Golfers can tee off at Safeco Field with 3-D simulator
Hole-in-one contest on Sunday with possible $25,000 prize
With the best golfers in the world teeing off at Chambers Bay at the U.S. Open this week, fans at Safeco Field have the chance to test their swing at Safeco Field on a high-tech golf simulator.
Operated by Gregg Rogers' Golf Performance Centers of Bellevue, the interactive training tool uses high-speed 3D cameras to capture images and data at 2,300 frames per second. Participants can choose individual holes from the best courses in the world including the "Old Course" at St. Andrews, TPC Sawgrass, TPC Scottsdale, Spyglass, Pebble Beach and more. The images are projected on a 20-foot wide curved HD screen located in an 800 square foot structure behind the Centerfield Bleachers.
"Putting a golf simulator in an MLB ballpark is unusual, but research shows that 42-percent of Mariners fans are also golfers," said Gregg Rogers. "This is an opportunity for us to grow the game of golf through a fun, interactive, high-tech experience."
Closest to the Pin Competition
The "About Golf" simulator will open two hours before Mariners home games. During this week's grand opening, fans will be invited to take some swings for free. In future, there will be a $5 fee, a portion of which will go to Mariners Care, the team's non-profit foundation, for each virtual swing. At each game, fans will have the chance to enter a "closest to the pin" competition. Entry for that will be $20 for three swings. Daily winners will receive prizes such as items autographed by Mariners players, free golf lessons or club fittings.
Hole-In-One Contest
During this week's grand opening, the winners of the "closest to the pin" contest Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday will have the chance to compete against each other in a hole-in-one match on Sunday, June 21. If any of the four finalists makes a hole in one on Sunday, he or she will win $25,000.
Gregg Rogers' Golf Performance Centers are located in Bellevue and at the Willow's Run Golf Complex. Rogers has been a PGA member for 20 years and has 30 years of experience in the golf industry and instruction.
Services that will be available at the Safeco Field training center include instruction and custom club fitting with Gregg Rogers' award-winning team of fitters, which was named by Golf Digest as one of "America's 100 Best Club Fitters" for 2015.