A
GOLF INDUSTRY REPORT- 2026
SIMULATOR GOLF MARKET INSIGHTS REPORT THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE DATA STUDY OF GOLF’S NEW PARTICIPATION INFRASTRUCTURE. Japan • Scandinavia • UK&I • Australia & New Zealand
J O I N T
I N I T I A T I V E
W I T H
INTRODUCTION
ABOUT THIS REPORT
CLOSING THE DATA GAP IN SIMULATOR GOLF No standardised, publicly available dataset has existed to quantify the international Simulator Golf market (“SIM Golf”), leaving venues, operators, national governing bodies and investors making decisions without evidence. This report changes that. In partnership with ION 54 and played.co, Golf Genius analysed 2,600+ Simulator Golf facilities across four regions*, 12 countries and 238 cities - gathering 86 unique data points for each venue. This structured desk research was then combined with a review of existing literature and industry data from bodies such as the NGF and The R&A. The result is the first evidence-based view of the SIM Golf landscape across these 12 countries (excluding South Korea and North America). *Regions analysed: UK & Ireland, Scandinavia, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Findings should be read as reflective of these four regions only. This report does not include South Korea or North America (US & Canada).
INTRODUCTION
3
INSIDE THIS REPORT 01. The International Simulator Golf Market
05. Technology Ecosystem
02. Regional Landscapes
06. The Winning Venue Model
03. Simulator Venues
07. National Governing Bodies
2,600+ SIM venues mapped across 12 countries
Market maturity, cities and infrastructure analysed
Commercial structures, pricing models and service offerings
Supplier analysis across hardware and software ecosystems
A connected system of services, technology and player experiences
Connecting off-course golf into national digital infrastructure
04. Player Experience Satisfying the needs of the SIM golfer
INTRODUCTION
4
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
AT A GLANCE
4 FORCES RESHAPING THE MARKET
THE HEADLINE NUMBERS
Golf has established itself as powerful 01 SIM infrastructure in the wider golf ecosystem. are shifting from ‘per hour bay bookings’ to 02 Venues recurring revenue models.
03
SIM Golf is fragmented with limited connectivity between venues, players and technology.
maturity of hardware technology outpaces 04 The software significantly.
2,683
9,580
88%
4.62
48%
70%
SIM Golf venues mapped across 12 countries.
of SIM Golf venues are independent, single-site operations.
of venues were concentrated in the largest 25 SIM Golf cities identified in this research.
Known simulator bays across the database.
The worldwide average Google rating of venues in the database.
of venues offer coaching - the most popular service offering.
Based on the 12 countries analysed in this research; excludes South Korea and North America.
INTRODUCTION
5
SIMULATOR GOLF HAS DEVELOPED INTO
A CORE PILLAR OF MODERN GOLF PARTICIPATION
The golf industry is undergoing its most significant structural shift in decades. Participation is no longer defined by access to a fairway. A new ecosystem of simulator venues, indoor facilities, and technologyenabled play has created millions of new golfers and changed what it means to be part of the game. Yet until now, there has been no unified, data-led view of this market. This report combines venue-level data, market analysis and operational insight to quantify it for the first time. What emerges is not a niche - SIM Golf has developed into a year-round participation engine, a social product, and a gateway for new and younger audiences.
A YEAR-ROUND PARTICIPATION ENGINE
Driving golfing participation regardless of the seasons or weather.
A SOCIAL & ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCT
Tech-driven play, leagues, events and more.
A GATEWAY FOR NEW & YOUNGER AUDIENCES
Lower barriers to entry into the game.
A DATA-RICH ENVIRONMENT
Driven through sophisticated hardware and software technology.
INTRODUCTION
6
01
THE WORLDWIDE SIMULATOR GOLF MARKET
Simulator Golf is a globally distributed participation format with substantial infrastructure in place. The market is dominated by smaller, independent venues with more limited resources, capacity and service offerings.
SIM GOLF HAS REACHED MEANINGFUL WORLDWIDE SCALE Scandinavia
461 VENUES 1,503 BAYS
16.5 VENUES
Per 1 million population
Scandinavia has the densest SIM venue infrastructure among the 12 countries analysed in this research
17 Venues per 1 million population
UK & Ireland
986 VENUES 4,509 BAYS
60.9 BAYS
Per 1 million population
The UK & Ireland has the densest SIM bay infrastructure among the 12 countries analysed in this research
13 Venues per 1 million population
Japan
1,033 VENUES 2,604 BAYS
102M
Estimated off-course golfers globally
8 Venues per 1 million population
Australia & New Zealand
203 VENUES 964 BAYS
8-10%
Projected growth of SIM Golf globally by 2030
6 Venues per 1 million population
SOURCES: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA; GLOBAL GOLF SIMULATOR MARKET GROWTH ANALYSIS 2023-2030 (BUSINESS RESEARCH INSIGHTS); GLOBAL GOLF PARTICIPATION REPORT 23/24 (NGF, THE R&A)
INTERNATIONAL ANALYSIS
8
SIM GOLF ACCELERATED RAPIDLY AFTER 2020 SIM venue openings accelerated strongly after 2020, with 43.2% of venue openings occurring from 2020 onward.
+10%
Forecast annual venue growth
The pandemic in 2020 caused a shift in the position of SIM Golf from a winter training niche to a year-round participation engine. 2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
INTERNATIONAL ANALYSIS
9
EVERY REGION IS GROWING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS
YEAR-ON-YEAR GROWTH (5-YEAR AVERAGE)
Japan
+47% UK & Ireland
+34%
Scandinavia
+17%
Australia & NZ 2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
+15%
Total SIM venue openings per year. Based on venues with known opening-year data.
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
INTERNATIONAL ANALYSIS 10
MARKET MATURITY VARIES ACROSS COUNTRIES
EMERGING
Venue and bay count does not determine a country’s stage of growth alone. Market maturity in SIM Golf is defined by how deeply venues engage players by combining infrastructure with player engagement, technology, and recurring participation. 54 58 63
GROWTH
65 69 71
Australia and England have lots of venues and bays, but lag behindScandinavia in tech adoption and structured play.
75 77
MATURE
81 81 85 88 MATURITY SCORE CALCULATED BASED ON VENUE DENSITY, MARKET PENETRATION OF MULTI-SITE VENUES, THE DIVERSITY IN SERVICE OFFERINGS AND LEVEL OF TECH ADOPTION.
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
Japan and Scandinavia scored highest in maturity when compared to the other regions included in this research. This was driven by a strong presence of structured playing formats and high levels of technology adoption by SIM venues.
INTERNATIONAL ANALYSIS 11
02
REGIONAL LANDSCAPES
Four regions, four different playbooks. The regional variation in SIM Golf highlights the influential roles of culture, maturity, geography and technology.
JAPAN MARKET MATURITY
MATURE
From the four regions analysed in this report, Japan had the largest number of SIM venues by raw venue count. The Japanese SIM market is defined by strong coaching integration and a diverse hardware ecosystem led by Golfzon* (30% market share of venues with known hardware).
1,033 VENUES 21.2 BAYS
2,604 BAYS
Per 1 million population
Tokyo
Nagoya
Yokohama
Osaka
8.4 VENUES
There are 365 SIM venues in Tokyo alone more than Australia and New Zealand combined.
Per 1 million population
*Golfzon’s home market, South Korea, is not included in this report.
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
REGIONAL LANDSCAPES 13
UNITED KINGDOM & IRELAND 60.9 BAYS
MARKET MATURITY
GROWTH
Per 1 million population Glasgow
With 60.9 bays per 1 million people, the UK has one of the densest bay infrastructures in the world, creating easier access for players. This scaling market is driven by hybrid venues with dedicated simulator lounges, coaching studios and hybrid golf facilities.
Leeds
4,509 BAYS
Manchester
Birmingham London
986 VENUES 13.3 VENUES
Per 1 million population
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
REGIONAL LANDSCAPES 14
SCANDINAVIA MARKET MATURITY
MATURE
From the four regions analysed in this research, Scandinavia is the most advanced SIM Golf market based on the maturity framework applied within this report. With a 6-month outdoor playing window, SIM facilities are a structural necessity to ensure year-round play in the countries across this region. This has driven the highest per-capita venue density of any region, the strongest league penetration, and universal adoption of premium hardware brands.
53.8 BAYS
Per 1 million population
1,503 BAYS
461 VENUES
Tampere Oslo
Stockholm
Norway leads all countries in venue density at 22.8 per million. Oslo has 50.2 venues per 1 million population compared with London’s 9.5.
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
16.5 VENUES
Per 1 million population
Gothenburg
REGIONAL LANDSCAPES 15
AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND 29.2 BAYS
MARKET MATURITY
Per 1 million population
GROWTH
Australia & New Zealand is the smallest of the four regions by raw venue count but one of the most commercially sophisticated - with the highest average bays per venue among the four regions in this report (8.1 in Australia). This reflects a market that has developed fewer, but larger and more professionally managed venues.
Brisbane
6.2 VENUES
964 BAYS
Perth Sydney
Auckland
Melbourne
Per 1 million population
203 VENUES New Zealand punches above its weight relative to market size with a 4.7 Google rating average and strong membership and league infrastructure.
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
REGIONAL LANDSCAPES 16
03
SIMULATOR VENUES
A fragmented, small-format market evolving from one-off bay rentals towards memberships, coaching, leagues and recurring revenue.
WHAT KIND OF SIM VENUES EXIST?
50% Dedicated SIM Venue
The dominant and often most familiar SIM format. These venues are typically located in urban areas and operated as independent businesses.
28% Golf Club with Simulator
A club or resort with on-site SIM rooms used for member retention and year-round revenue tools.
11% Coaching Studio / Academy A crossover SIM facility typically ran by PGA Professionals. These venues provide a performance-first environment for golfers.
8% Range with Simulator
Longstanding infrastructure that has become tech-enabled in more recent years. Caters for a broad audience base.
3% Other
Venues that could not be classified due to lack of identifiable characteristics or category overlaps.
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
SIMULATOR VENUES 18
INDEPENDENT VENUES DRIVE THE SIM GOLF MARKET Most simulator facilities are independently operated without any form of shared infrastructure to connect play or players between venues. This gap is a huge opportunity for continued growth, for which technology providers may offer the solution.
LEADING SIM GOLF CHAINS
88%
Single-site Operators Most SIM venues are independently run, creating a highly fragmented market. This has created whitespace opportunity for shared software, league and data infrastructure.
12%
Multi-site Operators The top 5 multi-site operators control 165 venues, accounting for 6% of total venues mapped.
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
SIMULATOR VENUES 19
48% OF SIM VENUES ARE LOCATED IN MAJOR URBAN HUBS With limited space available for golf courses and a growing demand for simulator play, cities and urban environments create the optimal environment for SIM Golf to thrive. Tokyo
Tampere
365 VENUES
Oslo
Manchester
Kawasaki
Stockholm
62 VENUES Tokyo
London
Osaka
85 VENUES Manchester
27 VENUES
Sydney
31 VENUES
Kawazaki Osaka
London
Melbourne
85 VENUES
27 VENUES
Stockholm
Perth
26 VENUES
14 VENUES
Oslo
Auckland
36 VENUES
Sydney Analysis covers cities within the 12 countries included in this research; excludes South Korea and North America.
10 VENUES Auckland
Perth Melbourne
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
SIMULATOR VENUES 20
CAPACITY & INFRASTRUCTURE:
SIM BAYS PER VENUE
1,365 62%
1–2 Bays
406 18%
3-5 Bays
447 20%
6+ Bays
(168 of 447 venues are driving ranges)
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
SIMULATOR VENUES 21
THE AVERAGE SIM BAY COSTS $28 AN HOUR Whilst SIM Golf has relied on bay bookings for many years, the commercial model that is emerging around the world integrates structured forms of engagement that drive repeat play, such as membership systems. The most commercially advanced SIM venues are now selling a sense of belonging, not hours.
Median
Scandinavia
$24
$28
Hourly Bay-Rental Price Median
UK & Ireland
Australia & NZ
$29
$34
Hourly Bay-Rental Price Median
Hourly Bay-Rental Price Median
Hourly Bay-Rental Price Median
Japan
$11
Hourly Bay-Rental Price Median
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA. FX CONVERSION RATES FROM AUGUST 2026 USED TO DETERMINE COMPARABLE PRICES
SIMULATOR VENUES 22
BAY USAGE HAS PREDICTABLE PEAKS AND LOTS OF OFF-PEAK GAPS Industry data suggests evenings and weekends drive a simulator venue’s booking business, while weekday daytime utilisation typically sits around 20-30%. Summer demand can reduce overall utilisation significantly compared with peak-season levels. This unpredictable environment will force venues to use leagues, coaching and membership as ways to guarantee revenue.
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
FRIDAY – SUNDAY peak booking days
Morning
Afternoon
6 - 10pm
Late
5-9PM
peak booking window
~20%
average off-peak bay utilisation
SOURCES: AV SOLUTIONS: EVALUATE THE ROI OF A COMMERCIAL GOLF SIMULATOR (2026); ALL BOOKED: GOLF SIMULATOR SCHEDULING SOFTWARE GUIDE & ROI (2026); SCHEDULINGKIT: HOW INDOOR GOLF SIMULATORS FILL THEIR EMPTY BAY HOURS (2026); DYAL: GOLF SIMULATOR BOOKING SYSTEM HOW TO FILL EVERY BAY (2026); SIMBOOK: BAY UTILIZATION AT MULTI-BAY GOLF SIMULATOR VENUES (2026); GOLF O’CLOCK: GOLF SIMULATOR BOOKING SOFTWARE FOR VENUES (2026)
SIMULATOR VENUES 23
04
PLAYER EXPERIENCE
From beginners to elite players, golfers love SIM Golf. As the service offerings expand beyond performance and into the realms of entertainment, social and community, the strongest venues are now able to serve different customer types using the same bay and same technology.
GOLFERS LOVE SIM GOLF Based on Google ratings data, venues are delivering exceptional value to golfers across all markets based on the services they provide. Australia and New Zealand have the highest average customer rating - although all four markets are tightly clustered and score strongly on Google’s 1–5 scale.
Scandinavia
Japan
4.6
4.6
Performance-led services that have established SIM Golf at the heart of golf in the region.
Coaching, instruction and membership ecosystems power repeat play and engagement.
United Kingdom
Australia & New Zealand
Urban venues providing a blend of play, practice and social.
High capacity venues with strong corporate and commercial offerings.
4.6
4.7
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
PLAYER EXPERIENCE 25
05
TECHNOLOGY ECOSYSTEM
SIM Golf is technology-enabled, but the operating stack is disconnected and fragmented. Whilst the hardware layer has been largely solved for many years, the next major whitespace is through software system integration that delivers connected player identities, structured competition, CRM & retention infrastructure, recurring engagement systems and cross-venue ecosystem orchestration.
SIM HARDWARE HAS MATURED FASTER THAN SOFTWARE SIM venues operate as technology-driven entertainment businesses, powered by expensive hardware systems. The standard process for new venues is to establish the hardware infrastructure required to operate from day one. But with hardware costs ranging from $20,000 to $75,000 per bay, this comes at the expense of the underlying software layer that brings the experience together. Whilst bay booking platforms power one-off bookings, it is CRMs, competition platforms, player apps and communication tools that open up recurring revenue streams. However, these systems were almost non-existent across the mapped venues in this dataset. 73%
71%
Key Suppliers:
11%
Booking System
Known Competition Hardware Tech Platform
3%
0.5%
Point of Sale
CRM / Mobile App
% of venues with known technology modules
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
TECHNOLOGY ECOSYSTEM 27
HARDWARE TECHNOLOGY
FOUR SUPPLIERS DOMINATE MARKET SHARE Of the venues with a known hardware system, Trackman, Golfzon, Foresight and Toptracer were the most popular suppliers chosen by SIM operators. Strong regional variances between launch-monitor brands exist, so any connecting software layer must be hardware-agnostic to scale globally. 45
TrackMan
45% 13
Golfzon
(57%) &
13%
(17%)
7
Foresight
7%
SCANDINAVIA
5
Toptracer
5% 5
OK ON GOLF
(87%)
5% 4
SkyTrak
4% 2
X-Golf
JAPAN
2% 2
Flight Scope
(30%)
2%
&
(14%)
2
Full Swing
2%
SDR
2%
Uneekor
UK & IRELAND
2
ANZ
1
1%
(42%)
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
&
(21%)
TECHNOLOGY ECOSYSTEM 28
SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY
BOOKING INFRASTRUCTURE IS FRAGMENTED ACROSS MANY DIFFERENT SUPPLIERS Booking infrastructure is the most established software layer in the market but the category remains highly fragmented - there is no dominant platform and the majority of identified systems serve single markets or regions. No single booking platform controls more than 7% of known venues. 61% of venues with a known booking system use an unidentified solution, suggesting a mix of manual workflows and region-specific platforms that no connected ecosystem has been able to consolidate.
Other
61 61%
Native Website
7 7%
Your Golf Booking
6 6%
Intelligent Golf
5 5%
BRS Golf
5 5%
Hacomono
5 5%
Sweetspot
4 4%
Meriq
73%
Of SIM venues have known booking platforms
2 2%
Alba
1 1%
MATCHi
1 1%
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
TECHNOLOGY ECOSYSTEM 29
SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY
COMPETITION SOFTWARE IS A BIG GAP IN THE TECH STACK Just 11% of venues in this report have a recorded competition or league system, yet league penetration in mature markets such as Scandinavia reaches 53%, proving the demand exists wherever the infrastructure is in place. 39
Other
39% 22
Trackman
22% 11
X-League
11%
Of SIM venues have known competition platforms
11% 8
8%
BSG League Ladder 5
5%
Toptracer 4
GDR Plus
4%
Golf Genius
4%
4
3
3%
HowDidiDo 2
BRS Golf
2%
Golfzon
2%
2
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
TECHNOLOGY ECOSYSTEM 30
HARDWARE CREATED THE MARKET.
SOFTWARE WILL CONNECT IT. SIM Golf has largely solved hardware and booking infrastructure. The next major opportunity lies in connected software systems, structured forms of play and unified data - each driving player identity, community and repeat participation.
CONNECTED PLAYER IDENTITY
STRUCTURED COMPETITION
CRM & RETENTION INFRASTRUCTURE
UNIFIED PLAYER DATA
CONNECTED SIM GOLF VENUE
TECHNOLOGY ECOSYSTEM 31
06
THE WINNING VENUE MODEL
This section maps the revenue drivers, commercial models and engagement infrastructure that separate the market’s most mature venues from the rest.
VENUE MATURITY INDEX The strongest venues have evolved beyond bay rentals towards recurring revenue models. Venue maturity is not defined by size, location or hardware brand alone. It is defined by how far it can move beyond hourly bay rental, and how much of its revenue now depends on players choosing to come back, rather than booking a one-off session.
0-25
26-50 51-75 76-100
Transactional Venue
Service-led Venue
Community Venue
Connected Venue
Bay Rental Only
+ Coaching & F&B
+ Membership & Events
+ Leagues, CRM & Cross-Venue Activity
THE MODERN SIM VENUE MIX
20 Membership 20 Events & Leagues 15 Coaching & Entry Programmes 15 SIM Golf Handicaps 10 Booking Infrastructure 10 CRM & Club App
Hourly Bay Rental
Recurring Revenue
10 Multi-Venue Partnerships
VENUE MODEL 33
THE CURRENT VENUE MODEL
THE WINNING VENUE MODEL
Coaching dominates the service offerings of SIM venues. However, structured forms of play such as membership, leagues and beginner programmes are still catching up, with the most mature venues incorporating them into their recurring revenue models.
The gap between a good SIM venue and a great one is not hardware alone - it’s how far an operator has moved beyond selling hours towards a connected system of services that drive repeat play.
70%
Coaching
58%
Membership
Private Hire
42%
Social Events
41%
CONNECTED SIM VENUE
Memberships
38%
Beginner Programmes
Simulator Handicaps
CRM
49%
Corporate Events
Leagues
Leagues
32%
Coaching
Beginner Programmes
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
VENUE MODEL 34
MEMBERSHIP IS OUTPACING THE TECH TO SUPPORT IT. Venues are signing members far faster than they are building the systems needed to manage them. In the most mature markets (Japan 74%, Australia 67%), membership is a significant part of the SIM business model. In England, at 49%, the infrastructure to sustain that growth is still catching up. 33
Denmark
34 33 33%
Norway
33 37 34 34%
Ireland
33 34 37 33 37%
Finland
34 37 33 34
46%50 46
England
37 34 37
49% 50 46 49
Scotland
37
50 46 49 50 50%
61
46 46 49 50 50%
6163
Sweden
49 46 49
61% 61 63 67
Northern Ireland
49
61 63 67 61 62%
74
63% 63 67 6163
74
Wales
New Zealand Australia Japan
58%
of SIM venues now offer some form of membership
50
67% 67 63 67
74
67
74% 74 74 74
Despite having comparatively smaller market sizes, venues in Australia & New Zealand have adopted a membership-first approach to drive player engagement. Japan leads the way in membership infrastructure.
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA
VENUE MODEL 35
LEAGUES ARE THE MARK OF A MATURE MARKET
YET 68% OF VENUES HAVEN’T RUN ONE YET
68% No League or Competitions 32% of Sim Venues Run a League
In line with the Venue Maturity Index, the running of SIM leagues are the joint largest contributor to a mature operation, and a clear marker that separates a connected community venue from a struggling one.
As stated above, less than a third of SIM venues run any form of golf league, and internal research indicates that even fewer run crossvenue competitions with other facilities. Those that do are typically using manual workflows such as spreadsheets, WhatsApp and hardware-native tools, which lack the necessary tools and capabilities to drive ongoing engagement.
SOURCE: PLAYED.CO VENUE DATA BASED ON OWN INTERNAL DATA INTERPRETATION
VENUE MODEL 36
07
NATIONAL GOVERNING BODIES:
CONNECTING OFF-COURSE GOLF
SIM Golf brings new, younger and more diverse players into the game through its low-pressure, socially engaging environment. To connect with these new audiences, National Governing Bodies (NGBs) will seek to use technology to increase visibility and engagement with this fast-growing segment of the golf market.
01
SIM GOLF IS A NATIONAL PARTICIPATION ENGINE
Capture Off-Course Participation
Weather-independent, accessible and scalable. 43% of global SIM venues opened since 2020.
With an estimated 102 million off-course golfers and 15,000 simulator venues globally, SIM Golf is no longer a niche format. It is the fastest-growing participation channel in the sport and, uniquely, it maps directly across every other layer of the golf ecosystem, from beginners to competitive elite-level golfers.
02
Connect New & Younger Players
Leagues and structured competition that turn first visits into sustained participation.
03
Digital Infrastructure
Player identity, simulator handicaps, and playing data that connects off-course to the national game.
SOURCES: GLOBAL GOLF PARTICIPATION REPORT 23/24 (NGF, THE R&A); STATE OF THE INDUSTRY: OFF-COURSE FACILITIES REPORT (NGF)
NATIONAL DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE 38
CONNECTING THE SIM ECOSYSTEM: THE GOLFZON TOUR MODEL The Golfzon* Tour is the most developed example of connected Simulator Golf on a national scale. In partnership with Golf Genius, the Golfzon Tour delivers structured team competition across multiple venues that creates shared player identity, cross-venue leaderboards and a reason to return every week. Players competing in the Golfzon Tour have a simulator handicap and competitive record - making them measurable, retainable and connected to the wider game. For national governing bodies, it is a blueprint for connecting SIM Golf into their national digital infrastructure.
5
Countries
70+
Host Venues
Having Golf Genius in lockstep gives the GOLFZON Tour a huge vote of confidence and ensures we have the highest quality software integrated with every match. Sean Pyun CEO, GOLFZON US
1,000+
Competing Players
*Golfzon’s home market, South Korea, is not included in this report.
NATIONAL DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE 39
IDENTITY, HANDICAPS AND PARTICIPATION DATA AT NATIONAL SCALE. Simulator handicapping is currently fragmented by hardware brand, with no portable identity existing today. This current governance gap presents huge opportunity to deliver a universal standard for SIM Golf that extends player pathways towards on-course play. The countries that establish simulator handicapping first will not just govern indoor golf - they will own the data layer that connects off-course participation to the national game.
01
Venue App
Connecting bookings, simulator play and league scores
02
Leagues
Structured, cross-venue competition that drives participation, data and player connectivity.
03
Simulator Handicapping
Standardising how SIM Golf performance is measured across hardware brands, venues and formats.
NATIONAL DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE 40
08
KEY CONCLUSIONS
TAKEAWAY 1
SIMULATOR GOLF IS A CORE PILLAR OF MODERN GOLF
AND IT’S READY TO BE CONNECTED. SIM Golf grew out of the need for winter play, from a generation of club golfers wanting to improve their on-course performance. Fast forward to present day and SIM Golf has become a year-round participation engine that is capturing play from hard-to-reach audiences. The opportunity to connect these players into the broader golf ecosystem now relies on the infrastructure catching up.
$2.2BN
SIM Market Value
15,000
Estimated SIM Venues Globally
102M
Off-Course Golfers
SOURCE: GOLF SIMULATOR MARKET, 2023-2031 (STRAITS RESEARCH); GLOBAL GOLF SIMULATOR MARKET GROWTH ANALYSIS 2023-2030 (BUSINESS RESEARCH INSIGHTS); NATIONAL GOLF FOUNDATION (NGF): STATE OF THE INDUSTRY: OFF-COURSE FACILITIES REPORT; NATIONAL GOLF FOUNDATION (NGF) / THE R&A: GLOBAL GOLF PARTICIPATION REPORT 23/24; BUSINESS RESEARCH INSIGHTS: GLOBAL GOLF SIMULATOR MARKET GROWTH ANALYSIS 2023-2030
8-10%
Projected Growth by 2030
42
TAKEAWAY 2
FINDING SIM GOLF IS EASY.
HAVING A REASON TO STAY IS HARDER. Through widespread adoption of sophisticated hardware and booking systems, simulator venues have solved their initial problem of being discovered. Their next growth opportunity lies in the ability to build player communities with a deep sense of belonging to their venue - reasons to come back and play again.
- Bay Rentals
01 - Website Search
02 -- Coaching Membership
& Events 03 -- Leagues Simulator Handicaps
Community 04 -- Cross-Venue Identities
43
TAKEAWAY 3
SIM GOLF IS NO LONGER EMERGING.
IT IS ORGANISING.
43% of venues in this dataset opened after 2020 but the next stage of growth will not be defined by more venues. Instead, it will be defined by the venue operators, national associations and technology providers who decide to connect what already exists. The countries that move first on connected SIM infrastructure will shape what the game looks like for the next generation.
DIGITAL INFRASTRCUTURE
UNIFIED PLAYER DATA
ECOSYSTEM CONNECTIVITY
CROSS-VENUE PARTNERSHIP
44
TAKEAWAY 4
HARDWARE CREATED THE MARKET.
SOFTWARE WILL CONNECT IT. The next infrastructure layer for SIM Golf is one that makes data portable, play visible and experiences meaningful. Digital software presents the next major opportunity that will define the delivery of SIM Golf, shape strategic investments, and influence the formulation of national participation frameworks.
CONNECT PLAYERS & VENUES
STANDARDISED PLAY
MULTI-VENUE FORMATS
One layer that links SIM Golf into a shared ecosystem.
Seamless play across hardware brands, SIM venues and countries.
Scalable formats and systems that connect venues, participation and revenue streams.
45
A
J O I N T
I N I T I A T I V E
W I T H
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