Tyler Gilderoy, right, and Ben Wankmuller stand in front of The Clubhouse logo inside the new indoor golf simulator facility at 313 D St. in Marysville. The business was founded by Gilderoy, Wankmuller, and Lopez who was absent during the photo due to the birth of his second child.

 

MARYSVILLE, CA (MPG) - Golf isn’t just an outdoor sport anymore and three young local entrepreneurs are here to prove it.

Tyler Gilderoy, Masen Lopez and Ben Wankmuller have expanded their love of golf by opening the region’s first indoor golf simulator facility north of Sacramento. Early response suggests the concept is already a hit.

“It’s just like real golf, except you don’t feel the wind, or rain, or have to deal with the conditions of the outside,” said Dave Degrasse, a golf pro at Peach Tree Golf and Country Club. “But the ball goes exactly to what you’re hitting. It’s a cool place.”

Patrons gather near the bar area at The Clubhouse during the facility’s recent soft opening in downtown Marysville on Jan.16. In addition to golf simulators, the business offers refreshments and a social atmosphere designed for groups and families.

Degrasse is not the only professional stopping by. The facility is also helping sponsor Trey Davis, a local golfer working toward earning his tour card.

“I love it here,” said Les Noggle, a local beef jerky distributor. “Came a few weeks ago and the owners seem like such great kids we wanted to support them.”

The Clubhouse, located at 313 D St. in Marysville, celebrated its soft opening Friday, Jan. 16, with plans for a larger celebration once storefront siding renovations are complete. The business marks the trio’s first entrepreneurial venture, a project that began Jan. 5, 2025.

“It’s a market that wasn’t tapped out here so we were trying to set a forefront on what’s to be expected from indoor golfing,” said Gilderoy. “We thought this would be a good idea to bring more golfers together and build a bigger community in this area, while also helping other businesses bring more life to downtown D Street Marysville.”

A golf ball and club rest on artificial turf as a shot is lined up on a simulator screen at The Clubhouse in Marysville. Advanced sensors track each swing, recreating real-world ball flight on virtual courses.

The indoor golf simulator experience can be compared to bowling or Topgolf in its accessibility and social atmosphere. Families, groups or individuals can rent a bay by the hour, with options to rent clubs and purchase refreshments. Unlike video-game golf systems, players hit real golf balls with full swings using standard clubs.

Each bay features seating and a padded swing area. Large projected screens display simulated courses, while advanced sensors track each shot’s speed, intensity and trajectory in real time, recreating where the ball would have landed on an actual course.

“We call it a launch monitor and it reads the ball to a ‘T’. We are using what’s called TrackMan and that’s what every PGA professional uses,” said Gilderoy.

While experienced golfers are welcomed, the owners emphasize that the space is designed for all skill levels. Programs also include interactive games such as bowling-style challenges, putt-putt and themed adventures aimed at families and casual players. The Clubhouse is currently open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and offers four simulator bays for rent. For more information, visit theclubhousesimco.com.

Golfers practice and play on simulator bays inside The Clubhouse in Marysville, which features four bays equipped with TrackMan launch monitor technology used by PGA professionals.