BIG SWINGS

Ritzy indoor golf and social club opens near San Antonio

Inside Nine uses state-of-the-art Golfzon simulators.

A new golf complex has swung into Boerne, blending a country club feel with contemporary technology. Inside Nine Golf & Social Club is now open in the Napa Oaks Shopping Center at 27650 I-10 #207, offering around-the-clock virtual game play in a swanky setting.

“Inside 9 is more than golf — it’s a private, tech-driven lifestyle club blending sport, business, and leisure,” the business described itself in a social media introduction that may or may not have been written by ChatGPT.

Inside Nine golf Boerne Each bay has swanky lounge furniture for observers.Inside Nine/ Facebook

Inside Nine’s high-tech setup centers on Golfzon simulators that blend augmented and virtual reality to recreate lifelike fairways, greens, and putting conditions. The South Korea-based company also outfits its bays with hydraulic swing plates, allowing the floor to tilt and shift to replicate everything from uphill lies to rough terrain found on real courses.

Those simulators let members join leagues and compete in tournaments against players around the globe. Still, the biggest perk over a traditional round may be the convenience: no ball hunting is required. After each shot, the tee automatically resets and adjusts to the golfer’s preferred height.

At only 2,859 square feet, Inside 9 does have one disadvantage to traditional courses — no roving beverage carts. But the club does provide liquor lockers that can be filled with a rare aged whiskey or Arizona iced tea.

Inside Nine golf Boerne The facility also includes a pro shop.Inside Nine/ Facebook

Members will also get access to shared office space and an entertainment lounge.Membership rates start at $250 per month for single memberships, but a foursome can go in on a group membership for only $50 more. A $325 Birdie membership gives players more active tee times and the ability to bring guests for free. Corporate memberships are also available for $400 for folks who want to do business on the links.

Inside Nine joins a growing list of indoor sports complexes responding to unpredictable weather in the San Antonio area. Among the upcoming projects bringing heated and air-conditioned amenities near Alamo City are soccer-themed beer garden Pitch 25, Taiwanese baseball center Toroko Sports, and pickleball hub Outlaw Pickle.

boerne golf clubs sports openings

for the win

Cheer on these Texans competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics

Boone Niederhofer, 2026 Winter Olympics bobsledder

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Boone Niederhofer is a former Texas A&M University football player.

The XXV Winter Olympic Games, also known as the Milano Cortina 2026, are right around the corner, running February 6-22 in northern Italy. Out of the 2,900 athletes who will participate in this year's Games, 232 will represent the U.S., with four hailing from the Lone Star State.

San Antonio residents will recognize one local athlete in particular: Bobsledder Boone Niederhofer, who grew up in the Alamo City.

To catch these Texas-born athletes in the 2026 Winter Olympics, viewers can tune in to NBC and its affiliate networks, websites, and apps (like Peacock).

Without further ado, these are the Winter Olympians competing for Team USA with roots in Texas. (Note that there are other athletes with Texas ties, like Jake Oettinger of the Dallas Stars, who are competing in the Olympics but aren't considered Texans.)

Hannah Bilka, 24
Sport: Ice hockey
Texas tie: Bilka grew up in Coppell and is the youngest of four children. At age six, she followed in the footsteps of her older brother, Anthony, and started playing hockey. Due to a "lack of girls’ hockey teams in Texas," she grew up playing hockey with boys.
Fun facts: She won the 2024 National Championship in women’s ice hockey with the Ohio State Buckeyes, the same university where she earned a master's degree in sport management. Her two older sisters, Christina and Stephanie, were figure skaters.
When to watch: The women's ice hockey preliminary round begins on Thursday, February 5. The women's bronze and gold medal matches will take place on Thursday, February 19.

Hannah Bilka, 2026 Winter Olympics hockey player Hannah Bilka is one of two North Texans competing in this year's Games.Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Emily Chan, 28
Sport: Pairs figure skating
Texas tie: Chan hails from Pasadena, a Houston-area suburb in Harris County, but she also calls Dallas home. She graduated from Texas Online Preparatory School as the valedictorian.
Fun facts: She loves to cook, bake, make jewelry, and dreams of opening her own café in the future. Her longtime skating partner, Spencer Akira Howe, is from Los Angeles. They both relocated to train at the Skating Club of Boston in 2019, where Chan now coaches young figure skaters. Chan is also pursuing a family and marriage counseling degree from Grand Canyon University.
When to watch: The figure skating "team event" kicks off on Friday, February 6. The pairs figure skating competition begins on Wednesday, February 16.

Emily Chan, 2026 Winter Olympics figure skater In addition to being a top-notch figure skater, Emily Chan is also trained in Chinese modern dance and ballet.TeamUSA.com

Amber Glenn, 26
Sport: Singles figure skating
Texas tie: She was born in Plano, and started skating at just five years old.
Fun facts: Glenn is a mental health advocate and a member of the LGBTQ+ community. She came out as pansexual in 2019. She loves to play Magic: The Gathering, and her dog, Uki, is named after the stalking shadow card Ukkima. She also enjoys anime and Star Wars. On Friday, May 29, Glenn will visit the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb Allen during the 2026 Stars on Ice Tour.
When to watch: The figure skating "team event" kicks off on Friday, February 6. The women's singles free skate competition begins Thursday, February 19.

Amber Glenn, figure skating Plano's Amber Glenn will have the Dallas-Fort Worth crowd on its feet. Facebook/ISU

Boone Niederhofer, 32
Sport: Bobsledding
Texas tie: Niederhofer grew up in San Antonio and later became a wide receiver at Texas A&M University. His father, Dan, played football for Abilene Christian University. Niederhofer and his family previously lived in Midland .
Fun facts: Niederhofer has a degree in petroleum engineering and worked in Texas' oil and gas industry while competing in bobsledding competitions.
When to watch: The bobsled competition begins on Sunday, February 15. The men's two-man heat will take place on Tuesday, February 17, and the men's four-man heat is scheduled for Sunday, February 22.

Niederhofer graduated from Churchill High School in San Antonio, according to 12thman.com.Boone Niederhofer/Facebook

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