The Indoor Golf Revolution: The Transformation Has Been Exciting to Witness originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
A few months ago, I watched a 62-year-old grandmother sink a “hole-in-one” at a Topgolf bay in Orlando. She’d never held a golf club before that night, but there she was — screaming with joy, high-fiving strangers and immediately booking another session. That moment crystallized something I’ve been observing for years: Indoor golf isn’t just changing how we play the game, it’s changing who gets to play it.
Numbers Telling a Remarkable Story
An estimated 6.2 million Americans used a golf simulator within the past year, representing a 73% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels. I recently saw a statistic that stated TrackMan systems globally tracked more than 4 billion shots in 2024 alone, with the vast majority of those shots taken indoors. That’s not just growth — that’s a complete reversal of where golf happens.
Stadium Golf Changes Everything
Upper Deck Golf deserves credit for thinking completely outside the box. Their concept of hitting shots from stadium upper decks down to custom greens on the field below attracts people who would never consider traditional golf. I’ve seen football fans become golf converts after experiencing the thrill of hitting balls in their home stadium. At $79.99 per person for standard registration, it’s accessible entertainment that happens to involve golf clubs. Sponsored by 5-Hour Energy, which recently released a golf-inspired Transfusion flavor, the Upper Deck Golf tour has upcoming stops in Boston, Seattle, Chicago, Washington, Denver, New York and Philadelphia.
Topgolf Cracked the Code
Topgolf fundamentally changed the conversation by making golf social first, competitive second. They removed every intimidating element — dress codes, etiquette rules, the pressure to be good — and kept the fun parts. The result? Venues packed with people who would flee from a traditional golf course.
The Teaching Revolution is Real
Here’s where indoor golf gets exciting for professionals like me: The technology transforms how we teach. When students can see their swing plane, ball flight and impact position instantly, learning accelerates dramatically. I can show a student exactly why their ball curves right instead of just telling them to “keep their head down.” The data doesn’t lie, and students improve faster when they understand the physics.
Franchises Scale the Success
Five Iron Golf has expanded rapidly, including a large franchise agreement to add 12 new locations in Florida. X-Golf continues growing its footprint with realistic gameplay that includes moving swing plates and slope simulation. These aren’t just businesses — they’re proof that indoor golf has staying power beyond the initial novelty.
Home Systems Democratize Access
The home simulator market explosion means serious golfers can practice year-round. Companies now offer quality systems at price points that make them realistic for a much broader consumer base. A father can teach his kids in the garage. A retiree can play Pebble Beach in January. The barriers keep falling.
TGL Proves Professional Legitimacy
TGL launched Jan. 7, 2025, with its first match drawing nearly 1 million viewers. When Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and other top players commit to competing in an indoor format, it signals that screen golf has professional credibility. The audience skews younger than traditional golf, which is exactly what the sport needs.
The Real Impact: Solving Golf’s Problems
Indoor golf eliminates golf’s biggest barriers: weather, time and intimidation. A complete round takes less than two hours. Beginners can learn without embarrassment. Players can practice regardless of season. These aren’t small improvements — they’re game-changers.
What This Means for Golf’s Future
Indoor golf isn’t replacing outdoor golf — it’s creating new golfers who eventually want to play outside. The grandmother I mentioned? She’s taking lessons now and planning her first course round for this fall. That’s the real revolution: Indoor golf is building the next generation of traditional golfers while creating its own ecosystem of entertainment.
The sport is bigger, more accessible and more diverse because of screens and simulators. As professionals, we can either embrace this expansion or watch from the sideline as golf grows without us.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
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