Interior view of an X-Golf location, with a centralized bar, open floor plan and multiple indoor … [+]
Just a handful of years ago, X-Golf America had about a dozen entertainment simulator locations. Today, the brand has topped the 100-location milestone, with 62 venues open and another 40 in development around the country, making it one of golf’s fastest-growing companies. And many more are on the way.
It’s been almost dizzying growth for X-Golf, which has expanded its franchise model presence to 32 states.
“We’re focused on continuing to grow at a rapid pace,” said CEO Ryan D’Arcy. “Our goal is to add between 35 and 45 new venues a year for the foreseeable future. We don’t see that slowing down anytime soon. We’re going to go into prime real estate locations where we can build a beautiful bar and be part of this new entertainment model when it comes to retail spaces.”
When the franchise program started in 2016, the standard footprint was five to six golf simulators per location, with a centralized bar and an open atmosphere. Now that the business model has proven successful, the typical X-Golf location has seven or eight simulators and sometimes upwards of 10 to 12.
X-Golf now has 100 locations in the US, including 62 that are open and more than 40 others in … [+]
X-Golf has South Korean roots, including its technology, but spun off as a standalone company in the US in 2010 and now offers a very different experience. While indoor simulators in South Korea are very much tech-driven practice facilities — the kind of place where golfers beat balls — X-Golf locations in the US are venues that mix golf and entertainment. As D’Arcy described them when people ask: X-Golf is an “indoor golf center that has a full bar and food.”
The brand’s initial franchise push targeted cold-weather states throughout the Midwest and Northeast, areas rich in avid golfers but with a shorter traditional golf season. Future growth opportunities, however, will be less climate-focused, instead seeking population-dense markets that have the right fit.
“Our goal is to create an atmosphere that people are going to enjoy even when it’s 70 (degrees) and sunny and the perfect conditions for outdoor golf,” D’Arcy says.
“We’re not trying to replace golf courses by any means,” D’Arcy adds. “Overall, our customer base is the golfer. At some point in their life, they’ve taken golf seriously enough to own their own set of clubs. Certainly, there are aspects of simulated golf that make it easy (for newcomers) to buffer that transition into a sport that’s difficult, has a lot of rules, and is a bit intimidating. We are trying to grow the game in a way that makes sense, but we’ve also got our own unique set of skills and that’s where we continue to drive our technology and engagement, and keep opening up new gameplay modes.”
X=Golf ambassadors include PGA Tour player Max Homa (seated) and former women’s professional golfer … [+]
Team tournaments and leagues have been immensely popular. D’Arcy says many X-Golf locations have at least two to three league nights a week, with 12 to 18 teams locked in for a 12-week session. The vision is to evolve that into national leagues with a standardized, level playing field across the board – as all participants could compete through a connected system on the same course and under the same conditions, regardless of their location.
One of the newest X-Golf locations has gotten a lot of attention: American Family Field in Milwaukee, the home of Major League Baseball’s Brewers. The first-of-its-kind facility features seven state-of-the-art golf simulator bays over two floors, including three that offer views of the playing field.
One of X-Golf’s newest locations is inside the Milwaukee Brewers’ stadium.
While that venue is unique, it’s one of several owned by the same franchisee. In total, 22 of X-Golf’s ownership groups now have multiple locations, among them one owner who has six in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market and another in Hilton Head, South Carolina, who has contracts for multiple markets in the Southeast US
So, as X-Golf continues its furious growth, what other unusual spots might emerge as a location for people to escape and have fun while hitting golf balls in a simulator?
“Just a few years ago if you told me we’d have 11,000 square feet in left field of a Major League Baseball stadium, with seven simulators and branded full-time X-Golf, I’d never have believed it,” D’ Arcy said. It goes back to what you’re seeing in retail with the change of user expectations. They want to be engaged at a different level. Right now, we’re taking to other sports teams of what the possibility could be. You could also see airport locations pop up. Certainly, there are a lot of possibilities for the future.”
And one of golf’s fastest-growing companies has no plans to slow down.
The social component is often as important at X-Golf as the golf itself.
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