Luxe Golf Bays opens to high demand for group outings

As the new Luxe Golf Bays driving range celebrates its grand opening today in Franklin, operators say the venue is already drawing tremendous interest from area companies and other groups planning their next private event.

Along with Luxe Golf’s ceremonial grand opening Friday, portions of the venue have been booked by Franklin-based manufacturer Krones Inc. for a 400-person corporate event.

“We’ve been phone and email off the hook with people looking to book different kinds of parties …,” said Adam Forsythe, assistant general manager at Luxe Golf Bays. “We’ve had a lot of companies reach out to do business meetings and events for their staff. We’ve gotten calls for booking out Christmas parties and things like that already.” 

Luxe Golf Bays is the newest addition to open at the Ballpark Commons mixed-use development at The Rock Sports Complex, located at West Loomis Road and South 76th Street. The three-story facility has 57 open-air, climate-controlled suites overlooking a 250-yard turf range. Combining golf and entertainment, Luxe has a bar on every floor as well as two restaurants and a year-round brewpub called Hinterhof. 

As an events venue, Luxe can accommodate groups anywhere from 12 to 500 people. There are three VIP-style private rooms and a designated event space that can seat about 120 people.

“We could also do a full corporate buyout of the whole building,” said Forsythe. “What’s cool about the space is that it’s really customizable.” 

First announced in 2018, the $32 million Luxe Golf Bays project has been several years in the making for Mike Zimmerman, owner and chief executive officer of ROC Ventures, owner of The Rock Sports Complex and developer behind Ballpark Commons. Zimmerman had visited a Topgolf driving range, thought it was a great concept and decided to create his own technology-centric driving range.  

Luxe Golf uses Doppler radar technology – powered by software company TrackMan – to track drives “down to the spin on the ball.” ROC Ventures is also working with Flite Golf, which develops games and course simulations for golf venues around the globe. The array of Flite’s custom, proprietary games offered at Luxe account for all ages and skill levels – from the young beginner to scratch golfers, said Forsythe. 

It’s all part of the experience Luxe aims to offer customers as the first golf entertainment facility of its kind in the Midwest, he added. Each bay is a fully furnished private suite complete with big screen TV, climate-controlled for year-round activity.

Forsythe said Luxe Golf is considered to be the “crown jewel” of the Ballpark Commons development, which includes Franklin Field (the 4,000-seat ballpark where the Milwaukee Milkmen and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball teams play), residential development, and office and retail space. Future plans there include a 98-room hotel, a retail building, a brewpub, and a mixed-use apartment building.

Luxe Golf will have a ribbon cutting at 7 p.m. and fireworks display following the Milkmen baseball game.

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