Research – The Indoor Golf Alliance

Indoor Golf: Market & Momentum

The global golf simulator market was ~$1.74B in 2024 and is projected to approach $2.9B by 2030 (≈9–10% CAGR). North America is the largest region. Grand View ResearchFortune Business InsightsMarket.us
U.S. demand is underpinned by record off-course participation: 47.2M Americans played golf on- or off-course in 2024, with on-course players at 28.1M (post-2008 high). Off-course includes simulator venues and entertainment concepts. National Golf Foundation+2National Golf Foundation+2

Weather-proof play, shorter time commitment, social/entertainment appeal, and better tech (launch monitors, graphics). Simulator users include a high share of non-traditional golfers (51% “non-golfers” by on-course definition). National Golf Foundation

From NGF’s 2025 simulator white paper (surveyed U.S. facilities):

Penetration: ~6.5% of U.S. golf facilities have simulators; highest in colder regions (Midwest/North). 10–11% penetration expected within 1–2 years. National Golf Foundation
Cap Ex: Avg $45K per bay (all-in, varies widely by spec). Space typical ~15′ W × 21′ D × 13′ H. National Golf Foundation
Pricing & spend: Typical $55 per session (≈60–90 min) plus ~$40 F&B; ~3 players per bay. National Golf Foundation
ROI: 70% of operators report positive financial impact; ~80% profitable within year 1 (avg 7 months to positive returns; 44% in month 1 due to strong early demand). National Golf Foundation

X-Golf (franchise): ~139 U.S. locations and expanding; a leading simulate-and-social model. X-GOLFNational Golf Foundation
Five Iron Golf (company + franchise): Growth capital from Danny Meyer’s EHI (2024) and multi-market expansion (e.g., DFW, St. Louis; CT/NY openings in 2025). ForbesFranchising.comCT Insider
Golfzon Social (Golfzon + Troon): smaller but growing simulator-bar concept anchored by Golfzon tech. Club + Resort BusinessTroon+1
Adjacent “golf-eatertainment”: Puttshack (RFID/ball-tracking mini-golf; 18–20+ U.S. sites by late-2024/2025), Puttery (Drive Shack’s tech-putting concept). These expand the total indoor golf night-out demand, even when not full-swing simulators. Nation’s Restaurant NewsForbesMarketing DiveDrive Shack Inc.

TrackMan, Foresight Sports, Full Swing, Golfzon, Uneekor, SkyTrak dominate commercial and prosumer tiers. Entry to premium package pricing ranges (illustrative): ~$8K (GC3 “Sim-in-a-Box”) to $25K–$30K+ (commercial bundles); custom commercial bays push higher, aligning with NGF’s ~$45K average all-in per bay. Foresight SportsShop Indoor Golf+1TrackMan

Sim golf attracts newer/younger, more diverse participants; many users don’t play on-course, helping widen the funnel for lessons/leagues/club-fitting. National Golf Foundation
Seasonality remains (peaks in winter/bad weather), but leagues, lessons, fittings, and event business help flatten utilization. National Golf Foundation

Buildout: 6–10 bays (≈4,500–7,500 sq ft) + bar/kitchen + event room.
Cap Ex: $45K/bay average (NGF) + TI/leasehold (site-dependent). National Golf Foundation
Revenue mix: Bay time (prime/hourly), memberships, leagues, instruction/club-fitting, events, F&B uplift ~+$40/visit. National Golf Foundation
Staffing: Ops lead + tech-savvy hosts/instructors + kitchen/bar.
Payback: Many venues reach positive contribution within 12 months, with strong openings accelerating ROI. National Golf Foundation

Cap Ex sensitivity (AV/build costs & rent); tech obsolescence cycles.
Local demand density & winter dependence (mitigate via events/league programming).
Operational complexity (service-intensive; tech support + hospitality). National Golf Foundation

Continued double-digit growth in simulators and off-course formats; more franchised rollouts (X-Golf) and capital-backed chains (Five Iron, Golfzon Social). X-GOLFForbes
Hardware trend: cheaper, smaller, more accurate launch monitors expand TAM (home + commercial). Golf Monthly
Programming edge: venues that nail league play, coaching, fittings, and premium F&B will outperform purely “hourly bay” models. National Golf Foundation