'Fun Formula' at Fiddlestix

Greg Miller with a long iron. See an array of photos at  Make It Mille Lacs Facebook page.

Onamia’s Ivars Wagner may not have the sun tan to prove it, but he’s played Puerto Rico’s Dorado Beach East Golf Course this winter. 

He’s also played Torrey Pines, Pebble Beach and Pinehurst -- all on a Microsoft LS Links golf simulator at Fiddlestix Golf Course in Isle. 

Wagner and 15 other local golfers convene each Wednesday at the Isle Course clubhouse simulator to blast drivers, punch chips and stroke putts in what could become a popular Mille Lacs Lake winter past time.

“It’s great for the area and the distances are right on,” said Isle’s Greg Miller, Wagner’s partner and owner of Eagle Signs, a local business. “It’s something to do, giving you a chance to swing a club. It’s accurate -- as the machine doesn’t lie. The sensors pick up the way the spin of the ball goes.”

While it doesn’t yet have the area following of bowling, dart or pool leagues, simulator golf draws well in metro areas, helping give players a great indoor substitute during winter.  It has potential to catch on at Mille Lacs as word spreads about its availability.

"We try to play the courses the tour is on," said Fiddlestix owner Harley Exsted, as Wagner and Miller battled Bill Olmstead and Harley Sawatsky Wednesday in a noon match called recovery. "It's a great tune-up for your golf game. We've got 20 courses to pick from and we can do scrambles, skins, best ball or match play."

Exsted said he originally bought the simulator to help his son, Grant, a Isle High School golf phenom, to better his skills.  With a heated club house and simulator set up, Exsted decided to open it to the public last winter to defray costs and create a potential business buzz during the lull between seasons.  Manager John Searles bartends, mans a pull-tab boxe and serves pizzas for those interested when people play.

'We're flexible if you can’t make it on a Wednesday,'  Exsted said. "Anybody can call the golf shop and make a tee time and we will keep this up through the end of April." List price for the simulator is $20 per hour.  It takes a foursome about two and half hours to play nine holes, which is pretty close to the real thing.  Things like work team-building functions, bachelor parties or family outings all would do well to give this venue a shot.

The simulator gives a lot of stats each time you hit a ball.  It depicts distance, ball speed and launch angle to name a few. Both Exsted, Searles and the guys playing are generous with helpful tips. Watching the foursome hit balls, rip some tabs and have a couple drinks, it looked like a novel way to spend part of a cold winter day at Mille Lacs.  The next closest simulator is in Brainerd. 

"Another good thing about this is we never lose any balls," said Exsted, smiling, "But we do get stuff like this (a cracked ball) after you whack it for about five rounds."

Until April 15, Fiddlestix is still offering its 24^th Anniversary $99 membership package. To get it, you sign up for two years and can golf anytime Monday through Friday, paying only for your cart.  With tax, that gives you a two-year membership for about $211.

Only twice in the previous 23 years, has Fiddlestix opened on or before April 1^st. Last year, the course opened March 31^st and was playable for every day in the month of April. For a listing of leagues, play dates and initial player meetings, see the Fiddlestix website calendar.