Ryan Patton’s drive to find the perfect hometown spot to entertain his four children — teens and a tween — left the Leawood dad in a sand trap. Finding less than ideal options, Patton pulled out the biggest wedge he could carry — taking a swing with a massive $15 million golf entertainment complex in Johnson County.
Alongside majority partner Michael Sullivan, Tap Ins at the Greenhouse debuted to the public Tuesday — spanning 4-acres at 9751 Metcalf Ave., in 95 Metcalf — with mini golf (inside and soon outside), sports bar, restaurant, ice cream shop and private event spaces.
Customers can sign up for golf, or just come in for the restaurant, bar or ice cream.
“What sets us apart is we put an equal amount of thought and energy into the entertainment as the dining,” Patton said. “A great place to hang out and to have great food. Seeing people try it out in the last week or so, it’s incredibly gratifying.”
The Greenhouse has a 19-hole mini golf course (18 holes and a challenge hole) dotted with palm and Joshua trees, agave, cacti and other desert plants.
“Last week we had 5-inches of snow on the ground and didn’t even need the heaters inside,” Patton said.
The Bunker bar overlooks the course and serves cocktails, mocktails, spiked shakes, frozen drinks, wine, seltzers, beer (on tap, as well as bottled and canned) and Tap Ins own brands called Grip It and Rip It. Some specialty cocktails use local J.Rieger & Co. products.
At the entrance to the Greenhouse is Ace’s Ice Cream Shop, offering a dozen flavors of Summersalt Ice Cream such as chocolate fudge chunk, Ooey Gooey Buttercake and the seasonal Candy Cane Crush, as well as shakes.
On the west side of the complex, Tap Ins partnered with Overland Park’s PB&J Restaurants Inc. on the E9 Grille menu. It includes wood-fired pizza (build-your-own and specialities such as its Italian meatball), Atlantic salmon salad with a raspberry vinaigrette, smash burgers, wraps, a Booth Creek Wagyu burger, hot honey crispy chicken sandwiches, Atlantic salmon miso bowls, spaghetti and meatballs, tacos, BBQ mac and cheese, and more. For dessert, look for its cast iron cookies, and gooey butter cake.
The complex has nearly 100 TVs and two giant video walls. It also features three private event spaces, one with some putting technology.
The partners hoped to have the 18-hole outdoor course ready for the debut Tuesday. They broke ground in late February and were in the middle of construction when uncertainty and costs over tariffs presented new challenges. For example, the price on Adirondack chairs from Canada increased 30%, and U.S. steel was in such demand costs also went up. Now the outdoor course is scheduled to open in late winter or early spring.
Patton and Sullivan, friends from their college days at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, have invested in several businesses together. They also have a handful of investors in Tap Ins and took a loan from Community America Credit Union.
“They have been a fabulous partner. Great to work with,” Patton said.
The operation has a ground lease on the former Metcalf South Shopping Center site, and about 200 employees.
Patton doesn’t feel the business has direct competition, he said.
“But inflation is real and times are tough so we are competing for any recreation dollar,” Patton said.
Tap Ins offers the All Day Par Pass. Mondays through Thursdays: Adults, $28; children ages 3 to 13, $18; seniors (60 and older), $24; military, $24.
Fridays through Saturdays: Adults, $35; children ages 3 to 13, $21; seniors (60 and older), $28; military, $28.
“It’s a full day pass. Instead of coming in for a certain period of time or one round, you can be here as long as you want,” Sullivan said. “To play again and again and again.”
Hours run 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 4:30 p.m. to midnight Fridays; 11 a.m. to midnight Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays.
This story was originally published by Startland News, a fellow member of the KC Media Collective.
