Indoor Golf Centre - Help & Advice

[RL2203]

Hi everyone,

I am new to the site and hope that threads like this havenot been done to death!
I am exploring the possibility of opening an indoor golfcentre in a city close to where I live.
I was hoping to get some feedback from people on here on:
Whether they would use one or have used one and theirexperience.
What expectations they would have from such a facility
What price they would expect to pay (hour/9holes/18holes)
What would put them off using the facility
Any other feedback would be useful to me also.

 

[guest100718]

you mean a simulator like Urban golf?

 

[Alex1975]

Holes? So this is not a practice thing? Maybe explain a little more about what your vision is please?

 

[RL2203]

Yes, that sort of thing, outside London though

 

[Alex1975]

What would put them off using the facility

Price and poor service....

 

[guest100718]

Ive played Urban golf a few times and its good fun with a wide range of courses and very accurate sims. They charged 50 per hour for a sim, but I have always got a 1/2 price deal which between 3 or 4 golfers is pretty good.
I'd expect decent kit and an accurate SIM along with decent service

 

[Wayman]

We have a local indoor range which is ok if your practising swing as it's only 100yrds long

 

[mab]

Holes? So this is not a practice thing? Maybe explain a little more about what your vision is please?

I don't want to sound rude, but you need to offer way more in the explanation of your plan/vision as Alex has said.


You've spent about 45 seconds crafting a couple of random questions, so people are likely to spend 30 seconds providing random answers.


Explain your vision, your experience offering, your target market, etc. to get any value out of the responses.

 

[guest100718]

I don't want to sound rude, but you need to offer way more in the explanation of your plan/vision as Alex has said.


You've spent about 45 seconds crafting a couple of random questions, so people are likely to spend 30 seconds providing random answers.


Explain your vision, your experience offering, your target market, etc. to get any value out of the responses.

He said it will be like urban golf.

 

[Foxholer]

He said it will be like urban golf.

Still doesn't seem much like a 'Business Plan' to me. It's amazing how often common-sense goes out the window with Golf related enterprises!

But if it's Urban Golf style, it should be reasonable - especially if something could be done about putting simulation!

Price, (lack of) accessibility and (poor) environment would be the main things that turn me off!

Good Luck! You are likely to need it!

 

[SVB]

Something like this:

http://www.inplaygolf.co.uk/

20 secs on google - not difficult!

 

[RL2203]

Sorry I was not too clear about the set up. As you can appreciate I am not going to post a full business plan on a forum too!!

I would be looking to have between 3-4 simulators, bar/lounge area with sports on the TV

The simulators would enable you to play any one of a numberof courses from around the world, potentially around 50+. There will be clubs provided but you wouldalso be free to bring your own.
I would be offering light snacks, sandwiches, pizza, burgers(all fresh, home-made and locally sourced).
I hop this sheds more light!

 

[guest100718]

Sorry I was not too clear about the set up. As you can appreciate I am not going to post a full business plan on a forum too!!

I would be looking to have between 3-4 simulators, bar/lounge area with sports on the TV

The simulators would enable you to play any one of a numberof courses from around the world, potentially around 50+. There will be clubs provided but you wouldalso be free to bring your own.
I would be offering light snacks, sandwiches, pizza, burgers(all fresh, home-made and locally sourced).
I hop this sheds more light!

Exactly like Urban golf then.... Which is fine, they seem to do pretty well roud here in the City. Although I dont think they have any out of town venues.

 

[Alex1975]

Sorry I was not too clear about the set up. As you can appreciate I am not going to post a full business plan on a forum too!!

I would be looking to have between 3-4 simulators, bar/lounge area with sports on the TV

The simulators would enable you to play any one of a numberof courses from around the world, potentially around 50+.There will be clubs provided but you wouldalso be free to bring your own.
I would be offering light snacks, sandwiches, pizza, burgers(all fresh, home-made and locally sourced).
I hop this sheds more light!

Where abouts are you looking. I think location is key! Are we talking home counties, south, midlands, north? Is it a big town or city?

 

[Rooter]

Whether they would use one or have used one and theirexperience. - Not used one, but would.

What expectations they would have from such a facility - like an up market bar, but with golf added

What price they would expect to pay (hour/9holes/18holes) - 9 holes about £10/15, full 18 say £20/25.

What would put them off using the facility - Playing actual golf! i would think evenings and winter would get more use.

Any other feedback would be useful to me also. - Asking about a very specific golf leisure activity of a golf forum will get a very small window of thoughts. Are you aiming at golfers, or the office workers, both? will you offer teaching workshops? I assume it will be licensed? no beers and i wouldn't come. (fit bar staff help)

Rental clubs need to be decent and varied, have you thought about combining some kind of crazy golf too? very popular with kids and family, we went to http://junglerumble.co.uk/bristol with the kids and they loved it. combine that with an bar and simulator bays, you could be onto a winner.

I would wager your largest client base would be non golfers! (ie the people here i dont think are potentially your target market)

 

[FairwayDodger]

There used to be a place like this in Edinburgh and it was great for a work night out. In fact, just such an evening led to me taking up golf again and joining a club after many years away.

However, I say "used to be" because it went out of business. Which wasn't hugely surprising as we seemed to always be the only folk there when we went.

I couldn't say exactly where it went wrong for them but, aside from the golf, it wasn't a great bar and was in a terrible location. I'd say don't hang your hat on the golf aspect - make it a great sports bar that people will want to visit, put it in a location where your customers already are rather than relying on them to come to you and add the golf stuff as an "extra" attraction.

I'd come..... but mainly on winter evenings, in the summer I'm on a course somewhere!

 

[Rooter]

I'd come..... but mainly on winter evenings, in the summer I'm on a course somewhere!

And there is probably the opinion of 99% of the forum. needs to be more than just golf sim as per my last post...

 

[Andy]

Whats on draft and how much?

 

[MGL]

If you were serious about something like this, the best thing you could do is go and visit a few. The ones I have seen, all do some things well and all do some things not so well. You can take what suits you from each and come up with a good proposition then.

One of the critical things for them IMHO - is invest in a good website. Most are pretty shocking.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Been to Urban Golf and its good fun but not sure I'd visit regularly. Also seems expensive per hour/round for these regardless of brand. Not high on my list of things to spend the money on to get a golfing fix but if you can find a niche in the market and offer something different then why not