The Digest | New Jersey Magazine
Issue link: https://magazines.vuenj.com/i/1480887
ere have been rumblings that the sport of golf is dying, as it has come down from its heydey that stemmed from the worldwide phenomenon of Tiger Woods. But like any sport with a long history, it has seen peaks and valleys but remains widely popular. To find proof that the game remains a passion for thousands of enthusiasts, look no further than the newfound interest in indoor, residential golf spaces. For those who want to be able to swing a club 24/7 to improve their game or just to unwind, golf simulators right in your own home might be the answer. Anna Maria Mannarino, the owner of Mannarino Designs, showed just how glamorous and still practical a golf simulator room can be with her project in Holmdel, NJ. With 23 years of experience in award-winning interior design, Mannarino is no stranger to unique requests and the need for innovation, but this was a new challenge for the non-golfer. "I loved working on it because it was something new and I like things where I have to figure out logistics. ere were very specifics for how the simulator area had to be designed," she says. Chosen by the client, the company Track Man provided the simulator. Mannarino worked with their team to learn the parameters for the room including specific spacing and sizing, as well as what had to be completed in advance so they could get the lighting and electronics installed correctly. "e key to the golf room was to soundproof it as much as possible because, ideally, they didn't want to hear the client hitting balls against the wall. We used various things to deaden the sound, like adding a sound barrier behind the walls, in the ceiling, and dark carpet on the outside. e ground is turf and then the simulator runs floor to ceiling and wall to wall," Mannarino explains. e simulator itself allows users to select golf courses from around the world as the backdrop proving a sort of ever-changing mural. (Shown here is the famed Blackhawk Country Club Lakeside course in Northern California). BY WENDY LARIMER PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAUREN HAGERSTROM VUE ON | INVITED VUENJ.COM 63