The busiest month is March, followed by April, May and June. Activities slow down a little in the spring and summer, pick up in the fall and start to get active again in January.

What makes this all work, of course, along with the heat, is the almost endless supply of golf balls.

Rosecrans said the center has available upwards of 65,000 golf balls on any one day, "and we'll buy 60,000 golf balls a year, about 5,000 a month. This way we stagger our supply so we've always got new golf balls going into the inventory."

On a busy day, Vilven figures golfers will hit between 85,000 and 90,000 balls, which, in pounds, is more than three tons of golf balls hit in a day. (A dozen golf balls weigh one pound.)

"On one of our demo promotions, we had 121 people hitting golf balls at one time. I figure we had more than 200,000 golf balls hit in a day and a half. We didn't have enough buckets to keep up with demand, which is a nice problem to have once in awhile," he said.

The center itself sits on 33 acres, on which there is the driving range, designed to accommodate 110 golfers, a large putting green, and a pitching green with a series of flags in different locations. There are also two 18-hole miniature courses with obstacles of varying sizes and difficulties. The miniature courses are open seasonally.

The driving range itself is designed in an arch, thus the name, with a tall red, blue and white structure positioned at the outer boundary, 325 yards away, as a distant target.

Along with the old car, there are also yardage markers that give golfers some idea of their distance with each hit.

The golf center also offers year-round lessons. On staff are two full-time professionals, a part-time woman instructor and, on occasion, Vilven steps into the instructional area.

Here, he noted, the dynamics are somewhat different than what some might expect.

"Yes, we do get our share of beginners looking to learn the basics. Most of our lessons, though, are with the more advanced players who want to improve their game. I'd say four out of five lessons are with the better golfers," he added.

An advantage here is that after a lesson there's the opportunity to practice.

Busiest months for lessons are April, May and June, mainly because the weather is a little better and people enjoy taking lessons when the temperatures are a little warmer.

Next door, within easy walking distance, is the Golf in the Round golf course, a nine-hole, 2,800-yard, par-33 course independently operated, and open when conditions allow.

A bucket of 100 golf balls, hitting area included, costs $8 at Golf in the Round. A family-size bucket, with 350 golf balls, is $22, hitting areas included. Lessons range from $60 a hour to $40 for a half-hour of instruction, video and hitting areas included.

Introducing heated hitting areas this year is Mulligans, which is owned by the city of South Jordan, 692 W. 10600 South. It has 32 heated hitting stations, along with two courses. One course is a par-3 that is 1,000 yards long and the second a par-33 that is 2,300 yards. It, too, has two 18-hole miniature golf courses.

A large bucket of 120 golf balls is $9, a smaller one with 80 is $7.50 and one with 40 is $5.50.

Also open this winter with heated hitting areas is Toads, 1690 W. 400 North, in Ogden. It has 24 stations. A large bucket of 105 golf balls is $10 and a smaller one with 70 balls is $7.50.

All this, of course, is a way those who enjoy the game of golf can play, albeit from a hitting station, year-round.