Golf enthusiasts in east Kamloops are not far from seeing a new option open up to work on their game — particularly in the winter.

Rezoning approvals have been granted by the City of Kamloops to allow the Breaking Par Golf Academy to establish as second, virtual indoor golf facility in Valleyview.

The new indoor golf centre will take over a 465 square meter space that currently exists in a light-industrial complex on Kelly Douglas Road, west of Vicars, on the north side of the railway tracks.

“We’ll be equipped with four Trackman simulators. Trackman is the leader in this category,” Breaking Par owner Bill Burgeson told Radio NL.  “That’s what we have here on Ord Road, but they’ll just be a little bit [of a] different style and look over in Valleyview.”

He says they also intend to have golf accessories and teaching programs available at the new location.

“The goal is to have a retail store… give people in Kamloops somewhere to go that is all golf. Where they can go for expert club fitting, they can go for expert coaching and teaching.”

Burgeson says their expansion will also allow them to add another instructor to their payroll.

“I’ve got another pro that I have an agreement with, said Burgeson.  “The goal is to have him teaching full time over there, through the summer as well.”

Burgeson founded the Breaking Par Golf Academy in 2020 at its current location on Ord Road, across from the Brock Estates mobile home park.

It comes at the same time another group, Kamloops Virtual Golf, has opened up its own facility on Lorne Street in downtown Kamloops, next to Riverside Park.

The expansion of indoor golf options in Kamloops comes as demand for a virtual golf experience is growing across North America.

Analysis shows the golf simulator market in North America is expected to double in value by 2031 to $1.5 billion USD, up from approximately $750 million USD in 2018.