Looking for a place to play some golf, enjoy great food, and linger over cocktails? No, it’s not a country club, but a great alternative.
Office Golf, located in Bloomington, opened this past January and has all of these options and more. The founders, Ernie and Katie Rose, wanted an all-inclusive environment.
“This is a place where groups of people can come together, socialize, and spend hours enjoying a vast variety of amenities centered around food, beverages and golf,” says general manager, Chris Wilson. “But, even if you're not a golfer, you're still able to have the same level of enjoyment and hospitality experience across the board.”
Its technologically advanced indoor golf games are executed by 18 Trackman iO simulators, offering the look and feel of being on a real golf course. “It gives people the ability to do everything from playing over 200 national and international golf courses to really working on their skills and development,” he says.
One of its most popular courses is Interlachen, right here in Edina. “Being in Minnesota, where we only have anywhere from four to six months of good quality golf weather, this gives people the opportunity to keep their skills in check throughout the winter season.” It’s also a great choice during the hot summer months, and all year round.
For those who can no longer travel or walk a golf course, these simulated games provide the opportunity to still play anywhere they desire. It’s also a great alternative for children and beginners who may just want to play for fun or work on becoming proficient enough for a real course. The venue has over 30 sets of brand-name clubs on hand for customers’ use.
Golf is a very social game, and many important business deals have taken place on golf courses. “When you look at the last five years, one of the things that we identified is that the way we do business is shifting,” says Chris. “What people are looking for is an engaging and immersive way to do business, and that’s happening less in a suit or boardroom and more over a drink or a meal."
“So, we really wanted to offer an engaging opportunity for people to not only be able to get their work done in a space that is designed to cater to their needs from a working perspective, but to also provide the opportunity to entertain clients who want to come in to hit balls for half an hour and/or have lunch.” The club offers conference rooms and corporate spaces for all types of business meetings.
Office Golf is also a wonderful venue for team-building opportunities. Many employers are invested in keeping their employees happy and feeling valued. “An employer can say, ‘Hey, let's all get together, have some great food, a couple of drinks, and play some golf.’ It’s really nice from an employee perspective.
“A successful workspace is more than just four walls – a successful workspace is really an immersive experience where innovation meets leisure. We’re trying to redefine what the work-life balance is and making sure that people's business endeavors aren't just productive, but also enjoyable.”
The club has hosted everything from 15-person events to a hundred-person events. “We want to create strong, long-lasting relationships with both our vendors and our customers,” he says. “So, we're making sure we have someone available as the point of contact to really go that extra mile to ensure that their needs are being met.”
Its restaurant, The Board Room, offers delicious foods on its Sips and Swings menu. Right now, the selections include flavorful salads, handheld sandwiches and pizza, but down the road, there will also be what they call “approachable fine dining.”
“We have a really great culinary team right now, and within the next six to 18 months we’ll be expanding our culinary program. We have very good food at a reasonable price that is able to be shared and enjoyed by everyone.”
There are also three full-service bars, each with its own theme. “Our main bar offers really good classic cocktails whereas our speakeasy focuses a little bit more on craft cocktails, really making an immersive beverage experience,” says Chris.
“Being able to pair these three – simulated golf, wonderful food and interesting beverages - and execute them at a high level, is really important to us.” In addition to golf, there are billiards, darts, and ping pong to enjoy.
While the club does offer memberships, which include club storage, underground parking, invitations to the U.S. Open and Masters’ parties, and an hour of free simulator time each day, it’s also open to the public.
“One of the things that we really want to create is a vibrant and inclusive community,” he says. “Office Golf combines the elegance of a country club environment with the accessibility for a very diverse demographic. Being able to make it approachable, yet elevated in the sense that everyone who comes in feels like they’re stepping into their own private club, is the goal.”
7807 Creekridge Circle, Bloomington | OfficeGolf.com | 952-324-5236
