PGA Tour pro teams with Strings Sports Brewery to open pickleball, golf, restaurant venue

Posted by Admin January 14, 2025 Golf

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A PGA Tour pro is teaming up with the owner of a popular Jacksonville microbrewery to open a 30,000-square-foot sports entertainment venue featuring tournament-caliber indoor pickleball courts, high-tech golf simulators, and a courtside gastropub.

Chipshot will be the first-of-its-kind venue in Northeast Florida when it opens this fall at 13164 Atlantic Blvd. near Hodges Boulevard, founder and owner Thomas Walsh told the Times-Union.

Walsh, ranked 431st in the Official World Golf Rankings, partnered with veteran restaurateur Scott Adeeb, owner of the popular Strings Sports Brewery, to establish the venue, described as “the ultimate adult playground where fun and entertainment meet.”

“It is a pickleball facility, but we really want it to be a place where people come, hang out and enjoy themselves. Not just come there and play pickleball,” Walsh said.

Chipshot is taking over the storefront formerly used by Bailey’s Health & Fitness facility, next to Turner Ace Hardware in the Publix-anchored Harbour Place shopping center. Walsh expects renovation of the building to begin soon.

Inspiration for Chipshot, Walsh said, came from his travels as a professional golfer across the country and around the world. He noticed small communities “had really cool entertainment spots, especially with much worse weather like some of our competitors.”

“I just thought Jacksonville has a great population, great weather … but why don’t we have a great entertainment spot?” said Walsh, who brought the concept back to Jacksonville about three years ago and started pitching it.

Walsh said Chipshot not only will complement Jacksonville but also will fill an entertainment void for “sports addicts” like himself and his wife, Holly, who don’t want to go to bars to watch football and other games.

“I didn’t think Jacksonville had a great price point for people who were between 25 and 40 who are not joining these really elaborate country clubs for places to hang out that are upscale and nice. You know, where you can be entertained and feel like you are kind of in that club setting with nice facilities and not have to pay these crazy initiation fees,” Walsh said.

He said although people welcomed the idea, their biggest question was about the restaurant because the right restaurant is vital to a venue.

Walsh then met Adeeb who owns Strings where his sons Colby and Trevor are its brewers. The Adeeb family ― Scott and his brothers Joe and Barry ― are well-known, longtime Jacksonville restaurateurs.

A sports enthusiast like Walsh, Scott Adeeb partnered with him on Chipshot as the location of the third Strings Sports Brewery.

Chipshot features 8 indoor pickleball courts, 4 golf simulators

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States with 13.6 million players nationwide in 2023, reported USA Pickleball, citing the 2024 Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) Topline Participation Report.

Eight indoor pickleball courts, including five designed to tournament specifications, will be Chipshot’s centerpiece. Players of all skill levels — from first-time casual players to serious athletes — will be welcome, Walsh said.

He said pickleball court rental will be “between $30 to $50 depending on the day of week and peak hours.”

Chipshot also will feature four Trackman simulators for golfers. In addition, there will be two basketball goals as well as a variety of casual and outdoor yard games such as ping pong, cornhole and giant Jenga.

A 200-inch LED TV wall along with 25 high-definition televisions will be positioned so everyone has a good view of their favorite game or competition.

Chipshot also will offer two dedicated corporate spaces to accommodate groups and private events.

Memberships also will be available for individuals, couples and families at prices depending on the activities, according to the Chipshot website. Membership, though, isn’t required.

“It’s open to everybody and that’s the great thing,” said Walsh, noting they are targeting other potential sites in Jacksonville and elsewhere for future Chipshot locations.

“Jacksonville is going to be our first place because I want to invest and show how important the community has been to me and how much I appreciate the support they have given me in my career, but we are going to expand outside of Jacksonville,” he said.

22 craft beers on tap at Strings at Chipshot’s self-pour beer wall

Chipshot will be the third Strings Sports Brewery location.

“It is a perfect fit for our branding and sports-related,” Adeeb told the Times-Union.

It joins the original Strings at 1850 N. Main St. in historic Springfield which opened in June 2019. The second opened in late November at 1618 Penman Road in Jacksonville Beach.

Reflecting the philosophy of “Family. Beer. Sports,” Strings is known for its craft beer on tap, street fare menu featuring freshly made-to-order craft burgers, wings, sandwiches and salads as well as its warm family-friendly hospitality.

Along with offering its gastropub fare, Strings at Chipshot will feature a unique self-pour beer wall with 22 craft beers on tap. Strings and other local microbreweries will be featured.

Guests will control their pours via a special card, wristband or personalized QR code.

Adeeb said the food offered at Chipshot will be the same as at the other two Strings restaurants.

Customer favorites include:

Strings Double Burger ($15.98): Two six-ounce beef patties, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, and burger sauce on a Brioche bun
Jumbo BBQ Brisket Sandwich ($13.99): Barbecue brisket, pickles, pickled red onions and barbecue sauce on a Brioche bun
Marinated Chicken Sandwich ($12.99): Grilled chicken breast, teriyaki marinade, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle on a Brioche bun
10 Wings ($15.98): Sweet tea brined, house smoked then flash fried to order with a choice of sauce or dry rub and served with dipping sauce
Crispy Brussels Sprouts ($6.99): A half-order tossed with Teriyaki glaze, caramelized onions, feta cheese and walnuts

Walsh said they expect Chipshot’s hours will be from 6:30 a.m. or 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, and 6:30 a.m. or 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at tstepzinski@jacksonville.com.

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