Lab 18: The golfer’s newest oasis to improve performance

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Lab 18: The golfer’s newest oasis to improve performance
Lab 18 features multiple Trackman 4 Bays, which offers virtual reality technology that simulates the golfing experience. (Photo courtesy of Maggie Tittler Photography)

Whether you’re a professional golfer or someone learning the beginnings of the sport, Lab 18 is the newest business catering to a golfer’s pursuit of bettering their game on the course.

Lab 18, located at 18 Roosevelt Ave. in Roslyn, is a golf performance business offering a diversity of resources designed to improve the performance of the avid golfer.

“Everything here is performance-oriented,” founder Josh Halegua said.

Lab 18 opened its doors in April after Halegua spent five years developing the business model.

The new business includes a series of services such as a gym with a sports medicine therapist, golf club fittings and private golf lessons.

Other amenities cover a plethora of cutting-edge technology to upgrade your golf performance. This includes GASP Force Plates, which measure the force under the golfer’s feet to provide information on how to improve their swing; PuttView, an interactive putting green; and Quintic Ball Roll, which uses a high-speed camera to track the putter and golf ball and displays the analytical data.

The golf-performance studio includes a series of golfing bays equipped with Trackman 4, a virtual reality technology that simulates the golfing experience by measuring and displaying the full trajectory of a shot. Each bay has a mini fridge with refreshments and a table for friends and families to enjoy the sport in a climate-controlled environment.

Lab 18’s private upstairs reserved for member’s only. (Photo courtesy of Maggie Tittler Photography)

Adam Troisi, Lab 18’s general manager, said these are the same technologies that golf professionals use.

“What we want to instill in people is you need to use the technology to get feedback and to improve,” Halegua said.

Lab 18 is a semi-private space, with the downstairs open to the public and the upstairs reserved for members featuring a full bar. Memberships include exclusive services and amenities with pricing starting at $3,000/year for individuals.

All services are offered by appointment, which can be scheduled on the Lab 18 website. Members get priority bookings on services.

Lab 18 is also open for private events, providing an interactive and engaging environment for birthday parties and workplace bonding.

Lab 18’s golf fitting room wall display of golf club shafts. (Photo by Cameryn Oakes)

Troisi said that many entertainment golf businesses are akin to a bowling alley, providing a golfing activity to engage in for fun. While Lab 18 provides a similar service with its Trackman Bay rentals, he said that is not the main purpose of the business.

Troisi said their services are tailored to a diverse customer base of golfers with varying skill sets, from the retiree looking to improve his swing to the competitive golfer on tour.

He said the private nature of Lab 18 is beneficial for golf beginners who may be apprehensive to learn from scratch on public golf courses.

Halegua said his idea for Lab 18 was inspired by Golf & Body NYC, a New York City business that provided golf services but is now closed.

“This is that place on steroids times a thousand,” Halegua said.

He said he wanted to expand upon the idea of bettering one’s golf swing by providing services tied to the body’s mechanics to enhance one’s performance.

“The concept that everyone has the same golf swing just didn’t really work,” Halegua said. “Everybody’s body can’t move exactly the same.”

Halegua said with the summer months many golfers are enjoying the warm weather and golfing outside, but Lab 18 will be a valuable asset during the fall and winter months.

While weather entices people to be outside, Halegua said this is not a seasonal business.

“People will need to maintain consistency if they truly want to improve,” Halegua said. “And we give them all the tools and assets to do so, whether with a pro or on their own.”

Halegua said Lab 18 is still in its infancy but has already been received well by the community.

Halegua said one of their goals is to foster a culture and community among members at Lab 18, where a cross-section of golfers have a place to compete, meet and improve their technique.

“Let this be like an oasis for them to come and hang out and escape that most people use the golf course for, that this will be the complement to that,” Halegua said.

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