HEATHROW, FL – A recent webinar presented to Proponent Group member golf coaches began with a dramatic set of projections for the future growth of indoor golf. Tony Morgan of the Design2Golf consultancy, who co-hosted the webinar with Proponent Group founder Lorin Anderson, shared quantitative data that webinar attendees were deeply impressed by. Morgan drew upon an array of online sources to supplement the internal database Design2Golf has built meticulously over the past decade and laid out the following metrics:
- Approximately 1,000 indoor golf facilities operated in the U.S. in 2017
- Today there are 2,400-plus indoor golf facilities in the U.S.
- Current aggregate revenues for the category are about $1.4 billion
- Single-shop ownership accounts for about 82 percent of these facilities
- 18 percent are owned by large firms (Golfzon Leadbetter, Five Iron, etc.)
- About 70 percent are best described as “entertainment-based”
- About 30 percent are best described as “performance-based”
- Expected number of facilities in 2033 at current growth rate: 8,000-plus
- Forecast aggregate revenues (in 2033) of $5.2 billion
Content of the webinar included a close look at one golf coach’s conversion from traditional outdoor coaching to indoor coaching, at a modern, tech-driven academy studio. That golf professional, Devan Bonebrake, is a Proponent Group member based in Manhattan Beach, Calif., where he co-owns and operates Studio Golf Academy.
As part of Proponent Group’s resources and tools to support serious golf instructors, the company’s website collects and archives photography of indoor golf studios (including those with inside-to-outdoor ball hitting), with Design2Golf as a frequent contributor of images. That photo trove, considered to be largest in the world, now represents over 150 separate facilities.
A growing percentage of Proponent Group members have made the move indoors as a way to optimize their services to students and likewise make the most of their career and business opportunities. A recent survey of this tranche of the Proponent membership asked:“Having learned how to operate an indoor coaching facility, and looking at the income it generates, would you think about expanding your business to multiple locations?”
Only 4 percent said they hadn’t and probably wouldn’t think about it, while 44 percent said “I am thinking seriously about it already” and another 52 percent said “I may consider it, sometime in the future.” No survey question piqued staff members’ curiosity more than this one, and no set of answers was more impressive.
Similarly impressive are the business-performance metrics for indoor studios and academies.
“Our survey found that median revenues for our coaches with indoor facilities is running about $775,000,” says Proponent Group founder Lorin Anderson, “with average direct operating costs running $477,000.” Not surprisingly, interest from instructors working outdoors is on the rise.
“We are getting more and more inquiries from member coaches about what they would need to do to open an indoor facility—it’s more frequently mentioned than any other business topic,” reports Anderson. “Along with Design2Golf’s tracking, it shows clearly that this segment is only going to expand, and perhaps dramatically.”
About Proponent Group
Proponent Group is the only organization solely focused on helping golf’s dedicated, full-time instructors grow their businesses and build their careers. Founded in 2007, Proponent Group recognizes that even accomplished teaching professionals need a unique array of professional services to build their teaching brand, create job security and grow compensation. If you are a full-time coach and would like access to this or other company-provided support tools, you can join Proponent Group at proponent-group.com.
About Design2Golf
Design2Golf is focused on helping dedicated golf coaches in the design and development of state-of-the-art performance and training facilities. The D2G team’s combined 50-plus years of industry experience ensures that the coach can provide advanced technology, feedback and key metrics to consistently boost golfer engagement and performance. Whether a facility requires a single bay or 10, D2G delivers turn-key services with custom-designed layouts that are proven to maximize return on investment. Its brand-agnostic approach to design and installation helps the instructor implement a wide range of technologies and automation. Contact: Tony Morgan tmorgan@design2golf.com.
