After a long anticipated wait, Drive Shack has finally opened in Lake Nona! As of Saturday, April 7, at 3 p.m., the business is officially open to the general public.
“The people are so warm and welcoming….” said Drive Shack CEO, Chuck Beyer, regarding the Lake Nona community in an email interview. “With the growth and the amazing people, we are loving what the future holds.”
Drive Shack is the latest entertainment destination in Lake Nona, located in the Sports and Performance District at 7285 Corner Drive. Drive Shack is serving great food, cold drinks, and long drives at the three-story, indoor/outdoor all-weather golf-entertainment complex. The location also features a free play game lounge with classic games like shuffleboard, skee-ball and Pac-Man, a full-service restaurant and bar, an outdoor lounge, and three fully equipped meeting and event rooms for parties up to 1,000.
The driving range features a hitting bay where guests have access to golf clubs, unlimited golf balls, dual flat screens with TV on-demand, interactive games enabling guests to compete with other bays, and full-service, on-call food and drinks from the restaurant.
“We have 400 locals working with us now. We bring excitement and energy,” said Beyer. “Focusing on hospitality will lead to the locals’ go-to place for entertainment.”
Drive Shack’s signature technology includes new proprietary games like Shackjack, where guests can aim at playing cards that appear over each hole while trying to build a hand of 21 without busting. Or save the Drive Shack Princess by destroying all of the monsters on the range during a rousing game of Monster Hunt. Guests can also take on real courses – like Teton Pines and Linfield National – as if they’re actually there, using Drive Shack’s virtual technology.
For those less practiced in golfing, clinics for those looking to improve their swing will begin in April and will be available to players at all skill levels, including individuals and groups, beginner clinics, juniors just starting out or wanting to enhance their skills, and parent-child classes.
The Drive Shack grand opening that happened on April 24 was amazing. I walked up to the massive building and as soon as I entered the doors, I was absolutely awed. The staff is very helpful as are their restaurant servers. The huge golf course that all of the bays lead out to brings the whole picture together. There are 90 bays and each bay offers the same five games that you can access through a monitor. I played Monster Hunt. My swing was not as sharp as I had liked it to be since my only experience is in putt putt golf. However, an instructor was happy to assist me. I was shown how to correctly hold the club. In Monster Hunt, you hit the ball in a certain area so I do not recommend that for beginners. The game you’ll likely want to gravitate towards is Shackjack. With this activity, you can score points regardless of where the ball lands on the course.
As for the food, it was beyond my expectations. They laid out a very nice presentation for guests showcasing select items from their menu. I tried a spinach quiche along with their all classic beef slider. Both of these sparked my tastebuds for more.
Their terrace on the third floor looks great for parties and gatherings. It also has a bar placed next to it. This area leads to an arcade room where you can play Pac-Man games or shoot some baskets in hoops.
Overall, it seems like a great place to lean back in the lawn chair, kick your feet up, and crack open a beer. There is something for everybody whether you’re a child or a grown adult. You won’t be disappointed. So, if you’re looking for a fun weeknight or weekend activity for you and your family, or looking to book a party or team building event, take a swing on Drive Shack.
