 Downtown St. Thomas is home to many unique businesses, often tucked away in beautiful historic buildings. With the background hustle and bustle of Talbot Street they beckon us to step inside, look around, and explore what our city has to offer. Club Champions Lounge, nestled in a charming yellow brick building on the corner of Talbot Street and Mondamin Street, is a true hidden gem – one which transports you right to the greens of PGA courses across the world; no plane ticket required. Officially opening in November of 2024, Club Champions Lounge is owned and operated by passionate golfers Ryan Jeffrey and Jeremy Jeffery, alongside their small but mighty team of seven staff. “The desire [to open an indoor golf simulator] was from my accident back in 2009,” Ryan explained. “I had a traumatic brain injury, had reconstructive surgery, and golf became a rehabilitation avenue for me.” Ryan was always a serious golfer, but his accident made him realize how impactful golf could be for healing and strengthening both his body and his mind. Ryan had been playing indoor golf since 2011, both as a part of his rehab and as a way to strengthen and improve his skills. He saw improvement in his skills on the course and worked out a rough business plan a few years later before moving to St. Thomas in 2016. He then started golfing at the St. Thomas Golf and Country Club, where he met Jeremy, and the two began to golf together. Through golf, Ryan also met a real estate developer who connected with his personal story and shared passion for golf. When space in the historic building at 539 Talbot Street became available from the same developer, it seemed like a natural fit for a place like Club Champions Lounge. With a strong vision, business plan, and venue in all place, Ryan just needed to get Jeremy on board. Jeremy has been a serious golfer and in the business for a long time, earning his Canadian Professional Golfers’ Association (CPGA) card in 1997 and working at Fore Golfers Only for just over 20 years. A St. Thomas native, he has been teaching golf for over 25 years and is well known in the St. Thomas area and is incredibly passionate about helping others take their golf game to the next level. Lining the walls of Club Champions Lounge are many incredible photos, memorabilia, autographs, and more – all connected back to Jeremy’s work, experience, and connection to the sport. Building renovations started in April of 2024, and Ryan immediately began researching golf simulators and planning the space. From his previous indoor golfing experience, he knew about Trackman Simulators, but the final decision for them came down to quality and customer service. “Customer service was huge for me, especially in the tech world,” Ryan explained. “Having access to 24-7 support on that side of things is absolutely huge to keep things up and running, especially in a paid-by-the-hour situation.” They made their final decision after lots of time and research and became the only Trackman-powered simulator in St. Thomas, meaning they officially had the most accurate indoor golf simulator in the world to work with. Installation came next, including turf, computers, launch monitors, and more, all professionally installed by Trackman installation teams to ensure the perfect setup and fit. Trackman is unique in that it owns its own software, allowing it to fully control its courses and quality. “The one thing with Trackman is that their courses are mapped out to almost the exact inch,” Ryan explained. “They use a mapping system and fly over the courses with drones to complete thorough scans. They have a tech team that spends about six months of mapping for each course, and they go through and put in every detail. It’s phenomenal.” Trackman Simulators are used by many professional golfers and have extensively mapped courses worldwide, including PGA courses, and the software provides next-level stats for all players. If you are looking to improve your golf game, Club Champions Lounge is the place to go – not just for top-of-the-line tech, but for knowledgeable, highly skilled golfers who are always happy to chat, give tips, and run lessons. While some indoor golf simulators are unmanned, Club Champions Lounge challenges the norm by offering clean, welcoming bays and exceptional customer service. Ryan, Jeremy, and their team are always there, ready to help new players navigate the software, to help troubleshoot issues when they arise, and to foster relationships within their community. A lot of hard work, thought, and care went into every step, and it's evident from the moment you step in the door. Club Champions Lounge is open year-round and, in addition to their simulator bays and golf lessons, they also have an in-store pro shop, offer custom club fittings for brands like PING and Cobra, have a licensed bar, run leagues, and offer event rentals. The Trackman Simulators offer a wide variety of courses and mini-games that don’t require you to be a pro golfer to have fun! From birthday parties to team building, date nights, and corporate events, Club Champions Lounge has something for everyone to enjoy. Their pro shop has unique brands like KJUS, a Danish brand, of which Club Champions Lounge is the only off-golf-course location in North America. They also carry brands including TravisMathew, Puma, Cobra, and Ping. “We do club fittings for Ping and Cobra, and we also offer fitting days where the company’s head fitter will come in and take bookings,” said Ryan. “We [Ryan and Jeremy] are both certified fitters. Some people don’t realize how essential equipment fitting is at every level of golf. We believe quite a lot in fitting – it's important to fit a club to match your swing as opposed to changing your swing to match a club.” The local support for Club Champions Lounge has been amazing, and it speaks to the community and connections that run strong in St. Thomas and Elgin County, as well as the passion, dedication, and environment that Ryan, Jeremy, and their team have created. Whether you are an avid golfer or have never picked up a club, you’ll be impressed by the customer service, cleanliness, and inviting atmosphere of Club Champions Lounge. “We want to grow golf,” Ryan said with a smile. “We want people to enjoy it, to get better at it, to feel their best, look their best, and play their best.” One lesson and bay rental at a time, Club Champions Lounge is bringing golf back to the heart of St. Thomas, while fostering a welcoming and encouraging community at the same time. So, the next time you are looking for something fun to do with friends, wanting to take your golf game to the next level, or just exploring Downtown St. Thomas, pop into Club Champions Lounge, say hello to Ryan, Jeremy, and their team, and check out the beautiful space. If you go
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