One-Year Later: Meet the Childhood Friends Building a Better Golf Sim Venue

It’s pretty improbable that Sion and Derek opened a golf sim, of all possible businesses.

Sion Owen, of Excelsior, MN and Derek Strom, of St. Joe, have been best friends since the sixth grade. Are they pro golfers? Not exactly. Sion was a recreational golfer, and Derek hadn't even played his first full round yet.

But with a long-held dream to create a business together, combined with their focus on community, friendship, and group activities, a golf sim was the inevitable conclusion; it almost had to be a golf simulation business.

It didn’t hurt that the eventual business, Swing House Golf Sims, in Sartell, ends up having some of the most fun and advanced technology available for a sport that can be challenging to play in central Minnesota’s lovely winters. A quick look at their social media posts show frequent collaborations with other local businesses, charitable events, along with informative videos on the newest tech and how to use it.

They have built their vision of a fun, community-oriented business on their own terms at Swing House Golf Sims. Their bays are available "twenty-fore-seven" and have Trackman golf simulators with more than 325 courses, including 53 Tour venues. Trackman’s advanced sensors give you instant feedback on ball speed, launch angle, club path, face angle, and more- removing the guess work and helping you take the next step in improving your game.

New courses are added each month, so you can find fresh challenges at any level. They even have fun games for families with younger children! (Swing House posted some of their favorites here.)

Players can pay by single reservation or monthly membership and enjoy a private space complete with a mini-fridge, 11-foot-tall ceilings for the tallest golfers, a 55-inch TV to watch the game, and Wi-Fi for business or personal use. The reservation comes with an access code, so players can bring up to three friends, family, or business associates with no additional charge. You can swing solo, too.

Over the summer, Sion and Derek upgraded Swing House with a new, members-only bay complete with swing cameras and multiple turf options. All the bays have improved flooring, new speakers, and dual touch-screen monitors for more data and views.

You can find Swing House at 101 County Rd 120, Suite 200, Saint Cloud, or book now at swinghousegolf.com.

Here's a closer look with Derek on how booking and playing at Swing House works: