The idea struck Dave Shultz while he ate breakfast at home, so he grabbed a napkin and sketched out a design.
Since that evening 16 months ago, Shultz quit his job as a global engineer at General Electric to devote his energy to REALiTEE Golf, a proposed indoor golf complex that integrates golf on simulators with “live play” on approach, bunker and green areas.
As an avid golfer, Shultz recognized the pitfalls that have stagnated the growth of the game and wanted to do something about it.
“Golf takes too long to play. Golf is difficult. It’s too expensive and you can play only during daylight,” Shultz said. “In order to grow the game, you need a next generation idea that overcomes all of those obstacles.”
Operating from an office in Anaheim, Shultz has raised more than $800,000 to develop the first REALiTEE Golf complex, which will require 100,000 square feet of space and $30 million to build. In addition to the golf facilities, the complex will include a restaurant/sports bar area, retail shops and room for a pro shop and club fitting areas.
“You look at a bowling alley where most people participate not as serious bowlers. They’re there to enjoy leisure time with family and friends,” Schultz said as a comparison to what his concept entails. “But they also cater to the serious bowler with leagues and tournaments. It’s the same with REALiTEE Golf.”
Inside the REALiTEE facility will be 12 golf simulators, where participants can hit drives and subsequent shots onto the green or a maximum of 40 yards from the hole. From that point, players transition to the authentic pitch and putt area on artificial turf, with slopes, hazards and greens with 18 flagsticks. Lasers mounted on the ceiling direct players to the location of their ball once they leave the simulator.
“You can play one hole or you can play 18. You can play three holes, stop and have a meal, and then resume,” Schultz said. “Or you can play three holes, leave and come back two weeks later and pick up where you left off. Flexibility into how much time you want to spend at REALiTEE Golf is the bedrock of the experience.”
So is technology, as smart watches with REALiTEE’s software are given to players to guide them through their golf experience. The program has features such as the ability to join other friends or groups, order food and keep their scores. If you’re golfing solo, you can invite a stranger to play a hole with you.
“Golf is very social. This is like 5-minute dating. You can hook up for a hole and, if you connect, keep playing. If not, you can go on you own way,” Shultz said. “It’s also perfect for corporate outings. People aren’t locked into playing 18 holes or just one foursome.”
Shultz is mindful of the beginning golfer or player who doesn’t practice often and has incorporated playing aides into the simulators.
“Just like bowling alleys put bumpers in the gutters so you don’t roll a gutter ball, we can put bumper walls on each side of the fairway in the simulator,” he said. “Your ball hits the wall and ricochets back into the fairway. The game remains fun and less frustrating.”
At the other end of the spectrum, making the simulator more of a challenge for low-handicap players is also possible. No matter your skill level or free time parameters, however, Shultz envisions the complex operating from 5 a.m. to midnight. That would work for people who have odd work hours or for others in the golf business.
“In cold or bad weather locations, high school and university golf programs could rent the facility for early morning workouts,” he said. “Golf instructors could use the complex during the day, and evening hours probably would attract your leisure and family group players.”
Shultz has talked with some of the top names in the golf industry and is partnering with Robert Trent Jones Jr., who has agreed to design the pitch and putt play areas. Shultz also said he has interest from the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, the European Tour and sports marketer IMG.
“All these groups want to see this happen. They clearly get it,” he said. “We’re scouting locations right now. I’ve even had interest from Dubai. Once the first one is operating, it’s going to take off.”
