GULF SHORES — Looking to get some swings in on the course but also be away from the crowds? The newly opened Tee Lounge in Gulf Shores has you covered.

Located at 613 Highway 59, just a stone's throw away from the beaches of Gulf Shores, the Tee Lounge lets guests book a tee time for up to six people to swing away in a private room decked out with a virtual golf simulator.

Owner Russ Gold, a Gulf Shores resident of 15 years, said he believes the idea of a virtual golf simulator can work in the area, whether it is someone looking to practice, group gatherings or someone wanting to get out the clubs when the weather outside doesn't comply.

"I want this to be a place that guys can come and work," Gold said. "We have great cell phone service and Wi-Fi, and when they're done working, they can play some golf for those guys that have a little bit of a golf addiction and want to get in some range time before work. This is another place that they can come before the sun comes up. Rain or shine, it works. Whether it's hot outside or cold outside, it works."

Patrons can book a reservation online for as low as $20 per person per hour. The minimum time slot is one hour, and the maximum is six hours. After confirming their reservation, they will be provided with a door code to enter the room on the property during their allocated time slot. There are multiple time slots available throughout the week, and it's available 24/7 with a 15-minute buffer between tee times.

The brains behind the technology at the Tee Lounge are Sean Merron, founder of Zeal Technology, a software consulting firm based in Baldwin County, and Nelson Blair of Coastal Technology Services, who installed the golf simulator hardware and technology.

The simulator runs on GSPro, a software that contains hundreds of thousands of user-created golf courses. Patrons can simulate real-life courses within the room of the Tee Lounge, whether it be the Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters Tournament, or Gulf Shores' very own Kiva Dunes Golf Course.

The software also provides immediate visual feedback for every shot, tracking things like ball speed, launch angle and spin rate. The software is a tool perfect for golf lessons or for someone who is trying to learn. Blair says they tried to make the interface as user-friendly as possible.

"This is really a tool," Gold said. "It doesn't really replace the real golf course; it's just a tool. It's a practice facility. It's a meeting place. It's a hangout place. We tried to make it as nice as we could."

Visit https://teelounge.golf/ for more information.