The contractors are working furiously. Anticipation is high. December 1 is targeted for the grand opening.

We’re talking about CityCenter, right? Wrong. For local golfers, the anticipation is for the re-opening of the Callaway Golf Center Driving Range at 6730 S. Las Vegas Blvd. The 12-year-old range is undergoing renovation to install artificial grass where water-thirsty real grass had been in the target areas. The target areas are also being re-graded to make golf-ball recovery easier.

In August, Golf Digest magazine cited the Las Vegas Callaway Golf Center two-level driving range as one of the 10 best public driving ranges in the country. General Manager Robert Gonzalez says, “Every day, customers who haven’t seen our publicity about the range being closed for renovation, come in wanting to hit balls. I tell them to be patient; when we’re finished, we’ll again have a state-of-the-art facility.”

Callaway Golf Center, just minutes from Strip hotels, has 110 driving slots on artificial mats and 20 on grass. Though the center opens at 6:00 a.m., peak hours for the range and for the nine-hole par three golf course, are between 4 and 9 p.m. “We can get very crowded on the driving ranges,” says Sales Associate Luis Macias. “Sometimes during our busiest times in the Spring and Fall, you can see golfers with their bags and a bucket of balls just standing by, waiting for an open slot.” On those busy evenings, the center welcomes between 300 and 500 golfers. And yes, the nine-hole course does accommodate night golf.

The Callaway name (the late Ely Callaway started the company in 1982) is familiar to golfers. But what isn’t quite so well known is, in the midst of a general recession, how very popular the “little” Callaway Golf Center is with visitors and locals.

Gonzalez, says, “Most of our customers are locals, but about 35 percent of our business is from tourists. Because the Callaway name is known worldwide, we see tourists from Mexico, Japan, England, Australia…all over.” Locals who are seniors can play nine holes of golf for as little at $11 (Monday through Thursday) if walking. The top price on weekends for non-residents is $40 with a cart. “Our prices are reasonable,” says Gonzalez, “and our location can’t be beat.” Buckets of balls start at $4 for 30 balls. Gonzalez says many locals visit the range several times a week; some daily.

And celebrities? Gonzalez noted singer Alice Cooper came by a week ago. Justin Timberlake hosted a hole-in-one competition recently. Then there’s Dick Butkus and Kobe Bryant who also visited. “Often, the celebrities just walk in to see what we’re doing here,” says Gonzalez.

In addition to golf, the golf center offers golf instruction and has a recently renovated pro shop featuring Callaway branded items and custom fittings. The Back 9 Restaurant, leased to owner Rich Hogan, serves golfers as well employees of nearby businesses. “Our food prices are good, too,” says Hogan with a smile.

Special events are also offered at Callaway. Even during renovation, one of the companies exhibiting at the upcoming Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) tradeshow is bringing customers and guests to the golf center for an evening of golf, food and camaraderie. Gonzalez also recently made a trip to the Bellagio Las Vegas with his Callaway fitting technicians and a mobile hitting bay. Callaway was invited to fit golf clubs for four individuals who were being given new golf clubs by their company.

“All parts of our business are important,” says Gonzalez. “During our renovations, our numbers have dropped significantly, but before that, we had not suffered as much as other businesses in the valley. The driving range is our biggest income generator, but every part of the business feeds into every other, and they’re all making their goals.”

JANUARY, 2010 UPDATE

The driving range target areas are now all new and open for business. Last week when this reporter visited, every stall on every level was occupied. This week, a few open stalls gave us the opportunity for a photo. A left-handed golfer, the new target areas, a view of the Strip and an airplane leaving McCarran International Airport are all part of the scene.