Five Iron Golf Lands in London: Broadgate Flagship Opens with 8 Trackman Bays
Five Iron Golf has officially opened its first UK venue in London’s Broadgate district, and if you’ve been paying attention to the sim-venue boom, this is the kind of move that makes you sit up.
The 6,900-square-foot space at 1 Finsbury Avenue, steps from Liverpool Street Station, is the first of 10 planned UK locations under a franchise agreement that signals something bigger than just another indoor golf bar opening. This is a serious American operator bringing its entire playbook across the Atlantic and betting London is ready for it.
Eight Trackman bays, one city address
The venue packs eight Trackman simulator bays, which is more than most US locations open with. Trackman is the gold standard in simulation tech — the same system used by tour pros, club fitters, and the top-end commercial venues. Players get access to over 440 courses from around the world, advanced swing analysis, and the kind of data that makes you realize just how far offline that last drive actually was. For a full breakdown of the Five Iron model, see our Five Iron UK expansion coverage and sim venue franchise cost comparison.
But here’s what’s interesting. Five Iron isn’t positioning this as a golf facility that happens to have a bar. It’s a hospitality venue that happens to have golf simulators. The food program includes tapas, artisan sourdough pizzas, gourmet burgers, and shareable plates. The bar pours craft cocktails, premium beers, wine, champagne, and spritzes. There’s a private terrace, floor-to-ceiling windows, and big screens showing live sport.
Eric Parker, Five Iron Golf’s UK CEO, put it bluntly: “London has been crying out for somewhere that combines great food, drinks and entertainment with an experience that absolutely anyone can enjoy. You don’t have to be a golfer to have an incredible time here.”
That’s the Five Iron formula. It’s worked across 20 US states and seven countries. Now they’re testing it on the British market.
From a single NYC location to global brand
Five Iron Golf started in 2017 with four simulators on Fifth Avenue in New York’s Flatiron District — hence the name, blending “Five” from Fifth Avenue with “Iron” from Flatiron. The co-founder and CEO Jared Solomon built the company around a simple insight: urban professionals want to play golf, but they don’t have four hours to spend on a course. Give them a simulator, a good drink, and a comfortable environment, and they’ll show up.
That bet paid off. Five Iron now operates in 20 US states and eight countries, with 48 locations globally. The company is backed by serious institutional money — Coral Tree Partners, North Castle Partners, Callaway Golf, and Danny Meyer’s Enlightened Hospitality Investments. That’s a private equity firm, a golf equipment giant, and one of the most respected restaurant groups in America all betting on the same thesis.
The London Broadgate venue is the first under a 10-site UK franchise agreement. Parker will lead the brand’s growth throughout the UK, with additional locations already in the pipeline. The company hasn’t announced specific cities for the remaining nine venues, but the pattern is clear: major urban centers, high foot traffic, and a demographic that values convenience as much as quality. For context on how Five Iron’s model compares to the broader sim venue franchise landscape, see our indoor golf franchise comparison 2026 and sim venue boom coverage.
Why this matters for the sim industry
The sim-venue boom is real. America has nearly 4,000 indoor golf venues according to the most recent industry data. Five Iron alone accounts for 48 of those, with more than 500 simulator bays and 8,000-plus members. But the UK market has been slower to develop. Yes, there are standalone sim lounges and golf centers with simulators. But a dedicated, high-end, multi-bay sim venue chain with hospitality as a core offering? That’s been missing.
Five Iron’s arrival changes the dynamic. The company has the capital, the operating experience, and the brand recognition to build a real presence in the UK. Ten locations in a market that’s been underserved by this type of venue is a meaningful number. It’s not just one more place to hit balls indoors. It’s a signal that the sim-venue model has legs outside the US.
The timing also lines up with the PIF London Championship at Centurion Club from August 6-9, which will feature elite women’s golf. Parker described the connection as a testament to “the global growth and modernisation of the game of golf.” The idea is that people watch the tournament, get inspired, and walk into Five Iron to try it themselves. That’s smart positioning.
What they’re actually selling
Walk into Five Iron London and you’ll notice something. The simulators are the anchor, but the experience is designed to be broader. The place works for a corporate event, a client meeting, a first date, a birthday party, or just after-work drinks with colleagues who happen to also want to hit some balls. Complimentary Callaway rental clubs are available for anyone who doesn’t own a set — because the target customer isn’t the guy with a full bag and a handicap index. It’s the person who thinks golf looks fun but has never actually tried it. For a deeper look at the sim venue entertainment model, see our sim bar entertainment venue guide 2026 and sim venue F&B guide 2026.
The membership model is there for regulars, and leagues and tournaments add structure for people who want competition. Professional coaching is available for those who want to actually improve. But the core offering is simple: come in, hit balls, eat good food, drink good drinks, and have a good time.
That’s the same formula that’s worked for Topgolf at massive scale, for Drive Shack in the mid-market, and for Five Iron in the premium urban space. The question is whether the UK market has the same appetite. Given that Londoners are famously short on time, space, and patience for anything that feels like a hassle, a well-run sim venue five minutes from Liverpool Street Station feels like a natural fit.
The bigger picture
Five Iron’s London opening is one data point in a larger trend. Indoor golf is growing faster than almost anyone predicted. The combination of better technology, more affordable launch monitors, and a cultural shift toward experiential entertainment has created a market that didn’t exist a decade ago.
Five Iron is one of the biggest players in that market, and they’re betting that the model works globally. The UK is test number one. If London works, you can expect to see Five Iron in other European capitals, and you can expect competitors to follow.
For now, the Broadgate venue is open for bookings at fiveirongolf.co.uk. Eight Trackman bays. 440 courses. Good food. Good drinks. And a very clear message: golf doesn’t have to take all day, and it doesn’t have to be intimidating. It can just be fun.
That’s a bet I’d take.
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