ClubCorp’s BigShots premium range concept keeps growing — this time adding a Utah location

ST. GEORGE, Utah. — A tech-driven golf driving range is set to open soon in southeastern Utah.

The most prominent new feature along I-15 is the set of giant nets and 150-foot black poles set up for the new driving range. The area’s latest entertainment option is billed as a tech-focused driving range and will be operated by BigShots Golf.

This driving range is expected to finish construction and be open to the public in early March 2022, according to Larry Christensen, an owner of the St. George BigShots location.

The range will have two levels and 52 tee boxes in total, which could ideally accommodate six people per box, according to Christensen. The building will be around 40,000 square feet and include a private event space and a restaurant. The driving range extends out for 235 yards and is 50 yards wide.

Although St. George is known for its golf courses, BigShots will technically be the first driving-range-centric business in the city. As advertised, it will offer options traditionally driving ranges don’t, such as climate-controlled tee boxes, ball tracking software that can tell how fast and far each ball was hit, and interactive games with virtual targets.

BigShots Golf is owned by ClubCorp, a company that owns and operates more than 200 golf and country clubs. Christen said ClubCorp helps provide expertise on the operations for the restaurant, which is planned to have an alcohol license and serve wine, beer, and liquor. The company already has four other locations either officially planned or currently open, including two in Texas.

Although BigShots Golf operates in a similar way to the popular Top Golf ranges, it doesn’t try to compete with Top Golf; rather the company tries to open locations in areas that have been “underserved in the entertainment aspect,” according to T.J. Schier, the chief operating officer for BigShots.

“I think with St. George, you’ve got a solid community there. You’ve got a college, tourism, and you’ve got great weather year-round,” Schier said. “It really fits into all the demographics that we’re looking to attract to BigShots.”

There are a few main groups that use BigShots including serious golfers who want to practice without worrying about the elements, large groups, including businesses renting out space, and just regular people looking for a social activity that involves some movement, according to Schier.

BigShots Golf continues construction on their St. George location Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. (Chris Caldwell / The Spectrum & Daily News).

This business is set to provide residents with additional late-night entertainment options since it will operate from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Monday through Thursday and will be open even later from Friday to Sunday with its weekend hours scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 a.m.

A group of local investors helped bring the driving range to St. George. Christensen, one of those investors, said he has been working toward the project for the last seven years.

This business is planning to hire somewhere between 125 and 150 employees by March, according to Christensen, with the hiring set to begin in February.

The BigShots driving range will be the first commercial operation to open in this portion of Desert Color but there are plans for more in the near future, according to Christensen. He said he thinks this wide-ranging development is a testament to the growth of the city and will make a positive impact on both residents and tourists.

“I think there’s a huge benefit because the city is growing so rapidly,” Christensen said. “I think that’s what Desert Color is. If you want to have steak, you go there, if you want to go to a movie, go there. This kind of brings everything together.”