The Golf Simulator Bay
90-Day Launch Blueprint

Research existing golf simulator businesses in your market today. Search '[your city] golf simulator' on Google and Yelp. How many locations exist? What do they charge per hour? What simulators are they running? Read every review — customer complaints (slow booking, outdated software, uncomfortable space) are your opportunity. A market with 1–2 sim venues but strong golf demographics is healthy to enter.

Research your target market's golf demographics. The US golf playing population: 25.6 million players, skewing 45–65, household income $75K+. Look at your local data: are there private golf clubs nearby (indicates affluent golf demographic)? What's the median household income in your target zip codes? A zip code with 3+ golf courses within 15 miles and a median household income above $80K is your ideal location market.

Start your commercial space search today. You need: 1,200–2,000 sq ft minimum for 1–2 bays with a small lounge area, 12'+ ceiling height (critical — most commercial simulators require 10' minimum, 12–14' is comfortable), and good parking. Search on LoopNet (loopnet.com) and CoStar for commercial retail and flex spaces in your target area. Save 5–8 listings that meet your ceiling height and square footage requirements.

Research the partnership/lease-in-bar model today. Some of the most capital-efficient golf simulator businesses operate inside existing bars and restaurants — the bar provides the space rent-free or at reduced rent in exchange for increased food and beverage revenue. Search '[your city] sports bar' and make a list of 5–8 locations that might have back-room or underutilized space. This model eliminates your biggest fixed cost (rent) at launch.

Research simulator hardware options today. Visit Full Swing Golf (fullswinggolf.com), SkyTrak (skytrakgolf.com), Foresight Sports (foresightsports.com), and Trackman (trackman.com). For each: request commercial pricing, ask about installation support, and read independent reviews from commercial operators (search '[brand] commercial installation review' and check r/golf and r/Golfsimsimulators on Reddit). This is a $10K–$50K decision — take a full week to research it properly.

Model your revenue under different scenarios. Use the calculator (Deliverable 2): 1 bay, 8 hours/day, 40% occupancy = 3.2 hours sold at $45/hour = $144/day. At 6 days/week = $864/week or $3,456/month. With a monthly membership (20 members at $200/month = $4,000/month additional). Total: $7,456/month gross. Subtract: lease ($1,500–$2,500/month), software ($200/month), utilities ($200/month) = ~$4,556 net. Does this support your investment and income goals?

File your LLC through your state Secretary of State website. $50–$200. A commercial entertainment venue with customers on your premises requires an LLC for liability protection — slip and fall, equipment injury, and property damage are real risks in any commercial space.

Get your EIN from IRS.gov — free, instant, 5 minutes. Required for your business bank account, lease applications (landlords require this for commercial leases), and equipment financing.

Open a business checking account and business credit card. You'll be making significant equipment purchases — a business credit card with a sign-up bonus (Chase Ink Preferred gives 90,000 points on $8,000 spend, worth ~$900) can offset your first month's supply costs. Relay (fee-free online) for your checking account.

Make your location decision today. Weigh: (A) lease your own commercial space (higher fixed cost, full control, longer-term play), (B) lease space inside an existing bar or restaurant (lower capital, faster to market, revenue-sharing arrangement), or (C) buy a mobile simulator trailer (lowest fixed overhead, go to events and corporate clients, $40K–$80K rig). Pick your model — it determines every decision from this point forward.

If leasing your own space: tour your top 3 commercial properties this week. Bring a tape measure and measure ceiling height in every bay position — if it's under 10', cross it off your list. Confirm HVAC capacity (a space with 2 bays, a projector, and 8 active golfers needs serious ventilation). Ask about: base rent, NNN charges, tenant improvement allowance, lease term, and first right of refusal. Bring a commercial real estate broker — their commission is paid by the landlord.

If pursuing a bar/restaurant partnership: approach your top 3 targets this week. Walk in on a weekday afternoon and ask to speak with the owner. Your pitch: 'I'd like to install a golf simulator in your space at my cost. You benefit from increased food and beverage revenue from golfers who book through my platform — I handle the equipment, booking, and marketing. You get a percentage of bay revenue or the incremental F&B revenue.' Use the bar partnership proposal template (Deliverable 5) to follow up after your initial conversation.

Negotiate your lease or partnership agreement this week. For a commercial lease: negotiate a tenant improvement allowance (TIA) of $15–$30/sq ft — this is landlord money for your buildout. Request 3–6 months of free rent during buildout (standard for commercial leases requiring significant renovation). Get a 3–5 year initial term with renewal options. Have a commercial real estate attorney review before signing ($300–$600 for lease review — worth it).

Get simulator quotes from 3 vendors. Email Full Swing, Foresight, and SkyTrak commercial sales teams. Request: system pricing, lead time, installation requirements (power, ceiling height, room dimensions), warranty terms, and commercial support SLA. Ask specifically: 'What's your current lead time for commercial delivery?' Simulator delivery can take 4–8 weeks — ordering this week is necessary for a Week 9 opening.

Research projector options for your specific space dimensions. The right projector depends on your throw distance (distance from projector to screen). For a 10–14' throw distance: a short-throw commercial projector (Optoma or BenQ commercial models, $800–$2,000). For a long-throw setup: a standard commercial projector. The simulator vendor will specify compatible models — use their recommendation, not the cheapest option on Amazon.

Get impact screen and enclosure quotes. Carl's Place (carlsplace.com) is the most trusted impact screen manufacturer for golf simulators — screens start at $800 for a basic frame kit and go to $4,000+ for a full premium enclosure. The Net Return (thenetreturn.com) offers durable hitting nets ($600–$1,500). Your enclosure design depends on your ceiling height, bay width, and whether you want side baffles for errant shots. Request a custom quote with your exact room dimensions.

Hire a licensed electrician to evaluate your space's electrical requirements. Golf simulators draw significant power: a commercial simulator bay with projector, PC, HVAC, and launch monitor typically needs 2–3 dedicated 20A circuits. A licensed electrician assessment ($200–$400) tells you if your space needs a panel upgrade ($1,500–$3,500) before equipment arrives. Discover this now, not on installation day.

Research your booking software options today. Purpose-built golf simulator booking platforms: SimBooker (simbooker.com), Tee-On (tee-on.com), ForeUP (foreup.com). All three handle: hourly bay booking, membership management, digital waivers, and customer communication. Book demos with your top 2 choices this week — your booking software is your customer-facing front end and needs to be live 2 weeks before you open.

Place your simulator order today. Based on your research: select your system, sign the commercial purchase agreement or financing agreement, and confirm your delivery date. Ask the vendor to assign you a dedicated installation support contact — you'll have questions during installation. Confirm: the installation team visits vs. DIY install, power requirements for your electrician, and any special flooring requirements.

Begin your space buildout this week. Priority order: (1) electrical work — schedule your electrician for dedicated circuits this week, (2) flooring — artificial turf or commercial carpet in the bay area ($2–$5/sq ft installed), (3) any structural modifications (wall framing for bay separation, sound baffling), (4) paint and lighting. You need the electrical complete before any equipment arrives.

Design your brand identity. Your golf simulator business name, logo, and aesthetic set the tone for your entire customer experience. Options: sporty/club aesthetic (navy, forest green, gold), modern/tech aesthetic (dark with neon accents), or premium/upscale (wood tones, brass, leather textures). Your interior design should match your brand — customers form their first impression before they ever swing a club.

Set up your booking software account and configure your bay schedule. In SimBooker or your chosen platform: build your bay(s), set your hourly and day-rate pricing, configure your booking rules (minimum booking time, maximum session length, setup buffer between sessions), and enable digital waivers. Your booking page should be live by Week 7 so you can start taking advance reservations.

Get your business license and any required entertainment permits. Search '[your city/county] entertainment venue license' and '[your city] recreation business license.' Most municipalities require a commercial recreation or entertainment license in addition to a standard business license. Cost: $50–$300/year. If you plan to serve alcohol, research your state's liquor license requirements immediately — license applications typically take 60–120 days.

Get your commercial general liability insurance quotes. An entertainment venue needs: commercial general liability ($1M per occurrence minimum), commercial property insurance (for your equipment), and liquor liability if serving alcohol. NEXT Insurance (nextinsurance.com) and Huckleberry (huckleberry.com) both offer instant quotes for entertainment businesses. Budget $1,500–$3,500/year. You need a COI before you open your doors.

Build your website today. Squarespace ($23/month) with these pages: Home (your best simulator photo and a 'Book a Bay' CTA), About (your equipment, your story), Pricing (clear hourly rates and membership options), Events (leagues, tournaments, corporate packages), and Contact. Your booking software embeds directly into your website. Having a polished website live before you open is non-negotiable for corporate and event clients.

Create your Instagram and post your buildout content. 'Building [City]'s newest golf simulator experience. Opening [Month].' Behind-the-scenes buildout content builds anticipation and starts your follower count before you open. Use hashtags: #golfsimulator, #[city]golf, #indoorgolf. Tag simulator hardware vendors — they often share user content to their audiences, giving you free exposure to the golf equipment community.

Receive and install your simulator hardware this week. If a vendor installation team is coming: have your space completely ready before they arrive (electrical done, flooring done, no construction debris). If self-installing: watch every installation tutorial your vendor provides and call their support line proactively for any unclear steps. Simulator calibration — getting ball speed, launch angle, and spin readings accurate — takes 2–4 hours and must be done by the install manual exactly.

Calibrate your simulator for accuracy. After installation: hit 50–100 balls with a 7-iron and compare simulator output to your known ball flight data. A properly calibrated SkyTrak or Foresight should read within 3–5 mph of actual ball speed consistently. Recalibrate if readings are off — a miscalibrated simulator generates bad reviews from serious golfers within your first week.

Install and test your projector and screen setup. Adjust: projector brightness (600–1,000 lumens is minimum for daylight viewing), keystoning correction, image sharpness, and color calibration. Test from the hitting mat position — the image should fill the screen without distortion and be clearly visible from every angle in the bay. Bad projection quality is the #1 non-hardware complaint in simulator reviews.

Load and test your simulator software courses. Most simulators include 30–100+ courses. Configure: your top 10 most-requested courses (Pebble Beach, Augusta National, St. Andrews, TPC Scottsdale are the most-requested), your settings for a casual player vs. a serious golfer, and your multiplayer setup for groups of 2–4. Practice navigating every menu so you can answer any customer question without hesitation.

Set up your lounge area. A comfortable lounge is what differentiates a premium simulator bay from a batting cage experience. Minimum: 2–3 comfortable chairs or a small sofa near the hitting area, a side table for drinks, good ambient lighting (not just overhead fluorescents), and a TV for sports viewing between shots. Budget $500–$1,500 for lounge furniture — the investment pays back in longer session bookings and repeat customers.

Do a full soft launch day with friends and family. Book 4–6 friends for free sessions. Run them through your full booking experience: they book online, receive confirmation, arrive, sign waiver, you give the bay tour and equipment orientation, they play. What questions did they ask? What was confusing? What did they love? Every rough edge in your customer experience is less expensive to fix before paying customers experience it.

Set your official opening date — 2 weeks from today. A specific date creates a deadline for finishing your buildout, completing your training, and launching your marketing. Announce it on Instagram today: '[Business Name] opens [Date]. Book your first session now at [booking link]. First 20 bookings at our founding rate.' A founding rate (10–15% below rack rate) fills your first 2 weeks of bookings and generates early reviews.

Execute your marketing push for opening week. Post on Instagram and TikTok daily for the 7 days leading up to opening. Content: simulator footage, course previews, 'try it before you buy it' session offer. Email a personal invitation to your first 50 prospects (golfers in your network). Post in local golf Facebook groups. Tag the golf courses and country clubs near you — their followers are your exact target customer.

Contact your local golf courses about a referral partnership. Call the head professional or general manager of 3 nearby golf courses. Your pitch: 'I run a golf simulator bay — on rainy days or winter months when your regulars can't play, I can keep them in the game. Would you be open to promoting my facility to your members in exchange for a reciprocal arrangement?' Golf courses and simulators are complementary, not competitive.

Reach out to 5 local PGA teaching professionals about using your facility. Teaching pros need indoor lesson space year-round — your simulator provides launch monitor data that transforms a lesson from subjective to objective. Your pitch: 'You can run lessons here when weather cancels outdoor sessions. I charge $25–$35/hour for facility use during lesson time.' A teaching pro using your facility brings their entire lesson clientele into your space.

Set up your league program structure today. A weekly golf league (6–8 weeks, 4–6 players per team, $25–$40/player/week) generates guaranteed weekly revenue and builds community. Use your booking software's recurring booking feature to hold the league time slots. Target league start date: 3–4 weeks from now. Announce league registration on Instagram and to your first week's customers.

Get Google and Yelp reviews from your first week's customers. Text or email every opening week customer within 24 hours: 'Hope you had a great session! If you have 2 minutes, a Google review would mean the world to us as a new business: [link].' 10 early Google reviews in your first 2 weeks of operation dramatically improves your search ranking for 'golf simulator [city].'

Contact 10 companies about corporate entertainment packages. Use the corporate pitch template (Deliverable 5). Target: commercial real estate firms, financial services companies, law firms, and tech companies within 5 miles. A corporate team outing of 8 people for 3 hours at $55/person = $440. A company that books monthly = $5,280/year. Corporate outings are your highest-margin bookings and your best referral source.

Launch your founding member pricing campaign. 'Founding member membership: $179/month (normally $229) — locked for 12 months, unlimited off-peak access. First 25 members only.' Announce on Instagram, email your waitlist, and offer in-person to opening week customers. Founding member campaigns with artificial scarcity (25 spots) create urgency that general 'memberships available' announcements don't.

Launch your first golf league this week. Even if you only have 2–3 teams (4–6 players each), the social proof of 'weekly league nights' on your Instagram builds community credibility. League nights have a halo effect: players bring non-playing friends to watch and socialize — those friends often become members. Photograph and post every league night. Tag all participants.

Follow up with every corporate prospect from Day 41. Call each company's event coordinator or EA: 'Following up on my email last week about golf simulator team outings. Do you have any upcoming client events or team outings where this might be a fit?' A phone call after an email increases your response rate by 3–4×. Corporate accounts take persistence to close — most require 3–5 touchpoints.

Partner with a PGA teaching pro formally. Offer a structured arrangement: the pro gets exclusive lesson hours on your simulator (Tue/Thu, 9am–2pm) at $25/hour facility fee, pays you directly for each lesson hour used. In return, they promote your facility to their lesson students and refer clients for practice sessions. A teaching pro with 20 active students generates 20 warm leads for your membership program.

Plan your first tournament event. A 9-hole scramble tournament on your simulator (4-person teams, $25–$40/person, prizes for low score) fills your weekend with 8–12 hours of bookings and generates your best social content. A tournament is a marketing event as much as a revenue event — the excitement, the leaderboard, and the trophies are the content that makes your next tournament sell out faster.

Optimize your peak vs. off-peak pricing. Review your first 4 weeks of bookings by time slot. When are your peak hours (typically weekday evenings 5–9pm and all-day weekends)? When are your off-peak hours (weekday 9am–4pm)? Increase peak rates by 10–20% and consider a deep discount for off-peak to improve utilization. A 60% off-peak utilization is significantly more profitable than 40% utilization at a single rate.

Post a 'month in numbers' Instagram post. 'Month 1: [X] rounds played, [Y] members, [Z] hours of golf across [number] customers. Starting to feel like a real golf club in here.' Milestone posts humanize your business, build social proof, and attract new followers who were on the fence. Authentic numbers — even modest ones — are more compelling than glossy marketing copy.

Contact your local golf association about partnership opportunities. Most metro areas have a local or regional golf association (affiliated with the USGA) that organizes amateur events and programs. Introducing your facility as a practice and event venue: 'I'd love to host a qualifier round or a junior golf clinic at our simulator.' Association relationships put you in front of your ideal customer demographic at zero marketing cost.

Set your membership target for month 3. A single simulator bay supporting 30–40 members at $200/month average = $6,000–$8,000/month in predictable recurring revenue before a single pay-per-play booking. What's your current membership count? What specific actions (corporate pitches, league conversion, social campaigns) will close the gap between current and target?

Evaluate a second simulator bay. If your single bay is running above 70% utilization consistently, you're turning away revenue. A second bay ($15K–$35K depending on simulator choice) served by the same lease, same staff, and same marketing overhead nearly doubles your revenue with a 30–40% increase in cost. Model the ROI: at what monthly occupancy does the second bay pay for itself?

Develop a corporate membership program. A corporate membership ($500–$1,200/month) gives a company 20–40 hours of bay time per month for client entertainment, team outings, and employee use. Price it as a block of hours with a premium rate for peak-time hours. One corporate membership at $700/month = $8,400/year. Corporate members also spend on food, beverages, and additional hours — your true lifetime value per corporate member is 2–3× the membership fee.

Research adding food and beverage service to increase per-visit revenue. The average golfer at a simulator spends 20–35% more when food and drinks are available. Options: partner with a nearby restaurant for delivery, install a mini-bar with canned drinks and snacks ($500 setup, $150–$300/month inventory, $50–$100/week revenue), or pursue a liquor license for draft beer service. Even a simple snack-and-beer setup adds $8–$15 to every group booking's tab.

Create a 'refer a member' incentive program. Current members who refer a new member get 1 free month added to their membership. At a $200 membership value, you're spending $200 to acquire a customer worth $2,400/year — a 12× ROI on your acquisition cost. Announce this to all current members via email and text. Golf is a social sport — your members know other golfers who belong to this program.

Review your 8-week financials completely. Total revenue by source (pay-per-play, memberships, leagues, corporate events, instruction fees), total expenses (rent, utilities, software, insurance, marketing), and net margin. What's your revenue per available bay hour? What's your current break-even monthly? Where is your biggest growth opportunity? Your numbers tell you where to focus energy in weeks 9–13 better than any intuition.

Write your 90-day growth plan for months 3–6. Based on 8 weeks of data: your best customer acquisition channels, your most profitable session types, your optimal pricing structure, and the specific membership count you need to be operationally sustainable. A golf simulator business with 40 members and 50% average bay utilization is a healthy, profitable operation — your month 3–6 plan is the roadmap to get there.