Willie's Custom Golf Center open for business, includes driving range, TrackMan simulators

STRASBURG — Spring has sprung and so has Willie’s Custom Golf Center located at 4799 Yackey Drive, N.W.

The center opened several weeks ago.

The facility includes a driving range, TrackMan simulators, club fitting room and a fully-equipped pro shop, which features any equipment a golfer would need.

Jeff and Susie Willis, the owners, purchased the 17.5 acres of farmland about two years ago from Terry and Sherry Garber of Strasburg.

“Susie and I were trying to come up with a name,” Willis said, “We decided to use my nickname, Willie.”

Jared Beatty, a fitting specialist, operates the pro shop and works with golfers. There are eight employees and Willis is seeking more workers at the center.

Jeff and Susie Willis, the owners, purchased the 17.5 acres of farmland, about two-years ago from Terry and Sherry Garber of Strasburg.
Jeff and Susie Willis, the owners, purchased the 17.5 acres of farmland, about two-years ago from Terry and Sherry Garber of Strasburg.

Willis' also own Willandale Golf Course in Sugarcreek and Five Waters Golf Course in Uhrichsville

About 20 years ago, the Willis’ purchased 180 acres of land in Sugarcreek from the late Dale and Gladys Richardson to establish Willandale Golf Course. Willis said Richardson was a farmer and milked 100 cows on a daily basis. They sold the business in 2018. At that time Willandale the course had 27 holes.

Willis also owns Five Waters Golf Course in Uhrichsville.

The golf center is a professionally designed indoor/outdoor range, which also includes the TrackMan golf simulators.

Jared Beachy hits golf balls at the TrackMan.
Jared Beachy hits golf balls at the TrackMan.

TrackMan golf simulators provide instant feedback, showing what golfer did wrong and what to fix

There are three 11x18-foot Trackman simulators, located in a 60x100-foot area. Willis said the information appears on the simulator and lets the golfer see what they are doing wrong and looks at all their numbers.

TrackMan is the most accurate golf launch monitor in the world. It provides instant video and statistical feedback to show what the golfer did wrong and what to fix.

A feature that is popular at the facility is premium club fitting. The room is full of golf clubs and a computer-generated TrackMan analysis on each shot and the golf balls to get accurate readings. A golfer is fitted by a staff member with the exact clubs needed for a day on the golf course.

The fitting room features new and used golf clubs for each individual need.

Individual, heated rooms available to rent at the driving range

There are four individual rooms that are located inside the main building. Large garage doors are raised and golf balls can be hit from inside onto the driving range. When the garage doors are raised a heater, located on the ceiling at the rear of the room, comes on for golfers to hit the ball onto the driving range in comfort, if the weather is not favorable to be outside.

The rooms are rented by the hour and there are seven target greens on the driving range. The four rooms are named Thomas, Nicklaus, Palmer and Koepka.

The sand traps on the driving range are made of crushed white stone.

Visitors will be able to sit on comfortable benches and watch golfers hit golf balls on the driving range.

An area is being constructed for a chip-n-putt which will work well for families with small children.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Willie's Custom Golf Center is open for business in Strasburg Ohio