Cover Story
In The Zone
Combining golf, technology, and entertainment has boosted Golfzon Social to the forefront of the game’s evolution.
By Scott Kauffman
For all its traditionalism and history, golf has managed to stay remarkably modern. Over the past decade, with an emphasis on making the game younger, faster, and more fun, one trend in particular has caught fire: golfer-tainment.
Perhaps starting with Topgolf — which debuted with a single location in the UK in 2000 and expanded to the U.S. in 2005 — the combination of pub and driving range proved popular. Today, Topgolf — now owned by publicly traded equipment leader Callaway — boasts 90-plus venues in the U.S. and projects $1.745 billion in annual revenue for 2023, according to the company’s recent third-quarter earnings report.
The next evolution in golfer-tainment retains the same fun and food and beverage elements, but replaces the driving range with simulator bays. Troon, through a newly formed partnership with Golfzon America, a subsidiary of Korea-based golf simulator juggernaut Golfzon, is aiming to become the leader in that space via Golfzon Social. The first two locations debuted in the New York City area last year, with a third recently opened in the heart of Brooklyn.
Though Golfzon America is somewhat new to U.S. golfers, the Golfzon brand is the gold standard in Korea with nearly 9,000 locations using its innovative decades-old golf simulators. According to Golfzon, a publicly traded company in Korea, and controlled by Golfzon Newdin Holdings, the technology company had 11,439 locations using its simulator systems in 63 countries in 2022, with nearly 91.2 million rounds played and more than 7.6 billion shots tracked on its technology.
Now, the two golf titans want to aggressively take the technology to a U.S. location near you and capitalize on the world’s biggest “green grass” golf market and growing latent demand for “green-less grass” simulated golf.
Cusp of the Wave
When former Golfzon North America CEO Tommy Lim announced the new partnership alongside Troon President/CEO Tim Schantz, Lim cited National Golf Foundation (NGF) research indicating there were nearly 25 million players enjoying the game at off-course venues in America, whether it’s just whacking balls for fun while dining/drinking with friends and family, fine-tuning their golf swings, or pitting their skills against other players in competitions. (Golfzon’s Professional GTOUR Circuit in Korea has awarded $10 million in all-time winnings).
Based on current NGF data, interest in alternative golf experiences does not appear to be subsiding. For instance, NGF identified 15.5 million “off-course” exclusive participants in 2022, surpassing the total number of traditional “on-course” golfers (13.2 million) for the first time since the NGF began tracking the category in 2014.
Meanwhile, a November 2023 NGF report said more than 1,600 businesses have simulators in America, up from just 200 in 2016. And this does not include numerous golf retailers, instruction providers like Golftec, or specialty club-fitters such as True Spec that incorporate simulator bays as part of their commercial business.
“(Simulated golf) is a trend that is especially popular among young professionals,” added Lim, who was replaced by good friend and longtime LPGA executive Sean Pyun in January when Lim moved back to the company’s corporate headquarters in Korea to oversee Golfzon’s global brand. “Golfzon Social is the perfect vehicle to service this large and growing population.”
Lim went on to say the “trend will only continue to grow, and partnering with a highly respected company like Troon will expedite our expansion plans.”
Golfzon’s signature TwoVision simulator that powers 16 hitting bays at the recently opened Scarsdale, N.Y., venue and 22 hitting bays at the Palisades Center mall location in West Nyack, N.Y., was initially developed and rolled out in Korea in 2002. Two decades later, one of the most advanced and “realistic” simulator platforms of its kind officially arrived in the States when it was unveiled with much fanfare at the 2023 PGA Merchandise Show.
“The exciting part for Golfzon Korea and Troon and why they’re investing in this joint venture is the U.S. golf market is the biggest golf market in the world,” said Golfzon Director of Marketing Steve Brown. “But then you look at how it’s structured, and it’s very green-grass-focused; Topgolf has come out and that’s helped gamify this and create a broader adoption of simulator golf in the U.S. In Korea, it’s just the thing; it’s huge.
“(In the States) we’re really on the cusp of that wave and have a ton of latent demand from your non-core golfers who want an entertainment golf experience. Golf is cool, golf is popular, and just relevant socially. If you can capture that latent golf demand in an entertainment-focused way, that’s a huge untapped market and path to significant revenue growth.”
Best in Class
Among the compelling advances Golfzon made with its simulator technology are high-speed sensors that capture club head and ball flight data for realistic performance feedback; a 24-way directional moving swing plate that recreates true stand and lie conditions; an auto-tee and ball retrieval system; a virtual caddie to give players advice; and multi-surface mats to imitate fairways, rough, and bunkers.
“There are lot of concepts out there and a bunch of simulator companies, but Golfzon’s been doing it forever,” Brown said. “It’s not like we just came out with a moving floor. They’ve been making simulators with moveable floors for 22 years! And they’ve been at it (working on simulators) since 2000. So, in my mind, I’m wondering what’s next?”
As for Golfzon Social guests, they can expect a stylish, energetic atmosphere at the various Troon-run venues with a creative, chef-driven menu, and hand-crafted cocktails/craft beers inspired by award-winning RealFood Hospitality, Strategy & Design, a core Troon operating brand now managing food and beverage operations at 600-plus golf resorts, private clubs, daily-fee courses, and recreational facilities around the world. Throw in Troon’s decades-long reputation for delivering some of the highest hospitality standards as a golf and club-related operator, and you have the ingredients for “The Most Social Experience in Golf, ” as Troon likes to describe Golfzon Social.
“The marriage of a best-in-class food and beverage experience with Golfzon’s state-of-the-art technology will ensure the creation of a special place where people can come together to play, compete, socialize, and most importantly, have fun,” Schantz said. “We look forward to bringing Golfzon Social to many other cities in the near future.”
Ultimately, the Troon/Golfzon America goal is to expand and possibly franchise the Golfzon Social concept.
“We see an extensive opportunity that is fueled by the convergence of the popularity of golf and the resurgence of the ‘eatertainment’ phenomena,” Schantz said. “People are looking for places to be together and share a common interest and have fun. When TGL (Tomorrow’s Golf League, an indoor professional golf league) gets going, the idea of playing golf into a screen will come to the forefront, and we think people will seek to augment their golf experiences with fun at GolfZon Social venues.
“The beauty of Golfzon Social is that it appeals to a core golfer seeking to play a realistic round of golf with friends or practice,” Schantz continued, “and it also appeals to a non-golfer/beginner who just wants to play some games/be with friends and have a good time, along with a great meal. I think in five to 10 years there will be many Golfzon Social locations, and screen golf will be firmly embedded in the spectrum that makes up the game of golf today.”▪
AT-A-GLANCE
Golfzon Social – Palisades Center
3565 Palisades Center Drive, 3rd Floor
West Nyack, NY, 10994
(845) 579-8530
Golfzon Social – Scarsdale
691 Central Park Ave,
Scarsdale, NY 10583
(914) 348-2020
Golfzon Social – Brooklyn
11 Hoyt Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
