Two stars because the space is new and I will note that some of the hard product issues are likely related to location (i.e., UES commercial RE constraints). Plus, I think 1-star reviews should be reserved for the truly horrible locations (e.g., outright sanitation issues, mischarging, outright false marketing, expired food etc.). I've been twice now, so this review is not off of a one-off visit - this time the desk was manned by the owner (last time was a staff member). I really wanted to like it because I live in the UES, but felt compelled to leave this review for others. I usually do not want to leave negative reviews as I want businesses (especially local) to succeed, but based on interactions they did not seem very receptive to feedback.
Hard product (Location): The space is new and the decor is reasonably nice. The simulators are Full Swing - while I prefer Trackman (some prefer the graphics and the tracking), this is fine and pros use both. Unfortunately, the positives kind of end there. Given it is a converted UES 2nd floor walk up, you are working with a tight space. Ceilings are low and the space in general is tight (watch your driver swing, wedges don't always register properly, would be very cramped if not hitting alone etc.). In addition, there are a few things which cannot really be explained. For example, the hitting bay is very small, so when you strike a ball, it bounces back out of the bay to the hallway with wood floors where it rolls around (once you go once you will see what I mean). This could be an easy fix with an entrance net / hallway gate (similar with dogs), and I brought this up to the manager. The response was "absolutely not" with no further explanations. In addition, there is no usual rubber practice tee, just the half-badminton tees for another thing to hunt down after every shot. The balls are also a bizarre mix with first ball offered being a cracked Noodle ball - was changed to a basic Taylormade ball which was fine, but only upon request. None of these are issues with other indoor simulator facilities I have been to in NYC. A Pro V1 costs $4 new. Even a decent ball like Callaway Supersoft is $2 each. The incremental savings to use a $1 ball for a $50-70/hour facility is strange considering how long balls last and how few you need for a simulator business.
Soft product (Service): I'll corroborate what others said here about the service. What should be a fairly low-touch experience is bizarrely unpleasant. In theory you are just checking in, hitting on your own, then leaving after your allotted time. None of this should be terribly complicated, but the owner/staff makes you feel very unwelcome while in the lobby waiting for your time. See above about suggestions or questions being taken in a very dismissive manner. It's just a strange position for a business owner to take. Golf is supposed to be a pleasant experience, but you just leave in a very bad mood. Maybe you get a different service if you're a member or look a certain way, since the owner seemed friendlier to another guest who was there at the same time. But judging from other reviews, I'm not alone. When you have a space with some limitations, it seems strange to not try to offer better service and build a rapport with customers.
It also looks like the owner first claimed the business, got some negative reviews and then unclaimed it - maybe he will claim it back to respond to this and even consider changing the way he conducts business, but who knows. They will probably continue to have business because there aren't a lot of choices in the UES. I'm not here to push another competitor, so all I'll say is even if you live in UES (and especially elsewhere) - do your research and try a few other facilities. I was considering membership here since I'm so close, but unless something changes it's probably worth the extra 10min trip to another location. read more