Come winter, the Hickory Club hopes to be Needham’s newest private club — and unlike any other. The Hickory Club’s application to the Planning Board describes itself as a “first class private indoor golf facility,” and after two appearances before the Needham Planning Board, the first in July and the second in August, its plans were approved by a unanimous vote on Sept. 1. The club will be located at 117 Kendrick St. in a building owned by the commercial real estate firm Bulfinch, which also leases space to the co-working firm Workbar.
If things go according to plan, in a Needham neighborhood that once bottled Coca-Cola and made Polaroid products, golfers will be honing their skills in posh surroundings on virtual courses in the U.S., U.K., Japan, the Bahamas and other top flight links around the world.
At a July 28 public hearing, the Hickory Club’s attorney, Charles Le Ray, told the Planning Board that the club will have “indoor practice areas, simulators, short game practice areas and a sand bunker.” The club’s website says it will also offer coaching, massage, sauna, cold plunge and a bar and lounge.
Co-founder Sam Yarosh said, “Nowhere in Massachusetts can you find a place like we’ve conceived of here. It will be a draw for communities surrounding Needham.” Yarosh anticipates a membership of 300-320.
Yarosh told the planning board that the club would be staffed from approximately 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. but “ideally we would support use outside of those hours.” Planning Board member Artie Crocker said his biggest concern was what was happening after hours, especially with members and their guests who bring alcohol.
Yarosh cited other towns in Massachusetts that allow 24-hour access to golf simulators and said entry would be credentialed, visitors would be registered and members would be bound by a code of conduct.
The Planning Board also expressed concern with inadequate parking and with insufficient planning in regard to the food and beverage service.
At the July meeting, Planning Board member Adam Block questioned whether the proposed business was essentially a video game establishment. “Video gaming is prohibited, and all of your business, other than going to a gym, is a video business,” Block said.
Yarosh said that golf practice areas are not an arcade but part of an athletic training facility. Le Ray said it should be classified as an indoor exercise facility under the bylaw.
The video Block referred to is the display screen on the 14 planned Trackman golf simulators. According to the Trackman website, the simulator’s base software package uses immersive graphics to recreate the layout of 70 top-rated courses around the world. Although Yarosh would not specify which Trackman model or software package the Hickory Club would adopt, he told the Observer, “Trackman provides the premier experience on the market and they’re trusted by every top player on the planet and the PGA Tour.”
Addressing the parking concerns, Le Ray said that the one parking space requirement per 150 square feet of interior space was not needed for this facility. “It’s probably appropriate for a Planet Fitness” but Le Ray said that this club will have less dense usage. “Occupancy will always be controlled by a reservation system.”
Its first shot at approval ended in the rough, but its second appearance at the Planning Board resulted in a successful approach shot and an easy tap in. The Hickory Club provided a parking study and satellite images of the parking lots at different times. The 707 spaces were never more than half full.
Neither the building commissioner nor fire department raised any concerns with the proposal. There was only one other speaker at the public hearing, Colin Corkery of Needham, who also supported the proposal. Greg Reibman, president of the Charles River Regional Chamber, also submitted a letter in favor of the plan.
After receiving supplemental data on parking and on the food and beverage service, the entire Planning Board expressed its unanimous support at the Aug. 25 meeting.
Chair Justin McCullen said, “This is a novel idea that would really add to our community of businesses in Needham.”
Block said that all of his concerns had been adequately addressed.
The Hickory Club hasn’t finished its round of Needham board meetings yet. Approval of a liquor license has to be granted by the Select Board.
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