“This 18,000 m2 centre of excellence for golf will be the ultimate indoor golf experience” says Jon Standing, CEO of Indoor Golf Project, the Dutch company developing Indoor Golf Arena®. “It offers state of the art, weather independent, recreational and professional training facilities, for both professional players as well as for those who are relatively new to the game of golf. We are currently involved in advanced talks and negotiations with a number of local councils regarding Indoor Golf Arena’s future place of business. There is also interest in establishing Indoor Golf Arena® abroad”, according to Standing.
The concept
The Indoor Golf Arena® concept incorporates 14,000 m2 artificial grass golf practice facilities by Southwest Greens®, designed by Nicklaus Design®. A wide range of putting – and chipping greens, bunkers and water hazards will offer ample possibilities to practice the short game from every angle. Furthermore, Indoor Golf Arena® includes 20 golf simulators by ProTee United, which offer a wide choice of national and international golf courses, as well as a driving range with high-tech swing analysis equipment. Indoor Golf Arena® also comprises top quality catering and business to business facilities, a golf shop of over 1,000 m2, a wellness centre with sauna and spa, a 4-star hotel and extensive office space. As architect of Indoor Golf Arena®, the services of Zwarts & Jansma Architects have been acquired. “We expect Indoor Golf Arena® to draw 150,000 visitors per year”, says Standing. “Eventually, the Indoor Golf Project management aims to build 8 to 10 Indoor Golf Arena’s® worldwide. In addition, approximately 250 smaller satellite versions of Indoor Golf Arena® will operate under exclusive Indoor Golf Arena® licence and support the worldwide Indoor Golf Arena® concept. For both domestic and foreign investors this project offers unique opportunities to invest in the fast growing market of Indoor Golf”.
PGA Europe and NGF
The Professional Golfers Association Europe (PGAE) supports the initiative to develop Indoor Golf Arena®. Discussions have commenced, subject to completion of successful negotiations, for Indoor Golf Arena® to become a Regional Education Centre and Training Academy for the PGAE. The Dutch Golf Federation (NGF) is following the development of Indoor Golf Arena® with interest.
Fastest growing sport in The Netherlands
Golf in The Netherlands has experienced an enormous growth which is unrivalled by any other Dutch line of business. At the moment there are over 300,000 golfers in the Netherlands, a number that is increasing by 20,000 players per year (source: NGF). In addition, golf is more and more becoming part of a total life style experience (“Golf is Life”). Golf is “hot”, and its growth not only leads to an increased demand for golf facilities in or near large cities, but also to a need for compact, highend golf facilities where the time consuming factors of the game of golf are less prominent. As a result also, the development of compact, 9-hole, par 3 golf courses is on the increase. These offer the character and ambiance of a full 18-hole golf course and large greens with the length of the longest hole typically around 140 metres and are therefore very suitable to train the important short game, even for the more experienced golfer. An indoor short game centre of excellence, as Indoor Golf Arena® is also intended to be, anticipates this development.
