com or call 443-587-4927.