Kevin Kost, of Charleston, S.C. hits a shot on the Trackman golf simulator at a The Bunker location. A new one is scheduled to open in North Greenbush this fall.
Tired of tee times in the rain, snow or bitter cold? Capital Region golfers now have another option for perfecting their putt even in harsh weather – and it includes a full-service bar and gourmet restaurant.
The Bunker, an indoor golf simulator and entertainment lounge, is opening a new location at 490 North Greenbush Road in the coming weeks. It will mark the third location in the Capital Region for the Guilderland-based company, which also has a spot in Clifton Park.
Unlike a traditional fairway, The Bunker draws in a more eclectic crowd with its seven Trackman simulation rooms. Building owner Scott Noel hopes the virtually-generated golf courses attract both avid golfers looking to practice their game and individuals with no experience ever swinging a club.
Two “VIP” rooms with private space and a big screen TV can be rented out for parties unrelated to the club-and-ball sport (like viewing a UFC fight or watching a football game, Noel added).
On nice days, the large garage doors will be folded up to convert the bar into an outdoor deck. The full dining room, complete with a fireplace, offers a menu of bar favorites such as flatbreads, handhelds and golf-inspired desserts (see “range balls”).
Noel, who also owns North Greenbush's 16 Handles and the Ivy Spa, describes the spot as a “super fancy, swanky indoor golf place with high end drinks and food.” A golf lover himself, he said he was attracted to the company after visiting the Guilderland location with friends for his birthday.
“We were like, ‘wow this place is really gorgeous and posh,” Noel said.
When he purchased the building across the street from Cumberland Farms, he immediately thought of bringing the indoor golf facility to Route 4 (which he emphasized all major retailers are attempting to get a spot on).
The company was founded by friends Troy Miller, owner/broker of CM Fox Real Estate, and Burl McCutcheon due to their desire to open an indoor golf experience with a luxury environment and top-notch technology.
The duo opened the first location at 2390 Western Ave in Guilderland in 2019 and then, with about a $1 million investment, they expanded to the 19 Clifton Country Road spot in Clifton Park in 2021.
The North Greenbush Bunker is just awaiting its liquor license approval before opening its doors, which Noel expects could be as soon as two weeks. More information on a grand opening will be available soon.
In more Route 4-related news, down the road, a Chick-fil-A has been approved to be built at 502 North Greenbush Road and is expected to open sometime late fall or winter.
For more on The Bunker, check out the company's website.
Melissa Manno is a Hearst Fellow covering business, with a focus on commercial real estate development and retail. She also covers breaking news. Melissa graduated from Penn State University in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in journalism and minors in geography and digital media trends and analytics. She covered identity and culture for The Daily Collegian and has previously interned for the Centre Daily Times, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Smeal College of Business and the Organization for Aid to Refugees in the Czech Republic. She is also the 2021 Hearst National Journalism Writing Champion. You can reach her at melissa.manno@timesunion.com.