Shop Talk is a weekly column featuring locally owned and operated businesses. This week, we talk to Jason Schilling of JAM's Indoor Golf and Sporting Center in Stamford.
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How long have you lived in the area?
My wife, Ann, is originally from the Delhi area and still has family in Bloomville, South Kortright and Hunter. We came to this area for a vacation in 2003, and I took the opportunity to play several of the region's golf courses. While here, I found an appreciation for the region, not only for the golf, but also for the people within the communities. We moved to Stamford in the early part of 2004.
Tell me about your business:
We have affordable year-round golf on four of the world's best golf simulators, each with 53 championship courses, including courses such as Pebble Beach, Pinehurst and St. Andrews. With indoor simulators, a person uses real golf clubs and real golf balls, hitting the same full shots as you would outside. The four simulators allow for open play, leagues and tournaments. One of the four simulators is setup with added teaching tools, which will enable golfers and teaching professionals to view what's happening with a person's club head before, during and after impact, as well as two high-speed cameras capable of recording the golf swing. Walk-in prices are $21 for 18 holes, with a maximum of one hour of simulator time, and with the package deals, that price can drop to as low as $17 for each hour. We recommend calling for tee-times. We recently put up our website, www.jamsindoorgolf.com.
Also, we have pool tables and three soft-tip dart boards. We have a large arcade section with video games, air hockey and Foosball. We have tables and seating for people who want to watch their favorite games in high definition on a big screen. We do facility rentals for birthday parties and "business meetings." Since we have been opened, we have thrown numerous parties for individuals ranging in ages from 6 years old to adults.
Describe a typical day in your business:
First thing I do each day is wake up with a smile on my face because I know that I have a job that I actually enjoy. Even the work that goes along with owning this business doesn't possess the tedious nature that most jobs have.
Following the routine opening duties, I try to sneak in a round or two of golf. Because it only takes me 35 to 40 minutes to play 18 holes, I can afford to take the time.
Other than that, it's a matter of making sure that each customer who comes in, whether they are a single golfer or a member of a foursome, feels at home, relaxed and appreciated. I realize that even though I own the business, it's not mine, it's the customers'.
How did you get started in this line of work?
I took up golf in South Dakota. I was able to play golf for only a few months out of the year because of the weather. The progress I would make each year was nullified by the long winter hiatus. It was the proverbial "one step forward and two steps back" when spring finally decided to show up. I regretted not being able to play year-round.
My wife became a "golf widow," and I spent countless hours on the course improving my game. After many years (and winter hiatuses) I became a single-digit handicap. I got so tired of putting away my clubs for so long and knowing that I was losing a large part of what I had learned and earned during the months that I could play.
I love the game of golf. I love playing the game. I love watching other people play the game. Indoor golf addresses many of the reasons why people cannot play the amount of golf they would like, as well as many of the reasons that some people choose not to play at all.
Where do you see this business in five years?
I truly see this business as a mainstay in this region, not only during the winter, but also during inclement weather in the summer. There are, on average, 255 days annually that golfers in this region cannot golf. Because of the hours that we are open _ Mondays to Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sundays, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. _ this facility accommodates people who work into the evening and typically couldn't play a full round of golf because of impending darkness. It only takes about an hour for the average golfer to play a full 18 holes on our simulators.
Describe a memorable moment in your workplace:
There have been so many. If I had to choose one, it would be the look on the face of one of my regulars, who happens to be a high handicapper, when he hit one of the best golf shots of his life on a par-3 at Chateau Whistler. The ball rolled toward the pin and stopped 3 inches from the cup. A near hole-in-one. That's the closest to a hole-in-one anyone has had.
What have you learned from your work?
To never give up.
What is the most challenging part of what you do?
Waiting for the state Liquor Authority to issue our beer and wine license.
The most enjoyable?
Watching people play this game. Every day I have the opportunity to watch people improve. We recently hosted a free short-game clinic taught by Michael Mercadante, who just became a PGA pro. As a result, I have been able to observe some of the individuals who attended that clinic dramatically improve their golfing ability and subsequently their enjoyment of the game. We are looking at doing more clinics in the very near future, covering the basics up to advanced golf skills.
What are some advantages/drawbacks of doing business in this area?
One of the biggest advantages is the people who use this business. My customers want this business to succeed. They are constantly recruiting new customers. Other business owners have been kind enough to take fliers and hang them up in their own businesses. Stamford has a great advantage for location because it has the ability to draw customers from Oneonta, Delhi, Cobleskill, Hunter and Windham, just to name a few.
Some indoor golf facility owners might look at the pricing that I have set as a drawback _ most facilities charge upwards of $30 for a round. Essentially, they're out to make as much money as they can. I wanted to make golf affordable for everyone and I believe that it can be. Setting the price at $21 to play Pebble Beach or St. Andrews, I believe I have put the price of golf at an affordable rate for this region.
What sets you apart from your competitors?
The customer service. I've gone to some businesses where it appears as though I am bothering the person who is working. I never want that to be the case at JAM's Indoor Golf & Sporting Center.
What advice would you give to someone trying to enter your field of work?
Don't do it. I don't want the competition.
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For more information about Shop Talk, call Emily F. Popek at 432-1000, ext. 217.
