New Tiger Woods PopStroke venue in Florida set to open with upgraded amenities

By Rolf Joho December 11, 2024 Golf 0 Comments

There’s a new Tiger Woods’ PopStroke set to open in West Palm Beach this month, with a new level of amenities added to the family-friendly golf and dining venue.

PopStroke takes the old concept of mini-golf and elevates it into a high-tech experience that is heavy on perks, plus food and drink.

During a preview of the West Palm Beach complex on Dec. 5, PopStroke Chief Executive Greg Bartoli showed the many details he hopes will transform the nearly $20 million site into a flagship destination for the company.

The location has two artificial turf mini-golf courses set amid tropical landscaping, outdoor lighting and misting fans.

The venue also features a children’s playground, a restaurant, six bars, and six 24-foot-by-13-foot jumbotron video screens that display leaderboards and sports games.

This PopStroke location, the second in Palm Beach County (the other is in Delray Beach), also has the most extra of touches: A 21 and older VIP lounge, featuring a swimming pool and bar.

The West Palm Beach PopStroke, at 2429 Perimeter Rd., will open to the public Dec. 20, at 10 a.m. The property, off Belvedere Road just west of Interstate 95, is on land leased from the Palm Beach International Airport.

Bartoli, who is partners with Woods in the venture, said he’s tried to create a lively atmosphere for everyone, “like a backyard party.”

PopStroke is a far cry from the mini-golf courses that once dotted many Old Florida tourist towns.

But Bartoli said the influx of companies and residents into Palm Beach County in recent years, a trend accelerated during the COVID pandemic, created the need for a centrally-located gathering spot.

“There’s no windmills, no clowns,” Bartoli said of PopStroke. “Instead, we’ve made a beautiful environment that can appeal to different guests.”

Palm Beach County “has the nicest, world-class resorts,” Bartoli added, “and we want to make this a showcase property.”

The newly-built PopStroke reflects the increasingly upscale orientation of businesses throughout Palm Beach County, whether it’s private clubs, hotels, office buildings and shopping centers.

Who can play at PopStroke?

There’s something for everyone at PopStroke, from visitors aged three to 93.

During the day, children and families can play golf or enjoy other games, such as cornhole. In addition to a family-friendly restaurant, there’s also an ice cream parlor.

At night, PopStroke’s dramatic lighting creates the scene for gatherings of friends and professionals, he said.

Meanwhile, the members-only VIP room will be its own scene, right down to the food.

The sushi served in the lounge will be flown in from Japan and prepared by chefs who previously worked at Nobu, Bartoli said.

In addition to the swimming pool and cabanas, the VIP lounge also has showers, changing rooms and lockers.

Courses are near completion during a tour of the soon-to-open PopStroke entertainment venue near Palm Beach International Airport in unincorporated Palm Beach County, Fla., on December 5, 2024. CEO Greg Bartoli says the facility is two weeks from its grand opening. (Thomas Cordy/Palm Beach Post)

‘Sand’ traps, hills and lots of extras

The West Palm Beach location PopStroke features two 18-hole mini-golf courses designed by a professional golf course designer.

The courses are intended to mimic the traits of a regular golf course. This includes plenty of sand traps made of white artificial turf, plus lots of little hills.

In addition to the putting courses, there’s also an extra “challenge” hole to play.

Key to the PopStroke experience is the blending of sports with technology. Guests must download an app to play golf at PopStroke. The app allows players to update their scores on the jumbotron leaderboards. Guests also can order drinks, which are delivered by servers to the customer’s exact spot on the (mini) greens.

PopStroke also has a two-story restaurant and amenities building.

A ground-floor restaurant will serve a traditional American menu. The space opens to a fenced-in children’s playground.

Bartoli, who has three young children, said parents can watch their children play while they finish their meals in peace.

Above the restaurant is a second-floor event space with its own bar. Bartoli said the venue can accommodate up to 100 guests for events ranging from birthday parties to corporate gatherings.

But only VIP club members can rent the upstairs VIP space, he said.

However, for an unspecified amount, he said the entire PopStroke space can be rented out.

How much does it cost to play?

The restaurant is open to the public, and people do not need to buy a golf pass to eat there.

But for those wanting to play the mini-golf courses, PopStroke costs $30 per person for an all-day pass from Monday through Thursday, and $35 from Friday through Sunday.

Discounts are available for children and seniors.

PopStroke memberships are available for $30 a month and provide unlimited golf play, plus 25% off food and beverage and 20% off events.

The VIP space has a different fee: $5,000 a year. VIP members get a “fast pass” to the courses and are first in line to tee off.

Why Bartoli created PopStroke

Bartoli, a former Wall Street banker, moved to Florida several years ago and settled in Jupiter with his young family.

He quickly became a mini-golf aficionado and developed the Lighthouse Cove Adventure Golf course, which has two locations in Jupiter.

But Bartoli said he still yearned for a golf venue where he could bring his three children and enjoy some adult me-time.

When he created PopStroke in 2018, he made sure to include play areas and playgrounds along with sports bars and television sets.

Bartoli opened PopStroke’s first location in Port St. Lucie in 2019, then brought on Woods, who lives in Jupiter Island, as a co-owner in 2020. Woods’ TGR Design redid the Port St. Lucie course.

PopStroke’s first Palm Beach County location, at 1314 N. Federal Highway in Delray Beach, opened in November 2023.

Since then, the company has opened locations across the country, including Las Vegas, Arizona and Texas. More locations are planned.

PopStroke was going to open a location in Wellington, but Bartoli said that spot has been put on hold for now.

Instead, he said PopStroke wants to build up the West Palm Beach location as a dominant destination and attract people “from all over the county.”

Woods isn’t the only major golf investor to get involved in PopStroke Entertainment Group.

The equipment company TaylorMade joined with the venture, too. Each PopStroke venue is outfitted with special edition TaylorMade golf balls for patrons to use on the putting course and take home as a keepsake.

Putters are included in the PopStroke day pass, but premium TaylorMade rental putters can be rented for $10.

PopStroke’s offices in Jupiter and Stuart employ about 75. But the company nationwide employs 2,000.

And at the West Palm Beach location alone, the company expects to hire between 175-200 people, Bartoli said.

The Popstroke golf courses are among the numerous facilities that have been coming to Palm Beach County, which is known by some to be the “golf capital of the world” because it is home to 145 courses and many of the golfers on the PGA Tour.

Alexandra Clough is a business writer at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at aclough@pbpost.com. X: @acloughpbp. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.