Golf simulator bar swings open in downtown Cary this weekend. Here’s what to know.
If you are an avid golfer, or just learning to tee up the ball, you can now practice your swing in downtown Cary.
The Albatross opens on East Chatham Street this weekend with two golf simulators, putt-putt golf and other mini games, and gourmet hot dogs and beverages.
The simulators can be tailored to each player’s experience level, from beginner to advanced.
The venue occupies the former location of the Crosstown Pub and Grill, which moved next door. Co-owners Sean Ryan, 34, and Paul Wasmund, 32, are Cary residents with histories in the town’s dining scene. Ryan’s family opened the Crosstown Pub, and Wasmund was one of the first brewers for Bond Brothers Beer Co. on East Cedar Street.
The Albatross follows the opening of new downtown Cary bars this year like Graffiti: Spirits, Axes and Art, The Walk Up, and RBF, Your Authentic Champagne Bar.
A new destination spot
When does The Albatross open? Doors open Friday, Dec. 8. Hours will be from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Do I need to bring my own clubs? No. The Albatross is partnering with golf club maker Parsons Xtreme Golf, which provides house clubs. A master fitter will visit The Albatross once or twice a month to fit players for clubs, starting Dec. 11 and 12. Fittings can be booked through The Albatross’s Instagram page: @thealbatrossnc.
Why “Albatross”?
In golf, an Albatross is three strokes under par on one hole, the rarest score in golf, Wasmund said. The name represents the venue’s uniqueness in Cary.
The driving range is like the Top Golf driving range in Charlotte and Drive Shack in Raleigh, which also operate as entertainment venues and bars.
Players at The Albatross don’t need to be experienced, even though the simulators are like the ones professional golfers use and are PGA Tour-approved.
How can I book a bay to play?
Visitors can reserve private rooms, or bays, for an hour.
Reservations can be made at thealbatrossnc.com or the driving range in-person.
Inside the simulator, there is a 10- to 12-foot range from where you strike the golf balls to the 4K resolution projection screen.
Two golfers can complete 18 holes in under two hours.
The simulator bays will be available to book by the hour, with rates to be determined. There will also be social leagues on weeknights and a monthly membership program. Players will get unlimited golf balls.
Wasmund said the bays are designed to provide access for paragolfers and people who use wheelchairs or walkers.
‘Proud of the Cary community’
Wasmund said they want to embrace the growing nightlife scene in Cary, which he said is becoming more like Asheville, where he used to live.
The business partners also wanted to add to the golfing community in Cary. There are three golf clubs in Cary: The Lochmere Golf Club, the Prestonwood Country Club, and MacGregor Downs Country Club.
“The night and day difference we’ve seen in downtown Cary in the last seven years has been incredible,” Wasmund said. “We perceive downtown Cary becoming a destination spot all and of itself, where people come and spend an afternoon or evening, or even a night. ... We’re excited to be part of that.”
When Ryan’s family opened the pub in 2015 it was one of the first restaurants with a bar in downtown Cary.
“It was hard to rip out the bar,” Ryan said of demolishing the former location. “But it was necessary, as Paul put it, as a Phoenix rising from the ashes for something new. I’m glad to be back here.”
This story was originally published April 21, 2023 at 8:00 AM.