Indoor Golf’s Booming in 2025: A New Gold Rush (and What It Really Means)
If you’re wondering what’s going on with indoor golf, you’re not alone. Simulators are everywhere. Home setups are endless, and commercial spots are popping up like CBD stores. There’s golf in them hills, for real. And just like 1849—and every boom since—folks are chasing a market that’s hotter than ever.
Three years ago, I didn’t know a thing about this world. I just had a hunch: golf should be easier for regular folks. Truth is, that itch started even earlier. Twenty years back, fresh out of grad school, I took a couple months off before starting my job—I golfed. A lot. Practiced a lot too. And guess what? I got better. When I got better, I liked the game more.
If only it were easier to practice. If only time and money didn’t always get in the way.
That frustration stuck with me. It’s what eventually led to Neighborhood National (NN)—something built for people like me (and probably you), who love the game but don’t love the grind.
Now with 10 clubs and nearly 200 members, we’re officially part of the boom. Our approach is unique—and we may not be for everyone. But at the very least, I hope what we’re doing helps you make sense of the opportunity and shape your own plans.
Here’s what’s really going on out there—and where things are heading in 2025.
A Boom—with Bite
The numbers speak for themselves. Indoor golf isn’t a sideshow anymore—it’s arguably got a main stage of its own.
The National Golf Foundation’s (NGF) been tracking this:
- In 2016, 19.8 million people played “off-course” golf (simulators, Topgolf, etc.). 23.7 million played traditional on-course golf.
- By 2023, off-course jumped to 32.9 million—surpassing on-course, which dipped to 26.6 million.
- That’s a 66% increase in off-course play versus just 12% growth in traditional golf.
- Total U.S. golfers? Up from 32 million to 45 million in that same stretch—a 40% boom.
Indoor golf is leading the charge.
Sounds like a gold mine, right? Sort of.
But remember the real gold rush. Most miners didn’t strike it rich. The people who did? They sold the picks and shovels—or hyped the rush itself. This boom is no different.
People see the headlines and think, “Easy money.” But if you jump in without understanding the space, it’s easy to lose your footing—or your shirt.
Some will make it. Many won’t. It’s really hard math to make work: wrong model, bad space, overbuilt sim, no plan to drive or keep usage—particularly with everyone having the same idea. This boom brings opportunity, but it also brings noise.
You’ve got to be smart—or this wave will wash you out to sea.
Why Indoor Golf’s Growing—And Who’s Driving It
This isn’t just about convenience. It’s about who’s showing up—and why.
As of 2023, the last year that NGF has made off-course vs on-course details publicly available, off-course golfers now average 36 years old, younger than the 44 average on-course. They’re more diverse too:
- 34% women (vs. 25% on-course)
- 34% non-white (vs. 23% on-course)
Millennials are leading the shift, and it’s not hard to see why.
Before getting acquired by the PGA, Nextgengolf published annual reports in 2020 and 2021 that helped confirm what was already obvious to us: millennials play less—or quit the game entirely—for two reasons:
time and money.
As one of our members, Jacob (31, Raleigh), put it:
“Golf in Raleigh sucks. Public courses are expensive and packed. Private ones are overpriced and waitlisted. Ranges are closing to make way for apartments. Any decent golf is forever away.”
That quote? It’s not rare. I’ve heard it over and over—almost word for word—just swap out the city name.
It’s also exactly how I felt, even if I don’t fit the millennial demo.
Neighborhood National was built to solve exactly those problems. To make swinging a club easier, closer, and cheaper for people like Jacob. And thousands of others like him.
The Trends Powering the Boom
Here’s why this shift is happening—and why it’s not slowing down:
- Tech is cheaper AND better.
Sims used to cost $50K+ and were hit-or-miss. Now? Your phone can be a launch monitor. Spend $500–$1K and you’re up and running with Rapsodo or Garmin. High-end performing setups with Bushnell, Foresight, or Uneekor are now in the $5K–$10K range. Quality's going up. Prices are coming down. - It's now an industry.
Screens, mats, projectors—the industry has grown. Everything’s better, cheaper, more flexible. You can build a solid setup in a garage or shed. NN clubs are proof: it doesn’t take a showroom to make golf accessible. - It’s flat-out fun.
This isn’t just grinding in a net. It’s playing Augusta with your friends, laughing at chunked wedges, hoping to break 80. Platforms like GSPro bring realism and social energy that keeps people coming back.
There’s a big knock, though: indoor golf still hasn’t fully bridged to drive outdoor growth—or to the broader golf ecosystem. The Callaway–Topgolf merger and subsequent split in 2024 says a lot.
But I’d argue it’s not the tech’s fault.
It’s what people do with the tech that’s the issue.
That’s where NN stands apart.
Most off-course options are fun, but the experience, cost, and proximity don’t lead to on-course improvement. We do—our tech is legit, we’re a fraction the cost, and we may well be right down the street.
How to Play It Smart—and Stand Out
Everyone sees the boom. Not everyone knows how to build something that lasts.
Here’s what I tell people starting out:
1. Know what business you’re really in.
Opening a bar with sims? Cool. But you’re in the bar business—not the golf business.
That means different margins, different challenges, different skill sets. Companies like 5 Iron and X-Golf are going this route. Both offer franchise opportunities. Fancy buildouts, big leases, big prices. It can work—but the restaurant game is tough.
2. Be different—or be forgotten.
The barriers to entry are low. Assume someone’s opening a sim down the street—because they will.
24/7 self-serve sim clubs are multiplying fast. Problem is, they all look the same—and they’re not cheap ($200–$300/month with restrictions).
Being first helps. As does doing the same thing better. But neither are enough, you need something people can’t easily copy.
Pending what you're looking for, that's where we could come in.
Neighborhood National clubs are different. We build community-first spaces where 15–20 neighbors share a premium sim for $65–$75/month. Commercial versions might cost a bit more, upside a little more too with slightly higher member counts and rates. Always unmatched value regardless the space.
- Unlimited swings
- No booking limits
- Bring a friend
- No stress
No big leases. No massive build-outs. Our Club Pros usually pay off their setups in 1–2 years and keep 80% of dues. With just 15 members, that’s ~$7,800/year —and you get to play anytime you want.
Solving the Real Problem—Time, Money, and Belonging
We’re not trying to replace the course. We’re trying to help more people get to it.
Most off-course models are fun—but not designed for actual improvement. NN is.
Our members swing regularly, see real results, and feel like they belong. We’re not a rental. We’re a club.
And it shows:
92% monthly retention. Year-round.
10 clubs. 180 members. And growing.
We’re solving the millennial golf challenge—but we’re doing it in a way that works for everyone.
What’s Next in 2025 (and Beyond)
This market’s just getting started. Here’s what I see coming:
- More clubs.
Sports bars with sims will keep growing. But the biggest growth? Self-serve sim clubs—both independents and franchises. Back Nine, Private Fairways, Trackman will set you up too. Just go in with eyes wide open: the lack of real differentiation—that people will pay for—across most of them is worth noting. - More tech madness.
The sim space is wild, and it’s only getting wilder. That can make it hard to know what to buy—but it also means you’re more likely to get value. Companies have to earn their keep. - More real communities.
The future of golf isn’t just digital—it’s personal. Laughing. Competing. Giving swing tips at midnight. That’s what makes it stick. Admittedly, it’s a bet we’re making—but if it works, maybe it shows others a better path forward too. Because the sims? They aren’t the future. What happens around them is.
Pro Tip
Indoor golf is a gold rush—but one that’s open to everyone.
You don’t need millions to play.
$500 gets you started.
$10K builds a club.
I started Neighborhood National to solve a time and money problem. Now it’s grown into something way bigger.
Because in the end—it’s not just about swings.
It’s about who you’re swinging with.
I started NN with a single sim in my garage. If you’re thinking about doing something similar, I'd love to chat.
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