Today we’d like to introduce you to Mauricio Galante and Larissa Vilela.
Mauricio and Larissa, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
We owned a skydiving business for 9 years in NE Connecticut and decided to change gears after our first child was born in 2012. I, Mauricio, started to play golf back in 2008 already in my late 30’s and became an accomplished golfer in about 2 years competing in the New England amateur golf tour, so I decided to take my teachers certification and looking for a golf business to purchase.
I found this place here on the internet and we decided to take the trip to Dallas area in September 2013 to take a look at it. It was love at the first sight because is a huge facility with a lot of potential and in the middle of everything. We eventually close the deal, not without a lot of hurdles like anything else in life and took over a totally depleted facility with sights on getting this thing to the next level offering something special for golfers and families.
After 2 years we were awarded a top50 in the Nation prize and then strike us that we must be doing something special here. We brought TopTracer technology (new tracking system from Top Golf designed for practice ranges/ www.toptracer.com) in 2015 and the response is been extraordinary since them. We still the only one in Texas to offer such a product.
Every day there is always a new project going on because the rebuilding, renewing and improving the existing services never stops here with us! It’s the way we know how to do business. Our next project is a patio bar with some exquisite food paired with craft beer pub… let’s see if gets along with golf!
We are very excited to see what happens.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s never a smooth road, but we strive with challenges ahead of us. It’s always been like that in our lives.
Please tell us about Golf Center of Arlington.
Golf Center of Arlington is a full-service Golf Practice facility with a twist of entertainment venue.
We offer a 320 yards long golf range with grass area to hit from, covered bays with misters during the summertime and heaters for the cold days, 4 acres of a miniature golf course with 36 holes surrounded by 7 waterfalls, an extensive short game area with 4,000 sqft of putting green, sand bunkers, uneven lies stations and of course a snack bar (future Bar and Grill). We also rent spaces for parties and events either corporate or private.
You can get your practice done or just play a round of miniature golf with friends and family having your favorite drink and enjoy your day.
We are known for always have fairly new practice balls (we actually change them after every 200 hits) which provides a honest feedback to our customers and of course very well known for being the only facility in Texas with TopTracer ball tracking system, it’s really like Top Golf on steroids some customers say.
We are proud to be a family owned facility with a personal touch with our patrons, that’s who I, Mauricio, am. A people person doing what I love and sharing my passion for the sport with my guests. And for the most part that’s what set us apart from others. In a corporate America environment and chain stores everywhere, I believe people are more and more looking for places where they feel they belong, instead of being one more customer at the door.
They all know they belong here, and I do my best to assure that to them in every visit!
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
The endless soccer matches we played on the streets. We played until the sun was out and we could not see the ball any longer. I’ve always been a fierce competitor, if I lose the match, I wanted to start over again until I get what I wanted. Victory!
Pricing:
- $10 for a Medium bucket of balls to hit ($3 extra for TopTracer)
- $15 for a Large bucket of balls to hit ($5 extra for TopTracer)
- $20 for an X-Large bucket of balls to hit ($7 extra for TopTracer)
- $8 kids and $12 adults for unlimited miniature golf play
- $2.50 beer draft specials on Friday Nights and selected occasions
Contact Info:
- Address: 1301 NE Green Oaks Blvd.
- Website: www.GolfCenterofArlington.com
- Phone: (817) 469 9005
- Email: play@golfcenterofarlington.com
- Instagram: @golfcenterofarlingtontx
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/golfcenterofarlington/
- Twitter: @Golfarlingtontx
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/golf-center-of-arlington-arlington
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