TRANSCRIPT: Five Iron Golf opening in Downtown Syracuse this Winter
Alex Wojcik: A new business coming to downtown Syracuse is aiming to make golf a year-round sport and accessible for golfers of all handicaps. I spoke with the owners of the venue, ‘Five Iron Golf’, about what Central New Yorkers can expect when they open. Here’s the story.
As colder weather rolls into Syracuse, golf season is just about over for Central New Yorkers. But soon, inside the City Center in downtown Syracuse, the sounds of construction will be replaced by the sounds of drives, chips, and putts. This is the future home of Five Iron Golf, an 11,000-square-foot indoor golf and entertainment venue. Co-owner Drew Whiting tells me that the facility will be ready around the new year.
Drew Whiting: We are looking at December, January at the moment. We have, uh, been making good progress. We’re in construction. I think on track for a nice holiday season open.
Wojcik: The venue will feature high-tech TrackMan simulators, allowing golfers to play virtual rounds at championship courses around the world. However, co-owner Chase Rogan says you don’t need to be a pro to have a good time.
Chase Rogan: Within the golf simulators, there’s traditional golf courses for people who like playing traditional golf, but then there’s entertainment packages that are great for beginners, non-golfers. We’re also going to have four duckpin bowling lanes. And then we’re going to have some other table games. On top of that, we’re going to have a full bar and restaurant.
Wojcik: The project brings together several New York-based businesses. With Syracuse’s own Hayner Hoyt Corporation handling the buildout and Union Square Hospitality from New York City bringing in an upscale menu, it’s an addition that some Syracuse residents say is a much-needed boost for downtown.
Kevin Delaney: Because the weather’s not conducive right now to golf…and in the wintertime, we need some fun activities. This is going to be perfect. And it helps downtown Syracuse be even more more exciting how we’re growing.
Wojcik: So while local courses close for the season, Five Iron is just getting ready to tee off.
Five Iron says to keep an eye on their instagram @fiveirongolf for more information about memberships and booking events in the coming weeks.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – As colder weather settles into Central New York, the golf season is at its end. But a new business coming to the City Center is aiming to make golf a year-round sport in Syracuse and accessible for everyone to play.
Five Iron Golf, an 11,000-square-foot indoor golf and entertainment venue, is preparing to open its doors at 400 South Salina Street. The facility is currently an active construction site, but the owners are eyeing an opening date around the new year.
“We are looking at December, January at the moment,” said Drew Whiting, co-owner of the Syracuse franchise. “We have been making good progress. We’re in construction. I think on track for a nice holiday season open.”
The venue’s main draw will be its eight high-tech TrackMan golf simulators, which allow golfers to play virtual rounds on some of the most famous championship courses in the world.
However, co-owner Chase Rogan emphasized that you don’t need to be a serious golfer to have a good time.
“I think it’s as much an entertainment concept as it is golf,” Rogan said. “Within the golf simulators, there’s traditional golf courses for people who like playing traditional golf, but then there’s entertainment packages that are great for beginners, non-golfers, people who’ve never picked up a golf club before.”
To appeal to a wider audience, the venue will also feature four duckpin bowling lanes, table games, and a full bar and restaurant.
“You have a full cocktail menu, but you can also grab a Guinness on draft,” Rogan explained. “And then we have a wide-ranging, you know, upscale bar menu that you can grab a bite to eat.”
That menu will be driven by a major New York City partner Union Square Hospitality Group, the team behind Shake Shack. The project is also a collaboration with local businesses, including Syracuse’s own Hayner Hoyt Corporation, which owns the building and is managing the buildout.
For some local residents, the venue fills a much-needed gap in downtown entertainment, especially given Central New York’s long winters.
“Because the weather’s not conducive right now to golf… in the winter time, we need some fun activities,” said Syracuse resident Kevin Delaney. “This is going to be perfect. And it helps downtown Syracuse even more, more exciting how we’re growing, for sure.”
As local courses close for the season, Five Iron Golf is just getting ready to tee off, offering a new option for corporate events, parties, or just a way to swing a club when there’s snow on the ground.