Upper Arlington, OH — Tech Caddie, the golf operations and technology podcast hosted by Mike Hendrix, Founder and President of smbGOLF, has released a new episode featuring Rusty Grimm, Founder of Rustic Golf Properties. https://www.golfcoursetechnologyreviews.org/podcast-episodes/rustic-golf-properties-founder-rusty-grimm In the conversation, Grimm breaks down how he purchased his first golf course, scaled into a six-course portfolio in Wisconsin, and made technology decisions that match a fast-growing multi-property operation.
Grimm shares that his story began at Two Oaks in Wautoma, Wisconsin, where he started working at age 13 as a “cart kid,” eventually running the golf shop and learning the business hands-on. After years of experience and a lease-to-own path, Grimm officially purchased the course in 2019.
From there, Rustic Golf Properties grew quickly. Grimm explains how he pursued expansion through a mix of owner financing, local banking relationships, and rapid deal timelines, noting that several acquisitions closed within roughly 45 days of first stepping on-site. He also describes a stay-and-play resort acquisition that added a new dimension to the business, including a partnership structure where Rustic Golf Properties owns and manages the golf while a separate operator manages the hotel.
Technology is a central theme throughout the episode. Grimm explains that Rustic Golf Properties’ growth from one location to six changed what the team needed from software, especially around multi-course tee sheet workflows, shared memberships across all properties, and payment flexibility for golf shop, restaurants, and beverage carts.
One standout detail: Grimm says beverage cart revenue can represent 10 to 12 percent of total revenue at two of their properties, reinforcing why food and beverage workflows and on-course payments are a major priority for Rustic Golf Properties.
In the episode, Grimm discusses Rustic Golf Properties’ recent transition from Lightspeed to TenFore Golf, emphasizing that his decision was less about tee sheet functionality and more about operational fit. Grimm notes that he liked Lightspeed’s tee sheet and usability, but needed stronger connected workflows for food and beverage across multiple properties.
He also shares lessons learned from changing systems, including the importance of hands-on testing in a sandbox environment, involving key employees in evaluation, and asking specific operational questions during demos rather than relying on broad feature claims.
“Operators learn best from other operators, and Rusty is building one of the faster-growing golf course groups in the country,” said Hendrix. “This episode is a real-world look at scaling, the pressures that come with it, and how technology decisions change when your business model changes.”
The episode is available now.
Listen to the full episode:
https://www.golfcoursetechnologyreviews.org/podcast-episodes/rustic-golf-properties-founder-rusty-grimm
About Tech Caddie
Tech Caddie is a podcast focused on golf course technology, and data-driven decision-making, featuring candid conversations with golf course operators and golf technology leaders.
About smbGOLF
smbGOLF helps golf courses, associations, and technology companies make smarter decisions through golf-specific data, technology insight, and operational expertise.
