"We've got a good restaurants and bar scene, a great community. We just need activities," Dan Hoelting told the Dayton Daily News while he and co-owner Andrew Hudock were building Birdie Bay Golf.
Their answer sits at 736 Gardner Road, just off Ohio 741 near Dorothy Lane Market. The owners set the opening for noon on Thursday, Oct. 15, with free play until 7 p.m. that day. Across town, the city-owned Heatherwoode Golf Course is planning a proper home for its own simulators. With a private venue made possible by a change to the city's entertainment district map and a public course moving indoors, a Springboro golfer now has a real answer to where to play from November through March without leaving town.
The Bays Were Built Wide on Purpose
Birdie Bay has five TrackMan simulators. According to the Dayton Daily News, each bay is built to PGA specifications, 10 to 12.5 feet wide, so you can take a full swing. Hudock told the paper they could have fit two more bays by making them smaller, like ones he had seen at other simulator venues.
"We went for luxury over revenue."
That choice shapes the whole building. The owners told the paper they saw two gaps in Springboro. Kids from their early teens through high school had few entertainment options, and new golfers had no place to learn without holding up experienced players. Hoelting made the beginner point to WDTN too. He said rental clubs and staff will be on hand to walk first-timers through the game.
Reports from the Dayton Daily News and a pre-opening walkthrough on Dayton937 describe what's inside:
- On the simulators: 350 courses from around the world, plus games like putt-putt, target golf and capture the flag
- For the kids: a free putt-putt area in the main lobby and four arcade games, including Golden Tee, a racing game and Pluck A Duck, plus dart boards
- Seating: 20 at the bar under three 75-inch TVs, 24 in the main lobby and 24 more on the front patio
- Outdoors: a patio that runs the length of the building, with firepits and Adirondack chairs
- Also on site: a private bay for parties, a lounge with oversized seating, and a mother's nurture room
- On tap: eight draft lines with Miller Lite, six crafts from Warped Wing and Crooked Handle, and one from Loose Ends Brewery in Centerville, plus soft drinks
Dayton937 reported that the owners are centering the venue on families, with staff on site and hours of 8 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week.
What an Hour Actually Costs
Here are the rates and plans posted on Birdie Bay's site and its TrackMan membership page.
| Option | Posted price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Public bay | $40 per hour | Up to four people |
| VIP bay or party room | $70 per hour | Private space |
| Rental clubs | $5 per set | Men's, women's, junior, right- and left-handed |
| Champions membership | $99 per month | Four bay hours a month |
| Performance membership | $199 per month | Eight bay hours a month |
| Grand Opening plan | $1,150 joining fee | Eight hours a month |
| Founders Club | $7,500 joining fee | No monthly dues for three years |
A foursome on a walk-in bay pays $10 per person per hour, which is about what a night of bowling costs. The memberships work out to roughly $25 per included hour on both monthly tiers: $99 for four hours, $199 for eight. Booked as walk-ins, those same hours would cost $160 and $320. So the monthly plans make sense for someone who would play an hour or two a week from now until spring. For an occasional birthday party, the hourly rate is the better deal.
There are a few gaps for now. The appetizer menu on the website still reads "Menu Coming Soon," and you're welcome to bring your own food. Leagues run eight weeks for up to 40 players, and public tournaments happen monthly, but no start dates have been posted yet.
Why a Full Bar Could Open on This Stretch
The bar exists because of an earlier map change. The Dayton Daily News reported that Hoelting and Hudock were the first to apply for a liquor license under Springboro's expanded Community Entertainment District, which council approved in March.
The state's Community Entertainment District guide explains why that matters. A CED is a designated area that combines entertainment, retail, social, cultural and similar businesses. Inside one, the state can issue D-5J liquor permits, which aren't available anywhere else. The cap is one permit per five acres, with a maximum of 15. Because the number of permits is capped, a district boundary decides which kinds of businesses can open where.
Gardner Road needed one more fix. On Aug. 6, 2026, City Council passed Ordinance O-26-27 by a 5–0 vote. According to the council minutes, it adds Gardner Road addresses that had not yet been assigned when the original CED ordinance passed. In other words, the buildings went up faster than the paperwork.
Those buildings have room for more. Dayton937 reported that GB Bhatara, owner of Springboro Wine & Spirits, built two new buildings on the site with Dryden Builders. Birdie Bay leases 4,500 square feet, and there's space for two more tenants on each end of its building. A new Chinese restaurant is set to open behind it, across from the new fire station. The simulator bar is the first business in what is shaping up to be a small entertainment cluster on this stretch of Gardner Road.
The City's Own Course Is Heading Indoors Too
Across town, Heatherwoode Golf Course is working toward the same goal for a different reason. The city-owned course's cart barn roof has multiple leaks. The Aug. 6 council work session minutes show council weighed a roof membrane at $600,000. Instead, it reached consensus to build a new building on top of the cart barn, originally estimated at $750,000 for the shell alone. RDA Group Architects drew the elevations.
Council also agreed the new space will most likely house golf simulators. The city manager told council that Heatherwoode has temporary simulators upstairs in the clubhouse that are "not very functional." The drawing shows two entrances, with a portico on the right leading to the simulator area. The left side is still open, and staff have floated a pro shop, an outdoor gathering area or storage.
The project moved forward this fall. The Oct. 1 council agenda included a resolution authorizing the city manager to contract with K & T Construction and Supply, Inc. for the "Heatherwoode Golf Course Cart Building Improvements" project. No opening date for the new simulator space has been posted. For now, Heatherwoode's simulator page describes a club-fitting studio booked by phone, not public hourly rentals.
This winter, Birdie Bay is the place in town for a group to play a simulator round over drinks. If the city's plan holds, Heatherwoode golfers should eventually have a purpose-built option at the course itself, in place of the makeshift upstairs setup.
The First Winter on Gardner Road
Birdie Bay's first weeks are about filling the calendar. Dayton937 reported that businesses were already booking corporate events and fundraisers before opening, including a University of Dayton scholarship fundraiser. Reservations and membership details are on Birdie Bay's Instagram account and website. The Dayton Daily News reported that leagues and monthly tournaments will begin after opening. If you're planning a December office party or a January birthday, book early. With only five bays and one private room, weekends will likely fill up first.
If you're relocating to Springboro this winter and want to know how far a home is from Gardner Road, Heatherwoode or anywhere else you'll actually spend your weekends, I'll map that for you on our video tour before you ever set foot in the house. Homes by Megan Reed handles the local details, so you can make a decision from wherever you are now. Get in touch.
