WJ Golf Will Bring Virtual Golfing To The Arboretum Club

BUFFALO GROVE, IL — The Arboretum Golf Club will soon be home to a virtual golf experience – WJ Golf, which offers indoor private lessons, golf simulators and full-service dining and entertainment, is set to take over the club's banquet space.

Buffalo Grove's Village Board unanimously approved a lease agreement with the golf company at its Aug. 31 meeting, Board President Beverly Sussman said. The new location is set to open in 2022 after a renovation of the banquet hall, a news release from the village of Buffalo Grove said.

Plans for the village-owned property and golf course include converting the facility's existing banquet space into a virtual golf simulator and making improvements to the outdoor golf course's cart paths, greens and bunkers, the news release said.

Additionally, the facility's restaurant, bar and patio area will be renovated into a full-service operation managed by WJ Golf for use by both golfers and the public, according to the news release.

"This is the first project of its kind in the Chicagoland area where a golf course will be expanded to provide both virtual and traditional golf experiences all at the same venue," the news release said.

WJ Golf and the Village plan to invest more than $1.4 million into the Arboretum Club property over the next five years, the news release said.

"We have made the strategic decision to reposition the course and its amenities to provide an experiential opportunity centered around golf and entertainment options year-round," Village Manager Dane Bragg said in a statement. "This exciting new use at The Arboretum Club will make Buffalo Grove a distinctive recreation destination for its residents as well as golf enthusiasts from the area."

The lease agreement between WJ Golf and the Village of Buffalo Grove has a term of ten years, with two five-year optional extensions. It will provide "significant new revenue" to the Arboretum Club for course improvements, the news release said.

Progressive, the existing tenant at The Arboretum, will leave the space in mid-November after making an agreement with the Village to end its lease early, the news release said.

"We very much appreciate (Progressive's) dedicated service for weddings, mitzvahs, Chamber of Commerce events, the Senior Expo and so much more," Sussman said in a statement. "We now look forward to this exciting new concept for our community."