Downtown Palatine tees up new indoor golf club in loft space

An indoor golf facility is ready to tee off in a second-floor loft space inside a multi-tenant downtown Palatine building.

The village council this week gave petitioners Phil Volini and Ben Kastien approval of a special use for the Loft 19 Golf Club, 117 W. Slade St., Unit 200. The council also approved a liquor license for beer and wine.

Volini told the planning and zoning commission last month he and his partner saw an opportunity with an underused space in a building that also includes Madcats restaurant and other tenants, including a photography business and a local soccer-related organization.

The 2,800-square-foot space will offer three simulators, each hosting up to six players. It is available by reservation only. The screens would be about eight feet high and 12 to 14 feet wide.

“This is not a kind of drop in ‘I want to rent a golf simulator,’” Palatine Planning and Zoning Director Ben Vyverberg said.

The facility plans to operate Sunday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Food will be prepared remotely, in partnership with nearby restaurants, including Madcats on the first floor, Mexico Uno and Taphouse Grill, all of which have been identified as partners.

“Liquor service and accessory food service is only available to someone utilizing the golf simulator,” Vyverberg added.