Fore! The Sim Links opens in downtown Oconto

Rich Palzewic

Staff

April 6, 2026

OCONTO – No matter what type of weather Mother Nature throws at Northeast Wisconsin, Dillon Boehmer said The Sim Links has you covered.

Boehmer said the indoor golf facility – located at 908 Main St. in Oconto – offers indoor golf simulators and lounge space for players of all skill levels to learn, practice and play year-round.

“When I began golfing during my downtime, I noticed I was making the same errors on the fairway,” he said. “Despite having a practice net at home, I knew I still needed more practice. That’s when the idea hit me about how useful an indoor golf simulator could be.”

Combining GSPro software with ProTee VX launch monitors, Boehmer said The Sim Links allows golfers to explore thousands of local, national and international PGA courses, including personalized user-created courses, while learning the math and physics involved in each swing.

“Our technology provides key metrics on the type of hit that affects the golf ball, including swing speed, ball speed, smash factor, angle of attack and face angle,” he said. “Golfers of all skill levels will learn why the ball flies the way it does, giving you a way to improve your swing while on the links.”

Boehmer said early feedback has been strong as the business gets underway.

“A lot of people have told us they like how The Sim Links is bigger than other indoor simulator businesses they have gone to,” he said. “Our goal with The Sim Links is to have an immersive experience where it feels like you’re on the golf course.”

To help accomplish this, Boehmer said all of the simulators at The Sim Links have full turf from the front of the bay to the back.

“Once things are fully operational, we’ll start doing leagues and other competitions and offering different deals to help put people in here during the warmer months,” he said. “With our recent snowstorm and the wetness of spring, it’s a bit tough right now for outdoor golf.”

Boehmer said he’s focused on improving the Oconto community, a mindset guiding his work at The Sim Links.

“I want to give back to the community, have something fun and exciting to do in town and make it a community hub,” he said.

Year-round entertainment

Though he expects business to dip in warmer months, Boehmer said The Sim Links will still serve as a year-round, multi-use space for golfers of all abilities.

“I feel it can really help people, even if they just want to take a quick range section with all of their clubs to see where they’re hitting them,” he said. “One benefit to an indoor simulator is finding out exactly how far you’re hitting a golf ball with each club – 20 yards can be a big difference.”

Boehmer said The Sim Links also provides golfers with an opportunity to tune up their game ahead of the outdoor season.

“Maybe it’s just one or two sessions,” he said. “For some, it’s not just about playing – it’s about improving as well.”

As the seasons shift, Boehmer said he’ll monitor activity at The Sim Links and respond accordingly. 

“Maybe we’ll find that we have to shift our focus to smaller competitions and shorter times – maybe to something like a 30-minute range session where people come here and warm up instead of practicing on the course,” he said.

Boehmer said some golfers prefer playing indoors regardless of the weather.

“For some, there is a lot of pressure associated with playing outdoors,” he said. “Outdoor golf can be very intimidating. You have people behind you watching you swing, and there might be pressure from those groups if you’re playing slower. A simulator takes the worry and pressure out of your play.”

Boehmer said The Sim Links offers both open and private simulators, allowing guests the option to play out of view.

“I have two open simulators, and I’ll have two private simulators,” he said. “That way, if you don’t want anyone watching you, you can hop onto a private simulator and play at your own pace. If you only want to play three holes in an hour, that’s no problem – there’s no group behind you getting upset.”

Boehmer said physical limitations – such as allergies or injuries – keep some golfers from playing outside.

“I had a guy in here recently who had a stroke, and he can’t golf outside because the uneven ground is too hard for him to walk around,” he said. “So, this allows him to play because he can hit off a solid surface [with the simulators].”

Boehmer said simulators can be a cost-saving option for golfers as well.

“I’m not the world’s best golfer, so going out on a course and losing four balls – or more – can cost you some money,” he laughed. “With a simulator, you’re not going to lose any balls, have to search for balls or walk through water or bushes.”

Boehmer said he intentionally partnered with an architect to make The Sim Links ADA-compliant.

A golfing background

Boehmer said he’s been golfing most of his life, a passion passed down from his father.

“So much so that my dad even built a golf hole in our yard,” he laughed. “I’ve gone through spurts of how much I’ve played over the years, depending on what stage of life I’ve been at. Last year, I finally had more time, so I started to golf more.”

Because he was using the same clubs from seven or eight years ago, Boehmer said he thought it was a good idea to get a club fitting.

“That was my first time on a golf simulator,” he said. “I liked seeing all the numbers of what my shots looked like. I absolutely loved it, and it got me thinking about wanting to improve my game.”

From there, Boehmer said he looked into installing a simulator in his house.

“Unfortunately, you need a lot of room for a golf simulator, which is the hardest part – you need about 10-foot tall ceilings,” he said.

With no real options for indoor golf close by at the time, Boehmer said he began digging deeper into whether such a business in Oconto could be a reality.

“I did some research on some buildings, and one thing led to the next,” he said. “I thought, ‘Boy, if I’m looking at putting a simulator in my house and I’m passionate about it, I guarantee there are a lot more people in town who are passionate about it as well.’ A lot of people will drive 30 minutes for outdoor golf but probably not an hour.”

Boehmer said the idea for The Sim Links took shape when he realized he could channel his vision into a business.

He said he needed a large space with high ceilings, and found the right fit in a former batting cage and arcade building on Main Street.

“The previous owners put the building up for sale,” he said. “It was actually the only building I looked at, just because of where it was located, right on Main Street.”

Not only does the building hold The Sim Links, but Boehmer said it has character and history.

“At one point, it was actually the high school,” he said. “The building got picked up and moved across town and was also a Ben Franklin store, I guess. It’s also been a furniture store. Oconto is very history-based and has a historic downtown, which is where the building is located.”

As for the 6,000 square feet of space, Boehmer said work on the building – which he thinks dates to the 1880s – was mostly cosmetic.

“It has incredibly strong bones,” he said. “There are 3,000 square feet on the bottom level and another 3,000 on the top level, which we haven’t done anything with yet. On the main level, the floor was all within two inches of being level. Everything was square, and there was no damage.”

Boehmer said the space was updated with new floors and paint, and the simulators were built in place.

“At a lot of other places, that’s not how their simulators are configured,” he said. “In most other places, they’re more pop-up in nature. Ours are actually built in place right to the walls and floors. I wanted to do it the right way.”

For more information on The Sim Links, navigate to thesimlinks.com.