It’s ski and snowboard season, but if that has you aching for the outdoor sports you actually love instead of joyfully pulling on your snow pants, know that you don’t have to wait until summer rolls around to enjoy them. Here’s how to play your favourite summer sports during Calgary’s snowiest months.
Golf
Calgarians are spoiled for choice when it comes to indoor golf lounges, with options like Go Go Golf, which has six simulators, and K Golf, where players can pair putting practice with Korean street food. There’s also LaunchPad Golf, which has indoor/outdoor suites with overhead heaters to make playing in the winter more comfortable.
Go Go Golf, 10135 Southport Rd., S.W., 587-349-4943, gogogolf.ca; K Golf, 11850 Sarcee Tr. N.W., 403-730-2417, kgolf.ca; LaunchPad Golf, 34133 East Harmony Cir., Rocky View, and 31 Heritage Pointe Dr., Heritage Pointe, launchpadgolf.com
Tennis
In 2022, the Osten & Victor Alberta Tennis Centre levelled up its five outdoor courts by installing a 40-foot-tall bubble dome over them. The dome keeps the courts at a comfortable temperature, even if it’s cold and snowy outside, allowing tennis lovers to practise their swing all winter long.
295 90 Ave. S.E., 587-393-1600, albertatenniscentre.ca
Baseball
Work on your swing all winter to impress your beer league teammates this summer. Train like a pro at Absolute Baseball Academy & Fitness Centre, a state-of-the-art facility with batting cages and pitching machines, training opportunities, pitching lanes, and even professional instruction to help you become an all-round better ballplayer.
2221 Crowchild Tr. N.W., 403-284-4006, absolutebaseballacademy.com
Surfing
Surf all winter right here in the city at the Brookfield Residential YMCA at Seton. The world’s biggest YMCA is home to Calgary’s only FlowRider, a surfing and bodyboard simulator within the aquatic centre. The machine creates stationary waves, allowing users to surf continuously in the same spot and work up surf-specific strength.
4995 Market St. S.E., 403-351-5262, ymcacalgary.org
Beach Volleyball
You can’t hear the ocean at The Beach YYC, but you can feel the sand between your toes while working on your beach volleyball skills and improving your fitness at the same time. Join an adult beach volleyball clinic on Friday nights, stop by to play during drop-in hours, or sign up for one of the facility’s leagues, like its Lunch League.
3030, 2600 Portland St. S.E., 403-475-4031, thebeachyyc.ca