While some local bars and restaurants have added golf simulators to enhance the social aspect of their businesses, Coastal Golf Academy and Sim 19 Golf are among those that use the simulators to enhance the game of golf.

“We cater to people who want to improve their game rather than a social experience. This is not a party spot,” said Ethan Castle, co-owner of Coastal Golf Academy, 820 Town Center Drive, Suite 120, in Mayfaire Town Center.

The indoor golf facility focuses on “golf improvement with a recreational aspect,” Castle said.

Its four Foresight bays use infrared technology and cameras to sense movement of the balls and clubs to give feedback on a player’s performance. Ball flight and performance data make patterns visible and give players a more specific way to practice.

“The equipment data is as good as you’re going to get. It gives a clear representation of what the golf ball is going to do,” Castle said.

The facility’s PuttView Training offers putting practice with projected lines, targets and structured exercises that turn the putting green into an active feedback environment.

“It is legitimately as close to a round of golf as you’re going to get. It is the closest thing to being outdoors,” Castle said.

Private golf lessons, membership packages and day passes are available to meet individual golfers’ needs. Family memberships are also available.

For high school golfers hoping to play in college, the academy offers technical development and recruiting guidance with PGA coach Steve Dahlby.

The academy serves a “wide array of people, with students from 80 to 5 years old,” Castle said. “Golf is one of the few sports people can play from a young age to old age.”

They welcome all demographics and hope to grow their junior and women’s programs.

Interested golfers can book a free consultation on the academy’s website, which gives players a roadmap to help improve their game.

According to Castle, golf goes beyond the course. “It is the best representation of life as one plays over the course of two to four hours and feels a wide range of emotions. You learn life lessons on top of learning about the game, including patience and perseverance,” Castle said.

The recently opened Sim 19 Golf, 3509 Wrightsville Ave., is one of Wilmington’s newest indoor golf facilities and aims to redefine the 19th hole (a golf slang term for a clubhouse bar or restaurant golfers might go to after a round) by focusing on three pillars: health, fitness and performance.

In response to country club waitlists and tee-time shortages, founder Myles Marion designed Sim 19 Golf as an alternative for those focused on improving their golf game while incorporating it into their overall lifestyle.

The Golf Performance Center offers golf enthusiasts a space aimed at allowing them to work on their game, improve their fitness and build community.

The putting green is a PuttView green with interactive projection technology, and the PUTTR AI practice area offers golfers a way to sharpen their stroke. A variety of customizable exercises and challenges allow golfers to work on everything from green reading and starting line to pace control and consistency, Marion said.

Sim 19 Golf’s three simulator rooms are private, with sliding barn doors, a couch and a TV for members and guests to enjoy golf on 16-by-10-foot simulator screens. Each room is themed to mimic golf by the ocean, in the mountains or in the desert. Two rooms can connect through the bar for larger groups.

The 24/7 Performance Training Center is a tech-forward facility that offers a gym for members, designed specifically for golfers who want to move and feel better.

“Members can access the facility 24 hours a day through our secure entry system, giving them the freedom to train, work out, practice their putting or play a round whenever it works best for them,” Marion said.

In addition to the gym and practice area, Sim 19 Golf offers a co-working space where members can answer emails, take calls or get work done without leaving the facility, making it easier to fit golf training into a busy schedule.

“We have memberships for everyone, and we want to lean into the country club experience, plus provide access to coaches and physical trainers,” Marion said.

Multiple membership packages are available. The three main packages, Par, Birdie and Eagle, offer 24/7 gym access, a variety of simulator hours, tee times, active bookings and guest pass options. Golf leagues and lessons are also available.

“Our goal is not to take away the idea of the 19th hole,” Marion said, “but to reflect what professionals do after a game of golf; they go stretch, work on their swing and continue to develop their skills.”