For golfers, winter can feel like a long interruption. Ottawa’s courses close, the clubs get tucked away and months can pass before there’s another opportunity to stand over a real fairway. But for those who don’t want to lose their rhythm, indoor golf has become an increasingly popular way to keep swinging through the colder months.
Two Ottawa destinations, Birdie House and Bandit Golf, are giving local golfers a way to practice, play and stay connected to the game all winter long.
Birdie House
Birdie House was created around a simple idea: golf should be more accessible, approachable and available year-round. Founded by local owners Cody and Brendan, the facility was built in response to what they felt was missing from Ottawa’s golf scene.
As they explain in the About section on their website, they wanted to create a place where golf didn’t have to feel intimidating, expensive or dependent on the weather. Instead, Birdie House was designed as a space where golfers of all experience levels could enjoy the game on their own terms.
That philosophy carries through to the facility itself. Birdie House features eight private TrackMan iO simulator bays, giving golfers plenty of room to practice, play or spend time with friends. The facility is also open 24/7, allowing golfers to fit a session into virtually any schedule.
For those looking to improve, the technology offers far more than simply watching a ball fly onto a screen. TrackMan provides detailed club and ball data, allowing players to understand what is happening with their swing and see how changes affect their shots.
But Birdie House isn’t only designed for golfers chasing lower scores. The space is equally suited to beginners picking up a club for the first time, friends looking for something to do on a winter evening or experienced players who want to play a virtual round while Ottawa’s courses are covered in snow.
And Birdie House is expanding.
A new Kanata location is set to open in late fall, bringing the Birdie House experience to Ottawa’s west end and giving even more golfers a convenient place to keep playing through the winter.
Bandit Golf
Located on Colonnade Road, Bandit Golf takes a similarly modern approach to indoor golf, while putting an emphasis on flexibility, technology and the social side of the game.
Featured in the Ottawa Business Journal, Bandit was created by owner James Stone with the goal of building an indoor golf space that could accommodate both serious practice and a more social experience.
The facility operates 24/7 using a fully remote model. Golfers can book their time online, receive an access code and arrive ready to play, making it particularly convenient for people with busy or unconventional schedules.
For Stone, the social aspect of golf is just as important as the technology. The OBJ feature highlights his vision of creating a place where people could gather, play together and enjoy the social side of golf without some of the formality associated with traditional golf facilities.
At the same time, Bandit is built for golfers who want to take their practice seriously. The facility uses TrackMan technology to provide detailed information about each shot, giving players immediate feedback on things such as club speed, ball speed and swing path.
That data can turn a winter simulator session into an opportunity to actually understand your game. Instead of simply seeing where a ball ended up, golfers can dig into the numbers and identify what may have caused a particular shot.
Bandit also features a putting green, giving players another opportunity to work on their short game before or after their simulator session. For groups, meanwhile, the facility offers a chance to play virtual rounds together and bring some of the social energy of summer golf indoors.
Keep Playing Through Winter
Ottawa winters may put the outdoor golf season on hold, but they don’t necessarily have to put your game on hold.
Whether you’re working on your swing, trying to maintain consistency, playing a virtual round with friends or simply looking for something to do on a winter evening, indoor golf offers a way to stay connected to the game.
With Birdie House’s upcoming Kanata expansion and Bandit’s 24/7 simulator experience on Colonnade Road, Ottawa golfers have plenty of opportunities to keep the clubs moving until the courses open again in the spring.