CHAMPIONS GATE, Fla. – Want to hit a bucket of range balls near Central Florida's tourist corridor? Add dinner and cocktails and enjoy it all under the lights at the Omni Orlando Resort in Champions Gate. Check out the new Eagle's Edge series featuring top Tracer range technology.
Hardly a week goes by without a golf club (usually multiple clubs) announcing the installation of a Toptracer Range. This popular technology uses a system of cameras and sensors to track the flight of a golf ball and project its flight onto a screen. If you're reading this golf article, you've probably seen the technology in action on the PGA Tour telecast.
There are other similar systems, the Trackman radar-based system being a prime example. All such systems go beyond simply hitting a bucket of balls, giving players data on practice shots, or allowing them to virtually play famous courses as video games become a reality. Designed to enhance your shooting experience.
Since being acquired by Topgolf in 2016 and rebranded from its original name, Protracer, Toptracer's technology has become popular and installed in over 1,000 facilities. The company says on its website that more than 24,000 top tracers are currently hitting the bay.
The new Toptracer range at Eagle's Edge at the Omni Orlando Resort at Champions Gate is just a few hundred yards from the massive resort hotel's back entrance. This facility also accepts general reservations. (Courtesy of Omni)
Many private clubs have several bays with food and beverage options for members, especially in colder climates where courses may be seasonally closed. Many public practice ranges also have TopTracer technology installed, allowing players to hit balls and see the results on monitors. Several facilities in central Florida have already implemented this technology. For example, Oviedo's Tee It Up Golf Driving Range is about a 20-30 minute drive northeast of downtown Orlando, on the opposite side of the region from the theme parks.
Champions Gate's new public access Eagle's Edge takes it up a few notches, combining the upscale pub scene on Orlando's southwest side, not far from Disney World, with top tracer technology.
Eagle's Edge features 30 above-ground hitting bays that open up to a netless practice range, beyond which serves as the practice facility for ChampionsGate's two full-size golf courses, National and International. The new Toptracer Range was built on the former site of coach David Ledbetter's Golf Academy.
The 6,000-square-foot Eagle's Edge features a restaurant and central bar just a few hundred yards from the back entrance of the massive Omni hotel, with food and drinks delivered to each bay. The half of the range closest to Eagle's Edge features raised and illuminated targets of various sizes that players can aim at day or night. Shots are tracked on a monitor adjacent to his mat, and balls are fed through the machine by swiping the club in front of the sensor, similar to Topgolf facilities.
The overall experience at Eagle's Edge is more similar to Topgolf, which helped define the industry term “eatatainment,” than your average experience. Grab a craft cocktail and a plate of nachos, watch TV on the couch, or hit the ball with purpose. The choice is yours.
Food and drink are essentials at Eagle's Edge at Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. (Courtesy of Omni)
And just like the bullseye at the giant Topgolf facility, the bullseye at Eagle's Edge lights up when the ball hits home and the bayside screen records a hit. Many players spend most of their time attacking the ball with their driver to see how far they can hit the ball, but for the more serious golfers in attendance on opening night, dancing lights out with a wedge was a no-brainer. It was just as fun trying to make the shots bounce off small targets closer to the bay.
“With Eagle's Edge, we are transforming the way guests engage in gaming and event gatherings through a comprehensive venue that offers cutting-edge technology, top-line service and unparalleled food and beverage offerings. ” said General Scott Tripoli. ChampionsGate Omni Orlando Manager said in a media release announcing the facility's opening.
Each of the 30 hitting bays can accommodate one to six players. Walk-ups are accepted, but we recommend reserving a bay through opentable.com. Bay's rates vary based on demand, but a recent look at booking sites suggests he can expect to pay between $40 and $58 per hour, depending on the date and time. The fee is the same for each bay, whether there is one player or six players. This facility can accommodate large groups. Players can use their own clubs or swing with clubs provided at each at-bat.
See images of the new facility and its Toptracer technology below.
