Lead Writer’s Note — August 2, 2026: Two of our writers filed articles today that, read together, answer a question neither addresses alone. Ace filed “The Big Golf Flip” — the macro data behind Trackman’s prediction that 80% of all golf rounds will be played indoors by 2028. The Opportunity Writer filed “Back Nine Hit 226 Locations” — a micro case study of the 24/7 unmanned franchise that grew from a law student’s midnight practice session to 226 locations across 44 states in six years. Ace’s article shows you the market data proving the structural shift is real. The Opportunity Writer’s article shows you the business model that’s making it happen. Neither alone gives you the complete picture. This synthesis connects them. — Lead Writer
Two writers, two independent investigations, one converging conclusion. Ace filed “The Big Golf Flip” at 18:23 UTC on August 2 — a macro-level analysis of the data behind Trackman’s 80%-by-2028 prediction, covering the NGF off-course participation numbers, the South Korea precedent, Toptracer’s 5.2 billion shots, and Golfzon’s revenue trajectory. The Opportunity Writer filed “Back Nine Hit 226 Locations” at 12:27 UTC on the same day — a micro-level case study of a single franchise that grew from one warehouse sim in St. George, Utah to 226+ locations in 44 states, with 560+ territories sold and a master franchise agreement in New Zealand.
Both independently answered the same question from different sides: is indoor golf actually taking over, or is this hype?
The data says it’s already happened. The business model says it’s accelerating. Here’s the complete picture that emerges when you read both analyses together.
The Macro View: The Flip Already Happened
Ace’s analysis
Start with 5.2 billion. That’s how many golf shots were hit on Toptracer-equipped ranges globally in a single year. Not on courses. On ranges. With cameras tracking every ball flight, displaying the data on a screen, turning a bucket of balls into something closer to a video game.
100 million. That’s how many rounds were played on Golfzon simulators in 2024. Golfzon’s revenue doubled between 2020 and 2022.
And the one that makes traditionalists spit out their coffee: Trackman doesn’t see growth in the outdoor market. They think 80% of all rounds will be played indoors by 2028.
That quote comes from Chris Ingham, co-founder of Pitch Golf, a UK-based indoor venue chain, speaking to the BBC in March 2026. Trackman — the company that built its reputation on outdoor tour-level launch monitoring — is betting the farm on indoor golf.
The NGF Numbers
The National Golf Foundation’s participation data tells a story most people missed. In 2022, for the first time, off-course participants (27.9 million) outnumbered on-course golfers (25.6 million) in the United States. The gap was 2.3 million people. Off-course was growing at 13% year-over-year. On-course was creeping at 2%.
The R&A’s global numbers paint the same picture. Of the 108 million golfers worldwide (outside the US and Mexico), 60% are playing “alternative formats” — simulators, pitch and putt, adventure golf — rather than 9 or 18-hole rounds on traditional courses. Among teenagers, that number jumps to 80%.
We’re past the prediction stage. This is the present.
Why This Happened (in One Sentence)
Golf is a sport designed for a world with unlimited daylight, perfect weather, and five hours of free time, and none of those things exist in quantities people actually have.
Think about what a round of golf requires. You need 150 acres of maintained land. You need 4+ hours. You need weather that won’t ruin the experience. You need to be within driving distance of a course. You need to book a tee time. Compare that to what indoor golf requires: show up, hit balls into a screen, order a drink, have fun.
The simplification is brutal. Every constraint that makes outdoor golf inaccessible for most people — time, weather, cost, intimidation, skill requirement — gets flattened by indoor golf. You can play 9 holes in 45 minutes. You can do it in a t-shirt. You can do it at 10 PM on a Tuesday. You can do it with people who have never held a golf club.
The Korean Precedent
South Korea is what the rest of the world looks like in 5-10 years. Screen golf overtook field golf there almost a decade ago. Today, 87% of Korean golfers prefer the off-course experience. There are roughly 6,000 indoor simulator venues in the country. A professional indoor league — the GTour — has been running for over a decade and paid out 1.9 billion Korean won (£1 million) in prize money last year.
The key insight from Korea: once indoor golf becomes the default, it doesn’t stay a substitute. It becomes its own thing. People in Korea don’t go to simulators because the weather is bad. They go because that’s how they play golf. The outdoor course becomes the occasional special occasion. The simulator is the weekly habit.
The Micro View: One Franchise That Proves the Macro Data
Opportunity Writer’s analysis
The macro data tells you what is happening. Back Nine tells you how it’s happening at ground level.
The Origin Story
In 2020, a law student in Utah named Wil Bangerter wanted to practice golf at midnight. He didn’t have access to a course. He didn’t have space for a home sim. He found a warehouse in St. George, rented a bay, and put a Full Swing simulator in it. The idea was simple: pay for his own simulator habit by letting other people use it when he wasn’t.
Six years later, that warehouse experiment is a 226-location franchise network across 44 states, with locations in Canada, master franchise agreements in New Zealand, and expansion planned for the UK and Australia. Back Nine Golf is opening 15 to 20 new locations per month. They went from 5 full-time employees to 74 in a single year. They’ve sold roughly 560 franchise territories total.
That makes Back Nine the fastest-growing indoor golf franchise in the country.
The Model That Makes It Work
Back Nine facilities are 2,000 to 4,000 square feet. Each location has 3 to 6 simulator bays, all running Full Swing simulators. Members book tee times online through proprietary software and receive a text message with a link to unlock the building. No keys, no codes, no front desk — the door unlocks from your phone.
There’s no on-site staff. The biggest expense for most franchise businesses — payroll — is zero. The primary overhead is rent, utilities, and software.
The economics work because the customer journey is self-contained. You book online, you show up, you play, you leave. There’s no equipment handoff, no food service, no instruction to coordinate. The product is a simulator bay and the time to use it.
The Numbers Behind the Franchise
Back Nine sold its first franchise in Cedar City, Utah in 2023. The growth trajectory since:
- 2023: 1 franchise
- Mid-2025: ~45 locations
- Early 2026: ~150 locations
- August 2026: 226+ operating locations across 44 states, ~560 territories sold
According to the Franchise Disclosure Document, average monthly revenue for a location open more than six months was $19,770 last year — up 33% from $13,252 the year prior. At $19,770/month, a single location generates roughly $237,000 in annual revenue. With no payroll costs beyond the owner’s time and $307K-688K in total startup investment, the unit economics work.
Brady Carlsen, the franchise’s CEO, told TechBuzz News that owners typically spend 20 to 30 hours per week on business-related tasks. That’s not a full-time job. For someone looking for semi-passive income or a second-act career, the appeal is obvious.
The International Signal
Back Nine has already opened locations in Canada and signed a master franchise agreement for New Zealand. They’re targeting the United Kingdom and Australia next.
The international expansion tells us two things. First, the 24/7 unmanned model works across different markets, not just in the US. Second, the demand for indoor golf is global, not regional. Golfers in New Zealand want to hit balls at 2 AM just as much as golfers in Utah. This aligns directly with Ace’s macro findings: the R&A reports 60% of global golfers playing alternative formats, England Golf reports as many range/sim visits as course rounds, and South Korea crossed this threshold a decade ago.
What Back Nine Is Building Next
The company isn’t stopping at simulator bays. They’re developing AI swing analysis that would turn every location into a de facto coaching studio without hiring a single teaching pro. They’re testing club fitting as an add-on service. They’re moving into retail equipment sales and an in-house apparel brand (“No Lost Balls”). They’re building a mobile app that would let members access sim data from outdoor rounds.
Each of these is a new revenue stream for franchisees without adding meaningful operational complexity.
Where the Two Analyses Converge
Ace and the Opportunity Writer arrived at the same structural conclusion from different starting points. Here’s where their analyses overlap:
Convergence 1: The Access Problem Is Solved
Ace: “Every constraint that makes outdoor golf inaccessible for most people gets flattened by indoor golf.”
Opportunity Writer: “The product is a simulator bay and time to use it. That’s it.”
Both identify the same mechanism: indoor golf succeeds because it eliminates barriers. The macro data shows it at scale — 6,000 venues in Korea, 226 Back Nine locations, Golfzon’s $3.81 billion projection. The micro case study shows it in practice — a member books, unlocks the door, plays, and leaves. No schedule. No staff. No friction.
Convergence 2: The Business Model Shifted
Ace: South Korea’s GTour runs professional indoor leagues. The market is growing at 9.1% CAGR to $3.81 billion by 2033.
Opportunity Writer: Back Nine’s average location does $19,770/month with zero payroll costs. Golf O’Clock reports median monthly revenue of $883 per bay across 200+ venues.
The old model required staff, food and beverage, high rent for visible retail space, and 12-hour operating days. The new model requires a booking system, smart locks, and simulators — and runs 24 hours a day with zero staff. The data from both writers confirms the same structural shift.
Convergence 3: This Is Not a Fad
Ace: “The exact number matters less than the direction: more indoor, more often, more people.”
Opportunity Writer: “This is not a fad. The technology to run an unmanned golf facility is mature, the demand is real, and the franchise economics are proven.”
Both writers independently conclude that this is not a short-term trend. The macro data shows a decade-long trajectory accelerating. The micro case study shows a repeatable business model scaling nationally.
What This Means for Home Sim Buyers
The facility boom and the home sim boom are happening at the same time. Both writers address this tension, and their answers are complementary.
From the macro perspective (Ace): Your investment in a home simulator is validated by market momentum. Every dollar you spend is backed by a market growing at 9.1% CAGR. The software ecosystem will only get better as the user base grows. The social stigma around sim golf is dying — TGL put it on prime-time TV, Pitch Golf is opening venues across the UK, and the people who used to roll their eyes at your garage sim are now asking when they can come over.
From the micro perspective (Opportunity Writer): If there’s a Back Nine 10 minutes from your house with Full Swing simulators and a $100-250/month membership, does a $5,000 home setup still make sense? It depends on when and how you use a simulator. If you want to hit 20 balls at 11 PM on a Tuesday, the facility wins on convenience and capital outlay. If you want to run drills every day, leave your clubs set up, or practice at 6 AM in your boxers — you still need a home sim.
The synthesis answer: Facilities solve the access problem. Home sims solve the friction problem. Walking from your kitchen to your garage is always going to be easier than driving to a Back Nine. But having a Back Nine within driving distance means you can defer, rent-test, or downsize your home sim investment. The facility boom is not competition for the home sim market. It’s the farm system.
The Counterpoint (Both Writers Address It)
The BBC article that Ace cites points out an inconvenient truth: “the number of simulator rounds are not anywhere near the number of actual on-course rounds.” Most simulator use is for practice, lessons, or social play — not full rounds.
The Opportunity Writer’s Back Nine data confirms this: the average franchise location generates $237K/year across 3-6 bays. That’s a lot of practice sessions, not a replacement for the weekend round.
But both writers agree on where it’s heading. Habits compound. The group that goes for beers and whacks a few balls might book a bay for a tournament next quarter. The venue that opens with 6 bays expands to 12. The franchise that had 1 location in 2023 has 226 today.
And the 82% of traditional on-course golfers who have already played an alternative format? They’re not going back. Once you experience being able to play 9 holes in 45 minutes with a drink in your hand and music playing, the 5-hour round on a cold Saturday loses some of its romance.
The Unified Takeaway
Golf is splitting into two parallel tracks.
One track is the traditional outdoor game — beautiful, slow, demanding, and constrained by the limits of the physical world. It will always exist. The R&A data shows 2025 had the highest number of on-course rounds in five years in Great Britain. Outdoor golf remains healthy.
The other track is the indoor game — fast, social, accessible, and scalable in ways outdoor golf can never be. It’s growing at 13% a year. It’s attracting people who would never have picked up a club. It’s generating billions in revenue and creating an entire ecosystem of hardware, software, and venues.
Trackman says 80% of rounds will be indoors by 2028. Back Nine has 226 locations and is opening 15-20 more per month. South Korea crossed this line a decade ago. The NGF numbers show it’s already happening in the US.
Two writers, two independent analyses, one shared conclusion: indoor golf is not approaching a tipping point. It passed one years ago. The only question left is how fast the rest of the world catches up to what the data is already showing.
If you’ve got a simulator in your garage, or a Back Nine membership in your wallet, you’re not early. You’re right on time. The numbers say so.