SPONSORED CONTENT
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
SPONSORED CONTENT
COOL SPRINGS
A LITTLE BIT OF THE PGA IN PITTSBURGH
C
ool Springs is a South Hills icon — a
place that has spawned generations
of memories for families. And now
that the entire complex has been completely
renovated and overhauled, Cool Springs is
poised to capture the hearts and minds of
future generations to come.
Spanning 58 acres, Cool Springs was
completely refurbished, from the miniature
golf course and driving range to a brand-new
sports complex.
“In early 2014, we started refurbishing
the mini-golf course, turfing the driving
range and installing indoor golf simulator
rooms, then opened Phase I of the project
in July 2014,” said Tara Trenney, Director of
Operations for PCG Capital, the commercial
real estate business that owns the complex.
Now complete and open for business,
the facelift to the golfing side of the facility
means that Cool Springs is the closest thing
to actual PGA training you can get in the
region.
The driving range is green all year long
with turf—235 by 100 yards of it—saving
on maintenance and upkeep. Thirteen
target flags give golfers various angles and
elevations to aim for, and a short-game area
with three greens gives golfers a place to
practice their chip shots.
Cool Springs PGA-Certified Golf Pro Jeff
Ellis said that, from a teaching standpoint,
Cool Springs has the most technologically
advanced tools on the market at its disposal.
“We have eight bays with Protracer
technology that can be rented by the hour
and includes unlimited balls. Four people can
share a bay and the fees,” he said. “We’re one
of four in the U.S. that has this cutting-edge
technology and it forces players to practice
better, working on their aim, carry distances,
flat carry and more.”
Inside, Cool Springs has aboutGolf
simulators, the only type approved and
endorsed by the PGA.
“Other simulators guess at a lot of the
data when it comes to your swing,” Ellis said.
“They measure your ball as it passes through
a laser field, so they can’t get exact spin
rates and other micro measurements. Our
measurements are taken with stereoscopic,
high-speed cameras that can measure
launch angle, spin, speed, direction... way
more parameters than [when] the ball goes
through a laser field.”
Ellis, who was formerly the golf pro at
South Hills Country Club, said he specifically
came to Cool Springs because he knew
the investment the facility was making in
teaching and technology.
“My goal is to grow the game of golf, and
this is the nicest, most manicured range in
the country. It speaks for itself,” he explains.
“And I believe in the technology we have.
We’re one of four facilities in the United
States that has the Protracer system, which
is not only advanced, but it’s fun. It can help
players of every age, of every level of play,
to get better in the game. It gets kids out of
the house, gets them hitting balls, improving
their game, and still lets them interact with
the technology in a fun and educational way.”
For more information on Cool Springs and
to see the most current programs and all it
has to offer, go to playcoolsprings.com, or call
412.831.5080.
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