Back Nine Golf's Henderson owners give 5 reasons they bought into sim golf

Matt Severson and his business partner JD run a Back Nine Golf location in Henderson, Nevada, and the franchise's YouTube channel lets them explain why they signed on. The video is titled "We Bet on a Golf Simulator Business – Did It Pay Off?" It went up April 17, 2025, and it plays as a franchise pitch. The 12-minute video gives no revenue, membership count or startup cost.

The two owners do explain why the model appealed to them, and their reasons fall into five groups.

1. Members, not hourly renters

JD, who says he has worked in direct sales for 18 years, says what first caught his attention was "a membership model with reoccurring revenues without having to manage and hire staff." Severson says they aren't selling it as a by-the-hour program. They want long-term members, and they plan to cap memberships once they reach a certain level.

2. Full Swing hardware

Severson calls the Full Swing simulators a big selling point. He says demo guests who think they've played sim golf before are often surprised by the technology. The partners also plan to run leagues and tournaments through Full Swing's Compete tool.

3. The desert schedule

The studio stays at 70 degrees all year, Severson says. In the summer that means getting out of the heat, and in the cooler peak season, when it gets dark by 4 p.m., members come in before or after work. Some show up at 6 or 7 a.m. JD says 24/7 access is "a must" in Las Vegas and Henderson.

4. Water, cost and time

Severson points to growing water restrictions in Nevada alongside a fast-growing population. He adds that golf keeps getting more expensive and that a sim round can take under an hour, depending on the group.

5. Room to scale

JD says Back Nine's plug-and-play setup let them think about multiple locations quickly, and both men say they have day jobs and want to do this full time eventually. Severson says the franchisor sets a brand standard but lets owners customize their shops. The Henderson room has 80-inch TVs, food ordering and a darker lounge setup close to the freeway.

For anyone thinking about joining, the video's description offers a free 30-minute session at a Back Nine Golf location and links to the company's franchise inquiry form.