Temecula’s newest indoor golf club takes Swing at improving your game

JP Raineri Sports Editor

TEMECULA – How’s your golf game these days? Is it good enough to play Torrey Pines, Pebble Beach, Pine Valley or even Augusta? Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t, but it could always be better, right? Courses like those obviously cost a pretty penny and aren’t close to home, but what if they were? And, what if you could play them for a fraction of the cost, and on your own time? Well, guess what?

The new Swing Indoor Golf Club in Temecula can put you right in the action of big-time courses, while helping you improve your game, all the while staying out of the heat. Let’s face it, it’s been hot lately, and it’s only going to get hotter in the summer months ahead…so, why not golf with the air conditioner on.

In the last decade, indoor golf has gained almost as much popularity as regular golf, and local business owner Joseph Bortfeld, along with his family, jumped at the opportunity to join in on one of the fastest growing golf trends. The Swing Indoor Golf Club is Temecula’s newest indoor golf venue that offers a virtual golf experience for golfers of all abilities and ages. Though, Bortfeld says that it’s better to have some experience when visiting his establishment since it isn’t like what you would find at those light up arcade style venues, or even your typical driving range.

“Yes, it has all the feels of a being in a life size video game, but this is for those who wish to improve their game while having fun,” says Bortfeld. “We are pulling real time data for you, from swing speed and launch angle, to rotation and distance, and so much more.”

Like any other skill-based game, golf requires relentless practice. You will need to spend hours refining your techniques and perfecting your swings. However, not everyone is fortunate enough to live near a golf course or driving range that you can visit anytime.

Even if you are one of the lucky people, there are still concerns over those harsh weather days.

That’s not a worry at The Swing Indoor Golf Club because when you step inside the temperaturecontrolled facility, you will feel right at home with the setup. There are four bays with gigantic screens and well-padded turf areas, as well as optional tee sizes for club preference. There is even a separate driving range area, which is available at a low hourly rate.

“It’s all real time, so you get your data immediately, which allows you to fix something in your swing on your very next approach,” says Bortfeld. “I love seeing the look people get when they experience our version of simulator golf. Everyone is so eager to return.”

Bortfeld’s son, Brando, who is on the golf team at MSJC, was the deciding factor for this business venture, he said. “When COVID hit, he (Brando) was on the football team at Temecula Valley High School and was going through the recruiting process to play at the next level. That was a tough time for a lot of student athletes when their worlds got turned upside down by the changing landscapes of what colleges were doing. I’m not knocking what they did, but with more and more college athletes staying on for a fifth or sixth year, we knew that was going to hurt the chances of getting play time for younger college athletes.”

Golf was always something the Bortfeld family did for fun, but according to Joe, while his oldest son Santino liked the game, his youngest son really took to the game during his down time of the pandemic.

“All of the sudden Brando was all about golf, and I loved it,” Joe says. “He was playing with his friends, and asking me for tips, and while I always took my game seriously, I golf for leisure, so when he (Brando) wanted to take his game to the next level, we agreed he should aim his sights at MSJC.”

While sitting around the living room one day after work, which involves owning a logistics management company, Joe’s wife, Jen, had gotten on the topic of how hot it was that day, and wondered if there was a place where Brando could go to swing indoors. It was then that after doing some research, and learning

DRAFT from page C-1 round by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Also, not on our list were two Temecula Valley alumni in Cole Urman, and recent graduate, Adler Cecil. Urman graduated in 2019 and was a junior on the Cal State Fullerton baseball team this past season where he caught 49 of 56 games behind the plate for the Titans while hitting .270 with thirty runs, thirty RBIs and four home runs. He was taken as the 481st overall pick in the 16th round by the Baltimore Orioles. Cecil, a lefty pitcher and 2023 graduate had a good year on the mound with five wins and one loss with a 1.33 ERA over 50 innings and was a complete draft surprise.

The Golden Bear pitcher was a First team Southwestern League selection who had yet to announce a collegiate commitment, but managed to impress someone there wasn’t much of an option here locally to practice golf inside, Joe’s imagination ran wild. over in the Padres organization as he was taken in the 19th round as overall pick No. 581.

“We looked up at-home golf simulator options, and it seemed to be a business on the rise, but then I thought about how many more families there were like us, and that’s when we agreed to see what we could do to bring an indoor swing facility to the golfers of the Temecula Valley,” said Joe. With the concept on paper, and his construction skills on point, Joe met with designers of the electronic kind, got some finances together and brought his family’s idea to life over the past year. The outcome is something to be proud of as this isn’t a franchise in itself but has all the components to be one should they ever choose to branch out.

The Temecula Valley coaches must be doing something right with MLB scouts as three players have been taken in the last two drafts. Chris Paciolla was selected in the third round by the Chicago Cubs (No. 86 overall) in 2022 and is still active in the player development pipeline for the club, playing in the Arizona Complex League this year. So, what is next?

After an amateur player is drafted by a Major League Baseball team, he is given a period of a few weeks to negotiate a signing bonus and agree to a contract. That is where each of these local players stand currently. Though negotiated contracts will be public knowledge soon enough, each club has until 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 25, to come to

With every ball strike the ambience is like being on a reallife golf course, allowing you to play in various locations. Every trip you take to the facility, can be like a new unique experience and there isn’t a group of golfers pressuring you from behind.

From the bird calls to the sounds of waterfalls, ocean waves, rain, wind or even the roar of the crowd, it’s easy to get lost in the game. There is even plenty of seating and room to enjoy your own snacks and drinks while waiting your turn. It’s also recommended you bring your own clubs, though they do have some to rent if needed.

“With the heat turning up, avoid the sunscreen, and come swing inside,” says Bortfeld. “We want to be an alternative choice to help improve anyone’s game or be an terms with its Draft selections. If a player has exhausted his collegiate eligibility, he can sign at any time up until one week prior to the next year’s Draft.

Draft-and-follow picks for high school and junior college players selected after the 10th round who attend a two-year college after the Draft, can sign with their selecting teams for up to $250,000 up until a week before the following year’s Draft.

Each choice in the first 10 rounds comes with an assigned monetary value, with the total for a club’s selections equaling what it can spend in those rounds without incurring a penalty. If a player taken in the top 10 rounds does not sign, his pick’s value gets subtracted from his team’s pool.

In order to be eligible for the MLB first-year player draft, a player must be a resident of the United States or Canada and must option for a fun trip out of the house for the family.”

To find out more information about The Swing Indoor Golf Club, or to book your tee time online, visit www.theswinggolf. com . Another great way to stay up to date is by following their Instagram page (@ theswingindoorgolfclub) to see if there is last-minute tee time available, or to check on discount rates and promotions. The facility is located at 27576 Commerce Center Dr., Ste. 101, in Jefferson Court, and while their hours vary, they are open most days by appointment only.

JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia. com have never previously signed a contract with an MLB franchise. Players can be drafted right after graduating from high school, but if they have already begun to attend a 4-year university they must wait until after their third year or 21st birthday in order to take part in the draft.

Even though this year’s 20-round MLB draft has concluded, many organizations will continue to add college talent in the coming days as nondrafted free agents. NDFAs can sign deals up to $125,000. As of press time, the Valley News was unaware of any local SoCal players that have signed on as nondrafted free agents, but we will keep our ear to the ground as to what contracts get signed, or don’t get signed in the coming weeks.

JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia. com