PUTT & PLAY GOLF CENTER

Golf simulators? Indoor putt-putt course? Laser tag? Whatever you're looking for, Putt & Play Golf Center has it. Located on West Columbus Avenue in downtown Bellefontaine, owners Sam & Eric Watkins are proud to offer a variety of fun indoor activities for community members to enjoy year-round. 

What began in 2017 with two golf simulators and a simple putt-putt course quickly grew to include much more. Despite their challenging miniature golf course and golf simulators loaded with over 85 courses from all over the world, their patrons wanted more. "Many customers would ask, 'Do you have anything else to do?'" shared Sam Watkins. In the fall of 2018, two virtual reality stations were added with 40 experiences for customers to enjoy, including virtual escape rooms or flight simulation. They upgraded their putt-putt course and added "glow putt" on select days with the help of glow-in-the-dark paint and black lights. 

After all their upgrades, customers were still looking for more to do, so the lower floor was converted into a 1,400 square foot laser tag arena known as WarZone 209 starting in 2019. The newer, more robust layout and laser tag system compares to a real-life Call of Duty-style experience; this new system opened earlier this year. 
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As lifelong residents of Logan County, the Watkins were passionate about paying homage to Bellefontaine's history. Their train-themed putt-putt course is a nod to the city's extensive involvement in the early railroad industry; some of the artwork and pictures depict buildings that were part of the railroad. They aspire to add more railroad history to the course in the future. 

Like many other Logan County businesses, Putt & Play has seen its share of hard times in the past year due to the pandemic. Fortunately, many of their practices - including disinfecting all surfaces and customer-facing items - were in place when they started in 2017. Since the pandemic began, they have added safety measures and now offer several days of the week for customers to schedule appointments so they can be in a family unit or with few other people. 

When asked about their involvement in the Chamber, Sam explained, "We always wanted to be a part of the team. The one thing that has helped us and all local businesses is to communicate and help one another in what ways we can. The Chamber has been very helpful in opening that communication and working with other businesses to create opportunities for all of us to succeed." 

Putt & Play Golf Center is open Wednesday-Thursday 12-7 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 12 - 9 p.m. If you are interested in scheduling a fun experience with friends or family, call (937) 404-1330 or visit puttplaygolfcenter.com for more information.