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9 Questions on the OnCore Golf mega-facility in Buffalo
As land for golf becomes scarce and precious, as golf courses are repurposed as mixed-use communities, our game endeavors to find a new landscape in which to fit. Forgotten, under-used urban sites find themselves suddenly desirable, as cities redevelop factories and warehouses into recreational spaces. Enter OnCore, one of many boutique golf-ball companies (think CutGolf, Snell, Vice) to enter the marketplace over the last fifteen years.
OnCore is much more than golf balls, and has larger goals focused well in its lens. In September, the Buffalo-based company announced plans to build a massive, urban facility adjacent to the revitalized downtown of the Queen City. With a hotel, arena targets for golf, and other recreational offerings, OnCore is betting that America’s love affair with golf will continue into the next few generations. The brains behind the project, Bret and Keith Blakely of OnCore, answered some hard-hitting questions on how this dreamscape can possibly become reality in the USA’s favorite, snowy city.
Will this facility be able to handle Buffalo weather?
KB: Absolutely. The engineering of the frame is designed to divert and deflect winds off Lake Erie, the game board will be engineered to handle snow loads, and a variety of snow removal options will be integrated into the final design. The hitting bays are covered and will be heated both from above and below, providing exceptional comfort to customers year round. Many of the attractions and activities are fully-enclosed and unaffected by the weather and another advantage will be the 225 covered parking spots situated below the game board.
What makes this different from Topgolf?
KB: A number of things are unique to our approach. There will be complete ball-tracking technology in each hitting bay allowing golfers of all skill levels to not only enjoy the entertainment aspect of the facility but can use the information and data that will be available to improve their skills. We are using a proprietary game board construction and layout that will allow for a number of different competitive games including both skill and luck elements. Our games and ball-tracking do not require the use of special golf balls like Topgolf so customers will enjoy the ability to use the best balls in golf – those offered by OnCore Golf. A number of other elements – social media integrations, novel food and beverage services and offerings, different spatial configuration inside the clubhouse that provides enhanced entertainment and socialization opportunities, other forms of athletic experiences, and expanded meeting, event, banquet, and hotel space – are all distinctive factors.
Aside from golf, what other sports activities are planned?
KB: We are currently planning to offer some “active sports” activities including indoor water surfing, skateboarding, and simulated snowboarding. We also expect to offer simulated skills challenges in baseball, soccer, basketball, archery, and many others.
Why choose Buffalo?
KB: As the home of OnCore Golf, we felt strongly that this “first-of-its-kind” facility ought to be introduced in Buffalo. Buffalo deserves something that the world points to as the best of the best and there just aren’t other facilities in existence that will offer everything OnCore Buffalo will.
How is OnCore planning to use this to benefit the community in ways other than just the entertainment aspect. What sort of access will local junior and high school programs have to the OnCore Golf Buffalo facility?
KB: We have already committed to providing the First Tee of WNY with free space for their operations and to allocate time in the facilities for them to conduct their important programs. We will be reaching out to both athletic and educational programs to encourage and assist them in utilizing our facility for a wide range of initiatives. We are in talks with others about different ways we can use OnCore Buffalo to make a positive impact and assure that this is a huge reason for our bringing this project into existence.
Tell us about the environmental impact of this facility on Kelly Island and the Buffalo River.
KB: We have already completed environmental studies and will be conducting remediation of issues created by previous industrial use of the site prior to breaking ground. Local government officials have indicated strong support for improving the infrastructure improvements for both vehicles and for pedestrians looking to access Kelly Island from downtown. We have also met with Buffalo River Keepers to ensure that our development efforts support and complement their work to improve responsible use of the waterway.
What changes will need to be made to the roadways in the immediate area (known as the Old First Ward) to accommodate the increased amount of traffic generated by the facility?
KB: There currently are over 1 million visitors to RiverWorks, which is also located on Kelly Island so the existing infrastructure is adequate to support the estimated 350,000 visitors to OnCore Buffalo. However, as indicated already, there have been a number of encouraging regarding the improvements that could be made to the roadway and creating a waterfront greenway for pedestrian access.
Discuss how the facility will benefit different age groups. Activities that kids love, don’t necessarily translate to seniors and middle-agers, and vice-versa.
KB: It is our plan to offer a complete spectrum of fun activities for all ages and to ensure that families can enjoy time at OnCore Buffalo without having to split up. The use of augmented reality glasses and simple gaming hardware to allow kids to launch golf balls towards the targets in a “virtual” mode, instead of having to actually swing a golf club, is just one example of that approach. There are a few others that are going to be incorporated into the facility that are so unique, we are not ready to disclose them!
Why will people stay at this hotel, when they could be in the heart of downtown, or near the airport?
KB: The OnCore Buffalo facility will be located within a mile of every major attraction in downtown Buffalo including Canalside, HarborCenter, Seneca Buffalo Casino, Buffalo Rowing Club, RiverWorks, the Cobblestone District, Sahlen’s Field, and Keybank Center. The question is why anyone would want to be anywhere else!
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.
In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Jason Day – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Chris Gotterup – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- SungJae Im – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
Pullout Albums
- Jason Day’s 1off Payntr golf shoes – 2026 The Memorial
- JT Poston’s TaylorMade Spider – 2026 The Memorial
- Cameron putter – 2026 The Memorial
- Tommy Fleetwood’s TM Spider putters – 2026 The Memorial
- New Mitsubishi Chemical 1K Pro Orange shaft – 2026 The Memorial
Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.
Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.
PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole
Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.
Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.
Henley’s Suitcase
- Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
- Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
- Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
- Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
- Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
- Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
- Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
- Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
- Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype
LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!
Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.
Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.
Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.
Celine’s Suitcase
- Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
- Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
- Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
- Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
- Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
- Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
- Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS
DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!
Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.
Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.
Kaneko’s Suitcase
- Driver: Ping Max G440
- Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
- Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
- Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
- Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
- Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7
Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro
Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.
The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.
Alvaro’s Suitcase
- Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
- Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
- Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
- Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
- Wedges
- Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C
A party on the green!
Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026
LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin
Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.
Niemann’s Suitcase
- Driver: Ping 440 LST
- Metal: Ping G440 Max at 15 degrees
- Metal: Ping G425 Max at 21 degrees
- Hybrid: Ping G430 at 25 degrees
- Irons: Ping Blueprint S 5 through PW
- Wedges: Ping S159 at 52, 56, and 60 degrees
- Putter: Ping PLD Anser
Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 6.5 TX
3-wood: Titleist TS3 (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Project X Denali Black 80 TX
Irons: Titleist T250 (4), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (7-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F @47, 50-08F @51, 54-10S @55, 60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48), S400 (47)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Russell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
Photos from the 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
CJ Cup Byron Nelson Tour Report: Koepka and Kim’s newest putters finally get hot
Charles Schwab Challenge Tour Report: MacIntyre, Åberg and Spaun all switch putters, TaylorMade launches new Spider
Details on J.J. Spaun’s surprise putter switch
GolfWRX Launch Report: 2026 Titleist GTS drivers
Photos from the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
PGA Championship Tour Report: Fitzpatrick, Koepka among big-name putter switches for Aronimink
Photos from the ShopRite LPGA
Maria Torres WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4 5-wood: Ping G440...
Eric Cole WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: PXG Lightning Tour Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft:...
Si Woo Kim WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X Mini driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Mini...
Wyndham Clark’s winning WITB: 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees) Shaft: Project...
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ScottF
Oct 6, 2019 at 3:30 am
Hahaha Buffalo seriously???
Ronald Montesano
Oct 6, 2019 at 9:06 pm
Seriously. Come see us and enjoy what we have, all year round.
Jon Barone
Oct 23, 2019 at 4:23 pm
Totally agree. I actually moved back here after being away for decades. 2 family members and 2 friends have moved back in the past 3 months. Affordability, access to so many Summer and winter activities is amazing, the Falls & Canada close by. The question is, why wouldn’t you want to live here. Only wimps that can’t handle the 3 or 4 bad snow days we have on average in the winter need not apply. ??
Jon Barone
Oct 23, 2019 at 4:24 pm
Totally agree. I actually moved back here after being away for decades. 2 family members and 2 friends have moved back in the past 3 months. Affordability, access to so many Summer and winter activities is amazing, the Falls & Canada close by. The question is, why wouldn’t you want to live here. Only wimps that can’t handle the 3 or 4 bad snow days we have on average in the winter need not apply. ??
Juan Pablo
Oct 4, 2019 at 6:37 am
Ask them if they’ve ordered steel for their new building yet. Yes, it will be built. No, it’s never getting off the ground.
Ronald Montesano
Oct 6, 2019 at 9:06 pm
Interesting take. Can you elaborate on the steel concern?
Keith Blakely
Oct 23, 2019 at 5:14 pm
Ron – Not sure what Juan was saying? Yes it will be built but no, it’s never getting off the ground? Seems contradictory! Regardless, we have been working with global architectural, engineering, and construction firms so there will not be any surprises on cost, timing, or availability of all of the structural and technology elements needed.