Since its opening nearly a year ago, KiS has attracted more than 500 members. When they walk into the club, golfers are greeted by an indoor, down-sized golf course. A stone pond flows in the corner. Small trees sit in pots around the wicker furniture. Blue flags and golf holes punctuate the artificial grass that winds throughout the building. And a mural of the University Club of Kentucky golf course seems to jump from the walls.
In fact, since the Lexington club painted the mural, other KiS facilities, such as clubs in Memphis, Dallas, Atlanta and Charlotte, have copied it.
"So we're spreading the legacy of UK golf throughout the South," Joe Waddell said.
But, while the scenery is a bonus, it's the membership benefits that likely attract golfers. The paid membership is a lifetime deal, and it comes with a lifetime supply of golf clubs, unlimited use of the club and lessons with the club's Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA) trainer and other benefits.
The club houses five, 18-hole golf simulators, which allow golfers to get a precise assessment on their swing, speed and accuracy. But members don't have to stay inside the club to practice. They can take their KiS golf clubs, and the PGA trainer, to the golf course.
And that doesn't necessarily mean a Lexington course. The KiS membership includes travel-club packages to golf resorts across the country. The club also gives away a golf cart every six months; an example is displayed in the front of the club and in the Fayette Mall.
Still one of the most unique aspects of the club is the togetherness it allows families, Genny Waddell said.
"It's something families can do together," she said.
Anyone interested in golf from youngsters to retirees take part in the KiS club. Many times, parents train with their children.
"Usually parents sit on the sidelines and watch their kids play basketball," Genny Waddell said.
The KiS golf club and academy gives free tours of its facility. Those who take the tour (which takes about an hour) receive a two-night, three-day trip to one of about 30 destinations, a $25 gift card for Outback, Bonefish or Carrabba's and a chance to putt for a Bahamas cruise. Those interested can sign up for a tour at KiS country club and golf academy, 1850 Bryant Road, or at Fayette Mall.
Contact Jenna Mink at jmink@winchestersun.com.
