Tee Performance keeps golfers on par regardless the weather

Laurie Gordon
SANDYSTON — April snow, followed by rain, followed by more rain.
So what do you do if you are a golfer and need to get ready for the upcoming season when the weather isn't at all up to par? Thanks to the new Tee Performance Indoor Golf, which opened a month ago, year round training is now available for Sussex County, northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New York State.
Players of all skill levels can enjoy playing or practicing on one of six high-tech golf simulators and can choose from over 50 iconic golf courses, 19 different driving ranges and four miniature golf courses.
The facility is the brainchild of Keith Johnson.
“I decided to open Tee Performance Indoor Golf so that people could enjoy the game of golf year round," he said. "My children starting playing golf at an early age and I didn’t want their training and skill level to drop once the weather turned bad. There is a disadvantage in the Northeast for golfers because we cannot play golf outside all year like players in other parts of the country can.To play competitively, training is a year round commitment. In addition to training, golf is an awesome sport that all family members can play and enjoy together.”
Located just north of Newton, on Route 206 in Sandyston, the location is optimal for people around the tri-state area. Johnson was meticulous in finding it, and to that end, it took him three years to land upon the optimal spot.
Johnson said, “We have six 18-feet wide, 22 feet deep and 15 feet tall aboutGolf simulators. They are the official simulators of the PGA tour, NBC Sports and the Golf Channel. We work with aboutGolf, the leaders with over 25 years in the golf simulation business. Having the most accurate simulators is extremely important. If the simulators cannot provide the most accurate club and ball data, then you cannot improve as a player. I am passionate about golf and want to provide the most precise information to each client. The simulators are not only for the avid golfer, but for all skill levels. I wanted to open a place where people could have fun in playing and learning the game of golf. If you do not play traditional golf, there are also four mini golf and skeeball courses.”
Golfers of all ages and ability are discovering Tee Performance. One group that is loving it is high school golfers who have been trying to prepare for the upcoming season but have been stymied by Mother Nature.
“It is important, especially for high school golfers, to keep up their game in the off season,” Johnson said. “If you continue to train, to get stronger, your swing speed will increase. Players will see a huge increase in their yardages and accuracy which will make a big difference on the course. There are a lot of great opportunities for high school golfers once they reach the collegiate level. However, golf, like any other sport, requires practice to improve. Now everyone can practice year round no matter what the weather is outside.”
One such high school golfer is Ashley Espinosa, of Fredon, a freshman at Kittatinny Regional High School.
Espinosa said, “Tee Performance/the simulators enable me to analyze my swing and it provides instant feedback. I can then make adjustments to my swing which will improve my game. The simulators are a huge advantage by allowing the team and I to have practices when other teams can not. The weather is no longer an issue.”
Espinosa, who is also a stand out runner on the Kittatinny Varsity Cross Country Team, started playing golf around age eight and took lessons and played for the Junior PGA with instructor Mary Beth Kohberger at To The Tee Golf.. Kohberger used to be located at Newton Country Club, which is one of the reasons the Espinosa family became members there.
“My goals for the upcoming season include helping the Kittatinny Golf Team win, improve and gain experience playing under pressure in tournaments/matches and earn my varsity letter for golf,” Espinosa said. “My long term goals are to play golf in college. It is a great sport that I can play for the rest of my life, like running.”
Matt Majka is the coach of the Kittatinny High Golf Team. He said, “Being able to use Tee Performance during March and early April proved to be the only option for our preseason training. The top of the line simulators, which had features such as a driving range, closest to the pin competitions, and the ability to play full rounds not only allowed my golfers to practice, but provided a bit of competition to keep the practices interesting.”
Majka added, “In the past, when we had awful spring conditions like we have had this year, we simply don't accomplish much until the weather breaks. This season, we began right away and are at least 3-4 weeks ahead of where we typically would be at this point of the season. Having this facility here in Sussex County provides a much needed off season option to our already rich golf community.”
“New Jersey has one of the highest participation rates in junior golf in the United States,” Johnson said. “In our area, high school golf is gaining popularity as the players who played junior golf, including US Kids Golf and NJPGA Junior Golf, are now playing high school golf. I, of course, would love to see the game continue to grow even more, especially for the girl players. Not all high schools currently have a girls’ team which is something I hope changes in the future.”
Johnson has played golf his entire life and his impetus to open Tee Performance was to share the game with his kids.
“It is a game we can play together forever. I hope I can share this passion of the game of golf with others who play golf and those who are new to the game,” he said.
Johnson added, “A lot of golfers purchase new clubs and are not familiar with their yardages with a new set. There are so many iconic golf courses that are available on the simulators that it is difficult to pick just one favorite. The one course that most people request to play is Pebble Beach followed by TPC Sawgrass. My favorite course is The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island. It is an incredibly challenging golf course that plays right along the ocean.”
The simulators give instant feedback both visually and statistically which allows the golfer to analyze what happened during their golf swing. The feedback allows the golfer to see exactly what they need to improve in their golf swing. The simulators collect and display everything from club speed, club path, smash factor, ball speed, backspin, carry distance and total distance for each shot just to mention a few.
There are multiple games to play besides golf at Tee Performance such as a Closest to the Pin contest and a Long Drive competition. It is a “B.Y.O.” facility for both food and drinks and each simulator bay has their own table and chairs and refrigerator. The facility is over 7,000 square feet which is perfect for hosting charity events, birthday parties (including kids mini golf parties) or corporate events.”
Tee Performance Indoor Golf is not only an intense training facility for the experienced golfer.
“I opened Tee Performance so that people who never played before could be introduced to the game and enjoy playing,” Johnson said. “I hope that families will come to play together as well as groups of friends.”
Mother Nature can no longer put area golfers in a bunker because of bad weather. As they drive into the season, they now have a place to practice year round.
Tee Performance serves all of Sussex County and its surrounding areas. It is located at 183 Route 206 South in Sandyston. Learn more by visiting: <URL destination="http://www.teeperformance.com. ">www.teeperformance.com.