THUNDER BAY – What’s a Thunder Bay golfer to do through the city’s long winter months? Local entrepreneur Chris Ferguson has one answer that’s proving popular with locals.
Ferguson is the president of On The Links, a virtual golf and sports bar that opened just over a month ago. The bar offers four advanced golf simulators that give golfers a number of statistics on each shot they take. The systems allow participants to simulate playing classic courses like Pebble Beach or Augusta National, or try games intended to build technical skills.
“I don’t want to say that it is the real thing, because it’s not,” concedes Ferguson. “But I like to say that it’s the next best thing.”
Ferguson says the response so far from the community has been overwhelming. On Friday, for example, 57 of a possible 60 hours of simulator time were booked. The clientele runs the gamut from seasoned golf veterans to children looking to learn the game.
Jacob Witiluk, 11, was at On The Links with his younger brother, Cole. They've played on the simulators a couple of times, and say there are good options for younger kids learning the game.
"It helps you with your swing, so when golf time comes around, you're not super rusty," he says. "Every time I've played here, I get a little bit better."
Local golfers, including the president of the Thunder Bay Golf Association, have praised the simulators at On The Links as very accurate, saying they provide a good tool for golfers to keep up their game in the off-season.
“We only get a few months of summer,” Ferguson says, “so instead of using a few weeks in the summertime to fine-tune your game, now you’re doing it all winter.”
