OLDSMAR — Korey Rogers knows it can be hard to sneak in a round of golf.
As a parent of young kids and now a business owner, the Oldsmar resident realizes how pressing time commitments and occasional inclement weather can limit golfing opportunities.
Enter Rogers’ Back Nine, at 3800 Tampa Road, Suite 120.
Offering a simulated golf experience indoors, the newly opened attraction allows golfers to improve their game, play full rounds and even host events, all with 24/7 access to three golf simulator bays.
“That was really one of the reasons behind me getting this place — that I have young kids and it’s tough to get on the course,” Rogers said. “Golf, out on the course, it can take over four hours to get in a round, and for people with lives and jobs and businesses and kids, it’s tough.
“(Back Nine) can be for people who even want to get out of the heat or rain, or maybe their home course was damaged by (the recent hurricanes).
“Here, you can play a full round of golf in less than an hour.”
At Back Nine — the local franchise of a nationwide chain — the golf bays use Trackman simulators, with each featuring software that includes nearly 300 courses to choose from. It features a local course: Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Golf Resort in Palm Harbor, home to the PGA Tour’s annual Valspar Championship.
Trackman also features a practice mode, games and a plethora of metrics to help a golfer of any skill level improve their swings. It uses a new AI called “Tracy” and can track just about every different angle, impact and speed of shot, club and golfer.
Rogers said the program can be customized to give each golfer a wide array of information — or just keep it simple.
“With the extended screens, it can take shot and swing analysis to a whole new level,” he said. “So, really, what you can do is while playing a round, you can see all of this in real time. That feedback can be so valuable to a golfer’s game. You can go way into the deep end (of the metrics available) or stick with basic simplification and find a way to improve your game and your shots.”
Back Nine also provides lessons from three coaches and is youth-golfer friendly, either for lessons or playing with an adult or parent. Tees can be adjusted down to youth length, while difficulties on the greens can also be adjusted from tour level to novice.
“This is very much family-friendly,” Rogers said. “This is a great way for youth golfers to develop their swings.”
Some of its members hold a golf “outing,” in which several families will rent out the bays, with adults playing golf (and watching other sports on the TVs) in one bay and the kids playing fun games in another.
Additionally, friends can play each other together, or even separately. One golfer can save his or her round, and the partner can come in and try to match it later on.
Either way, it’s all about trying to sneak in a round of golf.
“You really can get in more golf, more practice, more rounds this way,” Rogers said. “And even get feedback while doing it, possibly finding a solution to multiple, different golf scenarios while trying to improve (your game) or just play more.
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“It lets friends, couples, families, even people hosting clients play more and quicker, if you just don’t have time to get out on the course. Or it just helps you play better once on the course. It’s really for all and any golfers.”
Back Nine Oldsmar
Where: 3800 Tampa Road, Suite 120, Oldsmar
Details: Unlimited 24/7 access to three indoor golf simulators. Memberships begin at $200.
For more information, visit thebackninegolf.com/oldsmarfl.
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