When Jeff Davis moved to Summit County full time two and a half years ago with his wife Kari, the one thing the couple missed about Denver was having an upscale date night spot they enjoyed going to. Davis also had two of his good friends — one in San Diego and one in Oklahoma City — push him into golf, and he had become addicted to the sport.

These two factors played heavily into his decision to open The Clubhouse in Frisco. After about a year of what he calls “sleepless nights,” he opened the bar on Dec. 26, 2015. The Clubhouse, located upstairs in the remodeled Frisco Centre across from where Jonny G’s used to be, doesn’t just serve cocktails and small bites. It also features a large golf simulator, measuring an expansive 16.6 x 20.6 feet.

“I really wanted an indoor golf simulator, but they were really expensive, and my wife would not let me have a $70,000 toy,” he said. “And it wouldn’t fit in the house.”

He began looking at different commercial spaces for his new business idea, and, after finding the spot in Frisco, he said it all clicked.

“That’s why people come to Summit County,” he said. “For the views, for the activities, everyone is active, people like golf. We have like seven courses here in Summit County, and I really just wanted to create something cool for everyone to enjoy — locals, tourists — to give everyone another option.”

Walking into The Clubhouse, patrons are first greeted by the large golf simulator facing the doors. But turn to the right, and there is an elegant bar, with large windows all along the far walls, providing expansive views of the mountains and the town from its second-story location. There are couches seated next to a fireplace, and tucked away on the other side of the large venue is a pool table.

“If you look around, this is the furthest thing from a golf bar or a sports bar,” Davis said. “But, if you are into golf, we have the best golf can offer in the winter. If you are into views and décor and a relaxing environment, we’ve also got you covered.”

He said his venue appeals to a wide audience — groups of couples will come in, and the wives will drink martinis by the fireplace while the husbands enjoy a game of golf on the simulator. He also rents out the simulator to groups to watch football games.

FOOD & DRINK

The Clubhouse offers small plates, including items like BBQ pork sliders, a strawberry kale salad, red pepper hummus and the current favorites — a pig and fig flatbread and meatball sliders. Breakfast is served Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., with a chicken ‘n’ cheddar biscuit sandwich, a kale scramble, strawberry parfait and what Davis calls their signature Mt. Buffalo biscuits and gravy.

“The food menu is basically simple plates — simple, small tasty items,” he said. “You can definitely fill up and have dinner, but, if you’re looking for a burger and fries, we’re not the place.”

There are upscale wines by the bottle, six beers on tap and a variety of bottled beers. A craft cocktail menu was created by the bartenders and features cocktails with golf-themed names like Back Nine Birdie Sour (Macallan 12 year whiskey, fresh lemon juice, agave nectar, Peychaud’s Bitters, topped with orange and cherries) or the Broken Golf Cart (Broker’s Gin, cucumber with a splash of tonic).

THE SIMULATOR

The golf simulator is for everyone, whether players are beginners or experts, Davis said. Local high school golfers will sometimes come in during the morning hours to practice, and there is already a strong following of local golfers that come in to play once or twice a week.

“A lot of golf simulators aren’t designed to accommodate very skilled golfers,” he said. “This golf simulator is the same one that Jordan Spieth has in his house. … We have 93 different world-famous courses, many of which are on the PGA Tour schedule.”

The simulator provides state-of-the-art tracking — club head speed, ball speed, spin rates, trajectory and loft.

For the avid golfers, Davis said, they can utilize this system to get better, and, for beginner golfers, it’s a tool to learn how to play golf — but not be so intimidated like being on a real golf course.

“The worst parts about golf are that it’s expensive, takes too long, it’s intimidating and it’s uptight,” he said. “The simulator takes away all four of those and makes it for everybody.”