Would anyone join a golf specific gym ?

[HackerBill123]

I was wondering if anyone would join a gym that had enough equipment for both strength and cardio, but also had a chipping area, putting area and net with simulators. A place where you can combine fitness and golf training. One day stairclimber and chipping drills, and another day cable strength workout exercises and hit balls into a net, maybe a 15 to 30 minute circuit of everything cardio, strength, putting, chipping and full swings into nets. I think it would be a great place to combine two passions fitness and golf. I would love to have a place like that to train, why isn't there anything like that ? Oh, I live in Southern California so you can go to a driving range or play golf year round, but I still think a golf specific gym would have some members, what does the group think?

[iacas]

We have a fitness room at http://thegolfevolution.com/metro so… it's basically all of that, and we have quite a few members. A similar place is opening in South Africa soon, and we just entertained some of those folks to share with them what we know.

[RonTheSavage]

In a heartbeat. I wonder why this hasn't come up before.

[MPtheKid]

This sounds like a really good idea. It would actually be an ideal situation for me.

[dsc123]

Near here there's a place called club golf.  They have exercise classes and equipment, a big putting surface, lessons, an indoor sandtrap, hitting bays equipped with video cameras, 2-3 trackmans, etc.  They've even got this platform in one of the hitting bays that tilts so you can simulate uneven lies.   www.clubgolfmd.com

I got a groupon for a one month membership and swing evaluation once.  I just used it for the trackman hitting bays.

[shakogolfer78]

I had a place just like this open up about 15 minutes from my house.  It has chipping areas, putting green equipped with SAM puttlab, hitting bays with flight-scope, and a fully functional gym.  I think I have a coupon for a free month, so I might have to give it a try.  I think the cost of a membership is like $100/month to use everything.  I am still debating if I should switch from my gym to this setup.  The main thing holding me back is the price, and the fact that I have joined a run club and have really met some great people training for my first half marathon this summer.  Plus I have my dad at my current club to motivate me to get off my butt and workout.

I heard Totally Driven might want some part time help, so I might try to apply so I can use their facilities!

Here is the link to the place.  It is really something.  http://www.totallydriven.com/index.php

[ctcampbell]

There is one of these in Central London, but it's way too expensive.

[David in FL]

We have a fitness room at http://thegolfevolution.com/metro so… it's basically all of that, and we have quite a few members. A similar place is opening in South Africa soon, and we just entertained some of those folks to share with them what we know.

Sounds very cool!

[SloverUT]

Yes, we have one of these in Knoxville.  On the other side of town from me so I haven't joined but it seems like a great place.

http://www.fairwaysandgreens.org/

[barrie2985]

I've just started a thread on a similar subject what are people thoughts on golf specific personal trainers based at driving ranges

[CoachinPA]

I tried this once. It was interesting, only problem was it was so expensive. If I remember correctly it was over a thousand dollars for like 12 sessions with the trainers and you could show up and hit into a net if you wanted to also. Crazy, might have even been over 2 grand actually.

[nychack]

there is one here in ny drive 495 http://www.driveclubs.com/

[LionWoods]

I think it's a cool idea, as do a lot of people that probably frequent golf forums.  But I'm not sure how big the market is for people that would actually pay for it.  Even your standard big name globo gym with the market of the entire population has a tough time staying open.  That being said, it is a good niche.  I'd like to see what happens.

[rehmwa]

I can work out at home or at the gym at work..

Joining a golfing setup (range, chipping, putting, lessons, trackman) is the draw for me and I've joined a local indoor place here.  It was a bonus to have some workout equipment there, but I don't see a lot of usage at all there by anybody.  Adding gym equipment was not a part of the decision at all.  They'd have done better to put some nice furniture by the bigscreens for watching big golf events.  (However, a lot of golfers are not super fit, so having even a mediocre gym setup would be great for so many that wouldn't bother otherwise....)

Now that winter is over, what I'd like better is if our indoor place could find an agreement with a local outdoor range so when the weather is nice I could have an outdoor option at no extra cost.  Much better than a sparse dumbell rack and a few cardio stations.

I'd say it would be nice to generate a set of perks that a good business to offer and see who likes what - the one I'm at has a lot of these (most) and it's a very good draw for business especially in the winter

• Indoor range must have at least 30 yards of flight or more before backstop
• better golf balls than just normal 'range' types - especially in the short game areas
• vertical and horizontal and point targets
• offer unlimited memberships as well as visit options
• chipping and pitching area separate
• sand bunker
• putting green options (flat and contoured be separate greens)
• lots of learning tools available
• gear store
• gear servicing
• clinics on gear building and maintenance
• kids programs
• snacks, drinks
• bar
• lounge and bigscreens
• trackman's
• pro's and lessons
• bathrooms
• drills and contests
• outdoor options
• discounts on equipment and local golf
• good website
• referral credits
• exercise/fitness area

There's quite a few place like this.  the question is which of these options are available, if, if offered, which are just sloppily done and which do they take seriously to provide nice.  cost, access, etc.

and then the importance of the friendliness, knowledge and availability of staff is even more important

[robrey85]

I would love to join something like that. It would beat going to my Anytime Fitness down the street.