See how AI helps bring this 24/7 golfing experience to life

It’s no secret Kelowna’s golfing scene is a prime tourist and local hotspot in the summer.

But what about when the snow arrives?

Enter Uptown Golf, a 24/7, 365 day a year indoor golf facility that has recently opened on Vaughan Avenue.

The artificial intelligence (AI) facility is the first of its kind in the Okanagan.

Owner Eric Houston told Kelowna10 that as the weather starts to change and courses shut down for the year, his facility will fill a void.

“There’s a major demand for winter activity here in Kelowna,” he said, noting people are seeking activities other than skiing and indoor swimming.

“If I’m a golfer, to be able to golf all year round and have the caliber of equipment that we have here to practice my game but also have some fun, is enticing.”

How it works is simple: Golfers book their time and are sent a link 10 minutes before their appointment to access the building.

The four bays use a technology known as Foresight GC Hawk Launch Monitor, which is used by golf tour professionals. It uses image capturing to measures club and ball performance.

It’s all done through infrared object tracking with a high-speed camera system.

That, combined with special software brings on a true-to-life gaming experience, and allows you want to play on well-known courses like Pebble Beach or the Old Course at St. Andrews. There is also a library of golf-related games, and a driving range option.

Houston, who’s been in Kelowna for the last five years, said it’s all about using the best technology to provide the most authentic experience possible.

“We partnered and licensed with courses such as Pebble Beach, St. Andrews Old Course, and… we’re allowed to fly a LiDAR system over their course, and measure everything up to a sixteenth of an inch,” he said. “It is a very true-life gaming experience.”

Appointments to play at Uptown Golf can be booked online.