Most visitors to Baseball Plus on February weekends are there to hone their swings for upcoming baseball and softball seasons. For the past year, however, golfers have had a practice area for their own swing work, where the crack of a 5-iron and the thud of a simulator screen join the chorus of aluminum bat pings and pitching machine thumps.
Baseball Plus, just south of Merrick Road on Henry Street, brought Full Swing Golf to Freeport last year and jumped into the indoor golf world. I took note of the simulator last winter when limbering up for softball season but it took a year for me to make it back with my Cleveland Launcher instead of my Worth Supercell.
Full Swing Golf simulators allow golfers to practice or virtually play some of the world's greatest courses in a system that impresses with its fast reaction time and sharp detail. At Baseball Plus, spend a half-hour in the simulator for $20 or a full hour for $35. Eighteen holes at Pinehurst No. 2 took me just under an hour.
There is a lot to take in when you face down your first virtual golf hole — including wind speed, distance, yardage to landing areas, lie, and more — but the realistic graphics stand out. Pinehurst's famous crowned greens are clearly displayed in the distance as you set up an approach. Shots hit the large screen and continue without interruption. Strong shots and mishits all translate accurately. Chip shots struck too thin skitter across the green. Each swing concludes with a brief overview that includes shot distance, ball speed, launch angle, and yardage to pin.
It takes time to get the hang of some of the technology, especially putting. There is a steep learning curve for the short game, an aspect of real golf dependent on feel and instinct. But who cares? You're playing Pinehurst No. 2 for 35 bucks, and your chips would probably roll off those greens in the real world anyway.
As the name indicates, Baseball Plus is strictly baseball — there are no secondary comforts like TVs, lounges or refreshments like at other indoor golf centers. Still, the staff is helpful and interested in your thoughts on the Full Swing system.