The Irvine-based Star Golf facility serves as a state-of-the-art golf training facility where professional and amateur golfers can rent practice space with instructors of their choice, while also getting access to cutting-edge scientific golf-swing analysis technology.

Occupying an industrial space on Von Karman Avenue, this emerging golf simulation technology utilizes artificial intelligence to pinpoint inaccuracies in a player’s swing. Specifically, Star Golf is the home to one of the professional golf industry’s most well-respected golf swing simulators – Trackman Golf.

Star Golf is also home to other innovative technologies, like Salted Golf’s bluetooth in-soles, which are designed to detect pressure points in a player’s stance and display the results in real-time on an iPad.

Founder Andy Yoon, a former Korean PGA Tour professional, explained that Star Golf has recently renovated its industrial space, expanding its rental training spaces that are built to accommodate any level of player.

(Star Golf)

In addition to utilizing Trackman, Yoon said he will soon be introducing his own software to the Star Golf training equipment, explaining that the primary demographic will be children.

Yoon’s software operates in a 3-D interactive environment, giving young players the opportunity to use physical golf skills, like an actual drive, putt or chip shot, to physically select the correct answer to a math problem that is being displayed on a virtual screen.

In addition to technology that tracks more than two-dozen variables in a player’s golf swing, Star Golf also provides access to a blossoming industry that will soon introduce the American golfers to a new, fascinating world of virtual golf.

A world where golf will be played completely indoors, free from weather interferences, while simultaneously giving players a newfound level of privacy for training and recreation. Star Golf instructor Gun Beck explained that virtual golf is massively popular in Korea.

“This is a model from Korea. People just don’t know about a facility like this. Ultimately, what we want to do is A to Z solutions in golfing,” Beck said. “We’re not bound by the weather, we can have multiple persons, set multiple players on the game. If it’s too hot we have an AC unit, if it’s too cold, we put the heater on – we are able to play comfortably inside without any interruptions.”

Beck explained to Irvine Weekly that in terms of cost, the Trackman costs upwards of $20,000. However, for that price, the simulator delivers the most realistic, interactive golfing experience that can bring some of the world’s most iconic golf courses into Irvine, with just the push of a button.

(Star Golf)

“The Trackman has preloaded golf courses, just like if you play Gran Tourismo – it has a lot of tracks,” Beck said. “It’s also the privacy – you can (bring) drink beer if you’d like to but you don’t have other people walking around, talking – all that – you get a private session that you can control the environment and you can play however long you want to play.”

Considering the intuitive design and room for adaptability of this nuanced golf software, Irvine Weekly recently visited Star Golf to get a first-hand perspective on this unique technology, and to discover how this small Irvine-based company is creating new avenues for entertainment, training and education within the game of golf.

“Our main business model should be the other pros that give out lessons, not individuals that live in Irvine,” Yoon explained from a translator.

While the COVID-19 pandemic created an unstable playing environment for sports, some industries, like golf, became a reliable outlet for activities, when many sports facilities were closed.

“The numbers have increased dramatically,” Beck explained. “At least in Irvine – that we know of – there is no indoor, with a ceiling facility that’s currently existing, other than us. If it rains, everyone stops. What we offer isn’t the time slots, it’s the facility overall that can accommodate all the golfer’s needs indoors. We don’t need acres of land – we have 18 holes right here.”

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