Map courtesy of city of Hoover.
Two couples from Chelsea are seeking permission from the city of Hoover to open an indoor golf simulator business in Greystone. Christian and Sarah Wright and Randy and Stacie Quinn of the Chelsea Park community want to put their franchise business, called The Back Nine, in the former Bedzzz Express Outlet store at 2815 Greystone Commercial Blvd., next to Issis and Sons Flooring.
Two couples from Chelsea are seeking permission from the city of Hoover to open an indoor golf simulator business in Greystone.
Christian and Sarah Wright and Randy and Stacie Quinn of the Chelsea Park community want to put their franchise business, called The Back Nine, in the former Bedzzz Express Outlet store at 2815 Greystone Commercial Blvd., next to Issis and Sons Flooring.
They initially plan to open three golf simulation bays, but there is enough room in the 3,400-square-foot space for a fourth bay if there is enough demand, Christian Wright said.
The Hoover Planning and Zoning Commission on June 9 voted to recommend the Hoover City Council approve the “conditional use” request that is required for recreational uses in a planned commercial zone. The request will likely go before the Hoover City Council for a vote in July, and Wright said if approval is given then, they hope to have remodeling of the space complete and the business ready to open by the end of August or September.
Wright, who has played golf since he was about 12 and who played four years on the golf team at Birmingham-Southern College, said this site is ideal for a golf simulation business because it takes about 25 minutes to get to the nearest public golf course or driving range. Also, the indoor nature of the business gives anyone a place to play or practice golf when it’s raining or too cold to play outside.
The golf simulation industry is growing, according to research submitted to the city of Hoover by the Wrights and Quinns. The U.S. golf simulator market is projected to grow from $694 million in 2021 to $1.4 billion by 2030, they said in materials submitted to the city.
An estimated 6.2 million Americans hit golf balls with a club in a golf simulator in 2023, which is up 73% from pre-pandemic levels, according to a report from the National Golf Foundation.
The Back Nine currently has more than 20 operating franchises, and all of them so far have survived and have positive cash flows, according to the marketing plan outlined by the Wrights and Quinns.
There are nearby indoor golf simulators at Golf Galaxy and the PGA Superstore, but The Back Nine intends to offer a more premium and private experience, the couples indicated. Another nearby competitor is The Golffice, which opened in March at 520 Cahaba Park Circle.
The Greystone location of The Back Nine, if approved, would be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and people could make reservations using a QR code sent by text message.
People could rent a golf simulation bay for $80 to $100 per hour, and memberships would range from $200 to $400 per month, with both monthly and annual memberships available, as well as corporate memberships.
The Hoover Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval for The Back Nine with some conditions that included:
- An owner or representative would need to be present from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and during all parties.
- All parties would have to take place between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. and could be scheduled only by members of the facility.
- An owner or representative would have to be present during sessions rented by non-members.
- No alcohol would be allowed on site.
- The facility would have to be cleaned regularly and be free of rubbish.
- The facility must have a video monitoring system and be under surveillance during operating hours.
- The owner must provide a way for emergency personnel to gain entry to the building.
Contact information for the owners must be clearly displayed for overnight emergencies or maintenance needs.
For more information about The Back Nine, go to thebackninegolf.com or call 659-219-8999.
