In the spirit of fun, Ace Golf has added a new feature to their Brandon driving range. In addition, to the usual targets, now golfers can take aim at the presidential candidates.
Yes, we’ve put up 8′ x 8′ pictures of both Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump. Golfers can take “shots” at whoever they please.
Yes, Ace Golf’s targets are totally bipartisan. The only side we are picking is which side of the range to put them on. But in the spirit of political correctness, Clinton is on the left of the range and Trump is on the right.
“What we are trying to do is get more and more guests to come out here and let off that steam, especially with everything leading in up to November,” General Manager Robert Klapka said.
But, whatever side, or target you choose, it’s all in good fun. Plus, it’s bound to improve your golf game. Hitting these targets 150 yards down the range is not easy, so it’s bound to improve your golf game.
“It’s kind of like winning the lottery for some people when they actually do hit it because most of the time, nine out of ten aren’t touching that thing out there, unfortunately. But that’s why they’re out there, so they can practice their target on surface area to hit,” Klapka said.
The targets will stay on the range until the November election.
“We are getting a lot of people asking if they should shoot at the candidate they like or the one they don’t want”, says Ace Golf owner Bill Place. “I tell them to shoot towards the one they like, so we can tell which candidate will win by the number of balls near their banner. But, I think some people are just taking out their frustrations by shooting at the one they don’t like. It’s still probably more accurate than the polls!”
This is not the first time Ace Golf has provided enticing targets. Romney and Obama graced the golf range in 2012. And, after 9/11, a large banner of Osama bin Laden was erected with a bullseye surrounding it. The banner was used as part of a fundraiser for the Silver Shield Foundation, a non-profit that supports families of police and fire personnel.
The Osama target was so popular with golfers that the banner was left up for several months until it was stolen one day. The search for the stolen banner led to an AP newswire story “Searching for Osama in Tampa, Florida”, and resulting calls from over 20 nationwide talk radio stations. The banner was never recovered, but according to Mr. Place, “it was
pretty well shredded by then anyhow”.
Ace Golf Range is located at 820 S. Kings Avenue in Brandon, about a 15 minute drive east of downtown Tampa via the Crosstown Expressway. Their website is ace-golf.com, and their phone number is 813 651-4653. Ace Golf is a locally owned family business and includes the Ace Golf Range in Riverview, Pebble Creek Golf Club in New Tampa, Wentworth and Crescent Oaks Golf Clubs in Tarpon Springs and the Plantation Palms Golf Club in Land O Lakes.
