I step up to the tee and adjust my grip. I look down the fairway, then back at the ball. I take a few short practice swings to align my club with the ball before extending into a backswing. Then I take a full swing forward as smoothy as possible and — shank the ball in a high and very short looping arc into the rough. So I take a few short steps, pick up my ball and place it on the tee again. That’s the beauty of indoor golf at City Golf COS, the new golf experience downstairs at Trainwreck. There’s no searching for a lost ball, and I can adjust my swing to send the next shot straight down the digital fairway.
City Golf COS opened in March, giving golfers of any level a space to play, practice, learn or just hang out. The area accessed at the southwest corner inside Trainwreck features four state-of-the-art golf simulator bays and a spacious 2,000-square-foot lounge and entertainment area with sofas and tables. It’s a fun area for a night out whether you have any experience with golf or not.
“We want to create a space that brings the entire Colorado Springs community together, from seasoned players to beginners,” says Mark Kelbel, owner of City Golf COS. “Whether you’re here to improve your game or just enjoy a fun time with friends, everyone is welcome.”
Kelbel’s career includes nearly 20 years as the head golf pro at The Broadmoor. Along with his love for the game, Kelbel is passionate about building community around golf. He has also been the Lead Golf Instructor at The Broadmoor and Eisenhower Golf Club at the U.S. Air Force Academy since 2020, and he was named the PGA Golf Professional of the Year in 2017.
It’s quickly evident that Kelbel is a teacher of the game, and with a few encouraging pointers, he has me driving straighter and farther as I test out the new indoor golf space.
“Golf is about how good your bad shots are, not about how good your good shots are,” he says. “If you can advance the ball and find it and hit it again, that’s a big deal. That means you’re coming along.”
You can take private lessons with Kelbel or other pros at City Golf COS. Or you can just relax with friends to drive balls or hack through a course over beers and food from Trainwreck.
“We want City Golf to be an entertainment option that people view as a family activity, as a couples activity, as a friends activity, whatever,” Kelbel says. “But if you want to get serious about your game, this is a good place to get some work done too.”
With 1,350 golf courses to choose from on City Golf’s simulators you can play virtually around the world.
“I’m going to take a group of guys to Ireland in September, so we’re going to have a whiskey taste test here at Trainwreck,” Kelbel says. “Then in June we’re going to come down and play Ballybunion on the simulator.”
He also says there will be special events around other big tournaments like The Masters and this summer’s U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor, allowing people to play the courses the pros are on.
Kelbel also has a history of giving back to the community. His nonprofit organization, Fearless Golf, makes golf accessible to at-risk youth. And he expects to use City Golf COS as a place for Fearless Golf and local high school golf teams to play and practice.
The indoor setting offers some advantages, according to Kelbel. “You never lose your ball,” he says. “There’s no pace of play issues; you’re never going to get behind another group. There are no weather issues. Your tee time is never going to get backed up. There’s no dress code. The cost is much lower, and the timeframe you participate in it is much less. You could bring your buddies down here and play 18 holes in under two hours. Everybody can have fun here.”
To find more info or reserve a bay, check out citygolfcos.com.
