Fore!
It’s mid-winter. But golfers will swing their clubs next month, right here in Westport.
Nearby, batters will swing, hoopsters will shoot, and dart players will toss.
It’s all simulated, of course. But 5 state-of-the-art golf and multi-sport simulators are ready to go at The Clubhouse — Westport’s new, intriguing event space.
The long-awaited facility opens February 5 at 1620 Post Road East, site of the former Pane e Bene restaurant. Permitting and construction has been underway since mid-2023.
The Clubhouse opens February 5.
It will be worth the wait. In addition to the simulators — featuring some of the world’s greatest golf courses, and other sports ranging from football to Zombie dodgeball — The Clubhouse includes 2 private karaoke rooms, plus a bar serving a full range of pub bites and classics (smash burgers, wedge salad, rigatoni, Farmers’ Market crudité, homemade chips and dip), with signature cocktails, local beers and premium bourbon.
A “good ol’ root beer float” is on the menu too.
The simulator bays are versatile. They’re also available to watch sports — football, March Madness, the US Tennis Open, the Masters — for small groups.
One of the 5 simulators.
Larger groups can book part or all of The Clubhouse too, for birthdays, anniversaries, bar mitzvahs, corporate outings, reunions, even fantasy football draft parties.
If you’re a University of Michigan fan, you’re in special luck. Emily and Tim Zobl — the Westport couple who conceived of and developed The Clubhouse — are alums. They call their place “an official University of Michigan alumni bar.” (Emily — a 2012 Staples High School graduate — played varsity field hockey for the Wolverines.)
Tim and Emily Zobl.
For the Zobls, there is no limit to what The Clubhouse can do or be. They envision Trivia Nights, sports leagues — whatever type of entertainment Westporters want, they’ll provide.
It’s taken a while to fulfill their elevated activity space dream. With backgrounds in hospitality, food service, technology, events planning and real estate — they understood the opportunities, challenges and risks.
Karaoke …
Westport has never had a facility like The Clubhouse.
However, decades ago — on the property next door, now Lansdowne Condominiums — there was a driving range, miniature golf course, trampoline center and skating rink. (The rink — which briefly became a discotheque — is now the Westport Tennis Club.)
… and darts. All scoring is done electronically.
Come to think of it, our town golf course does not even have a clubhouse.
It’s in the long-range Longshore renovation plans.
Whenever — actually, if — it ever gets built, it won’t be nearly as versatile and cool, or enjoyed by as many people, as The Clubhouse.
(To learn more, and to book an activity space at The Clubhouse, click here. Their Instagram is @theclubhousewestport).
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Can’t wait to check it out. Congrats!!!
Wow. That’s really impressive. And the whole site looks great too. Nice work! Oddly enough, there used to be a driving range way in the back of that property. The last I knew, the old light poles for it were still standing – amongst the trees which later took over. Wwll before the driving range, closer to the Post Road was little diner. Its name? Elwood’s Drive In.
Morley, Walt Elwood made the best pancakes I ever had. At one time there were two driving ranges in town that offered golf lessons. We had Johnny Walsh, PGA member, in the mid to late 1950s.
Great memory, Jack! BTW, is there any chance that you have an old picture of Walt Elwood’s drive in? I can’t seem to scare one up anywhere. I’m asking because someone on George Street was recently doing some work on their house and found a pack of matches from Elwood’s in pretty nice condition ( the telephone number was FFLD.9-9071). As you would well know, George Street used to go right past that little diner so the discovery makes a certain amount of sense. Anyway, the matches are now part of my little collection of late, great Westport eating establishments.
Morley, Unfortunately I don’t have a picture of Elwood’s Diner. By the way, Walt had a younger brother named John Elwood who ran our snack bar in the bowling alley. Walt was a victim of a Mustard Gas attack during World War I and always seemed to have difficulty breathing.
Morley, I have a match box from Cafe Barna. My kids have no connection whatsoever to Cafe Barna, so maybe at the next Compo Beach party in July, I’ll give it to you, if you don’t have one already.
Thanks Jack, that’s very kind of you.
Congratulations Tim and Emily! Thank you Dan, we all look forward to supporting this wonderful venue.
if only the town could accomplish anything this fast. Wishful thinking. Gotta first hire an expensive consultant who can’t even answer questions asked of them.