New golf simulator coming to Weirton

WEIRTON - Local golfers soon won’t have to leave the Tri-State Area to enjoy playing some of their favorite courses from around the world.

Father and son duo, Bob and Travis Bolner, are getting ready to open Hosel Rockets Golf Center in Weirton, bringing a home-grown golf simulator and pro-shop operation to the Upper Ohio Valley.

"We got tired of seeing big box stores take advantage of their customers and not solve any of their problems," explained Travis Bolner during Wednesday’s meeting of the Weirton Rotary Club.

Set for opening in early September within the Three Springs Crossing business plaza, Hosel Rockets Golf Center is set to include four public golf simulators featuring Foresight Falcon launch monitors, with a fifth simulator for use in the pro shop.

The simulators will be programmed with more than 25 courses from Pebble Beach to Spyglass Hill, Pinehurst to St. Andrews, The Bedans, Willow Crest, Meadowbrook, and many more.

They are partnering with L.A.B. Golf, Cobra Golf, Mizuno, Callaway, and Srixon to sell clubs, and will be set up to provide swing evaluations, fittings for drivers, wedges, irons, putters, and full bags, along with repair services.

"We’re going to have leagues and memberships," Bob Bolner said, noting there are plans for special offers for members of local high school golf teams. "We want it to be family oriented. We want them to feel welcome."

That welcome feeling extends to the creation of the business’ name, with the co-owners explaining they wanted to have a serious establishment, but something that would resonate with both serious and casual golfers.

"We want a bit of the humor behind it," Travis Bolner said.

In golf slang, a "hosel rocket" is a type of shank, happening when the ball strikes the area where the club’s head and shaft connect. Such contact typically sends a ball flying off course.

Area natives, they said Weirton was always their target when they were ready to launch the business.

Bob is a Weir High School graduate, who has worked as a welder and in metal fabrication and metal testing, while Travis is an Oak Glen graduate who enlisted in the Marines after high school before attending Robert Morris University. He previously worked at Dick’s Sporting Goods and now is employed as the E-Sports director at RMU.

"The idea is to set roots in Weirton and grow," Bob Bolner said, with Travis indicating response from the community has been "overwhelming."

A wait list of potential customers already stands at 145, they said.

There are plans for a snack area, with Coca-Cola products, hot dogs, pepperoni rolls and other hand-held food items, with the goal of eventually getting a tavern license to sell beer. They also would like to partner with some of the neighboring restaurants.

Current plans are to be open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.

For more information on the business, including memberships, booking, and rates, visit online at https://www.hoselrocketsgc.com

(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com)