Ironwood Bar and Sports SIM

A hole-in-one for Boulder County golfers

By Chistopher C. Wuensch

Fore! Golf in Boulder County is quickly becoming a year-round passion for golf fans of all experience levels, thanks to Ironwood Bar and Sports SIM.

Since lining up its first tee shot in November of 2024, Ironwood, conveniently located in Longmont’s Parkway Shopping Center, has created not only a place for golfers to avoid developing rusty swings over the winter months but has also become a burgeoning community for all sports fans, alike.

“We’re trying to replicate the golf experience year-round,” says Golden Rueckert, owner of Ironwood, who relocated to Boulder County from his native Chicago. This is evident by the Windy City sports memorabilia that drapes from the walls.

“I love playing golf so much, as much as I love being around the community and friendship of the game.”

Ironwood’s 3,000-square-foot facility features three golf simulator bays that provide golfers with a realistic experience that can be enjoyed in a fraction of the time it takes to play an entire round on a regular outdoor course. Here, golfers can get in 18 holes in an hour or two, rather than the five-plus hours it takes to walk a course.

That’s in addition to being a more cost-effective way to hit the greens while taking advantage of flexible tee times between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Lest we forget the prospect of never losing a ball to the rough and the always pristine weather. Unless that’s your thing.

Players can select from 58 worldwide-recognized courses, with the option to set their own simulated atmospheric conditions, such as wind, for those golfers who love a challenge.

Among the courses to choose from are the legendary St Andrews, Torrey Pines and the popular and most-requested Pebble Beach.

It’s more than just a simulator for working on one’s driving skills. Golfers test their mettle on entire holes, including fairways, bunkers and greens. With Ironwood’s stat-tracking technology, players can keep tabs on their game with metrics such as distance, ball speed and spin rates.

“The idea is not to replace summer golf, but instead to complement it,” Rueckert says.

For those serious golfers, Ironwood offers a membership package that provides discounts for bay rentals and drinks, first dibs on tee times, and the opportunity to squeeze in early rounds at 7 a.m. before the general public. Ironwood currently has 35 members, with more joining as the word spreads.

The cost to reserve a bay ranges from $35 to $55 per hour, depending on the time and day of the week. The facility also offers complimentary rental clubs for men, women, lefties and junior golfers.

The result is a communal atmosphere that has many golfers returning for more.

“It has a real community feel,” says Debbie Ramirez of Boulder, adding that it’s an excellent opportunity for making new friends. “I’m practicing over the winter to be better for the summer months.” She spends an hour every week during her lunch breaks to work on her game. That’s in addition to competing in Ironwood’s Monday night women’s league.

Ironwood hosts several year-round leagues of varying competitiveness, including lunch and evening leagues, seasonal tournaments and its Champions League, where the best of the best vie to have their names engraved onto the Ironwood Cup.

Individual stroke play leagues offer cash payouts and a leaderboard, where standings are proudly displayed as pennants on the wall.

Ironwood also makes for the ideal spot for golfers who just want to get out to play, be it a quick round, an evening out with friends or even a fun date night.

“The idea is to meet people where they are,” Rueckert says of the differing levels of player’s skill sets. “We want you to be comfortable and to have fun; it’s just a game.”

But there’s a lot more to Ironwood than just golf. The location is a hub for sports fans on game days as the place to sit back and take in NFL games on Sundays, March Madness and international soccer matches, among others.

For those hungry golfers, Ironwood has partnered with Parkway Food Hall to allow patrons to order food from the likes of local established Longmont eateries such as Cleaver & Co., Spice Fusion and H3sh3r BBQ Co., as well as HipPop gelato bars, Chile con Quesadilla and The Hatchet Watertown Pizza & Seafood, among others. All of which can be washed down with an extensive selection of craft beers, wines, and a variety of cocktails named after renowned golf courses like Sawgrass, Valhalla and Bethpage Black, plus Ironwood’s namesake take on the old-fashioned, consisting of maple, peach bitters and bourbon from Denver’s Laws Whiskey House.

Ready to swing some pipes? Visit theironwoodbar.com today for more information and to reserve your next tee time.

Ironwood Bar & Sports SIM
700 Ken Pratt Blvd, Suite 105
Longmont

theironwoodbar.com