Golfzon connected with General Manager Ben Mackey to discuss the commercial golf simulator business and how it can create a great experience for it's customers.
Golfzon: What are your thoughts on commercial simulators in the industry as a whole - what has it accomplished? Where's it going?
Ben: As a PGA Professional, one of our biggest initiatives is growing the game. What better way to grow the game than by creating a different avenue for people to get involved in and also continue playing golf, especially in the Northeast where the seasons are much shorter.
Golf simulators have created a brand new market for the golf industry as a whole. There are people who will only play virtual golf, but then there are also avid golfers who will play green grass golf 8 months out of the year and then spend the colder months playing indoor golf.
Golf simulators also provide a less intimidating way to be introduced to the game of golf. And there are a lot of people who want to play; if you look at the National Golf Foundation (NGF) data and feedback on the market, there are plenty of golfers and individuals interested in playing the game, but beginning is too daunting or difficult with all the barriers.
To have something like ZSTRICT where you’re coming into a sports bar atmosphere, it’s just much more relaxed and it creates a comfortable environment for people who have maybe never played before and will hopefully encourage them to get into the game. We can grow this game for the next 20 years with golf simulators.
Golfzon: What do your customers enjoy most about Golfzon simulators? Your sports bar setup?
Ben: The Golfzon simulator technology is second to none. The moving swing plate, the auto tee, the unbelievable graphics and the realistic game play - it’s just huge, because there aren’t many golf simulators in the market that have those kinds of features.
To be able to see customers come in and witness their reactions, like “Oh my gosh, it’s like I’m actually playing a round of golf. I’m hitting all my chip shots, I’m making putts” - it’s rewarding to watch and makes using Golfzon technology a huge advantage for ZSTRICT.
One feature I have to point out is the putting. Most golf simulator’s putting capabilities are terrible, you just don’t do it. There is an auto-putts setting, an option to turn putting off. With Golfzon simulators, you putt everything out, from a 6-inch putt to a 60-foot putt. You’re going to hit all those putts and feel like you’re really playing the course.
You can even read the greens, almost as if you are playing the Tiger Woods golf game where the grid pops up on the green. Golfzon simulators get you as close as possible to playing realistic golf while inside, and that’s why ZSTRICT has found so many happy customers.
When you have a good product, word travels fast. One of the most successful pieces to ZSTRICT and the Stamford, Connecticut, market right now is our word-of-mouth advertising and our reputation. We have over 300 5-star reviews on Google, and we’ve only had 3 less than 5-stars since we’ve opened. That’s a testament to my team, but it’s also a testament to the technology that we have because without that technology, you would expect much less.
Read the full Building a Commercial Simulator Business article on Golfzon.com to learn more about building a virtual golf business.
Interested in giving ZSTRICT a try? Book a Bay and come on out!