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Getting the swing ready for spring

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Photo by Dan Lassiter

Jeff Glynn of Janesville hits an approach shot at Riley's on the Green in downtown Janesville. He said he plays at the new indoor facility every Thursday.

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Photo by Dan Lassiter

Jeff Glynn of Janesville putts at Riley's on the Green indoor golf facility in downtown Janesville. A projection unit above Glynn displays the course on a large canvas screen.

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

Information about each shot is displayed on the giant canvas screen that golfers shoot at Riley's on the Green indoor golf facility in downtown Janesville.

JANESVILLE — As temperatures fall faster than a 6-inch putt, 18 holes of golf at Pebble Beach sound pretty good these days.

But if greens fees that approach $500 are too chilly, snowed-in local golfers can simulate a round at the famed links at a new business in downtown Janesville.

Riley's on the Green opened in November at 219 W. Milwaukee St.

The virtual indoor golf business features Pebble Beach and six other 18-hole courses on one simulator, while another is dedicated as a driving and practice range.

"There's nothing in Janesville like this," said Kevin Riley, who owns the business and runs it with the help of his fiancée, Lora Brusky, and father, Pat Riley. "I love to golf, and I own the building, so I came up with the idea and put the two together."

Golfers playing the courses use their regular clubs to hit regular balls into a panoramic screen from a variety of lies. Upon impact, the screen takes a variety of measurements and calculates distance and direction.

"It's pretty close to being dead on," Riley said of the system's accuracy. "I normally slice and I've seen that on the simulator, but I've also been able to work on correcting it."

Riley said wedges sometimes hit too high on the screen and cause some distance problems. With a grid that shows breaks on the green, players putt into the screen, and anything within 6 feet is a gimme.

If time is an issue, players can limit their play to 9 holes or just play certain holes, Riley said. A league has already formed for Monday mornings.

Reservations are suggested, although walk-ins are welcome. The hourly rate is $20, which would allow enough time for one golfer to play 18 holes. A foursome would require about four hours.

Riley said the business will be seasonal and close for the summer and fall when golfers return to the real links.

"We're getting a lot of repeat business, especially people who are heading south this winter to play," he said. "They're trying to get the swing into shape."

IF YOU GO

What: Riley's on the Green virtual indoor golf

Where: 219 W. Milwaukee St., Janesville

When: Open noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sunday, but reservations can be made for other times by calling ahead.

Cost: $20 per hour

For more information: (608) 756-4949