Once you’re hooked by the game of golf, you’re hooked for life.
In fact, the game becomes a part of a golfer’s life, such that there’s never a bad time to hone one’s swing, even during the offseason.
And one golfer’s desire to work on his swing over the winter has grown into a local business success story.
Neil and Jenna Bestard knew they were onto something when they discovered Back Nine, an indoor golf simulator franchise from across the border.
The couple set out to open their own Back Nine and were feeling confident: Neil knew golf, construction and tech, while Jenna knew fitness, sales and membership. The biggest piece to figure out was the lending.
In the winter of 2024, Neil began looking into a golf simulator for his garage so he could work on his swing over the winter when he got home from his days as a plumber. He’d spent nearly 20 years in the construction industry by then and found himself considering other careers that would be less physically demanding. So, that winter, he researched and contemplated.
“I was really diving into the best systems and technology, and Back Nine kept popping up,” said Neil.
Back Nine offers an indoor golf experience it calls ‘unparalleled’ because it offers the most accurate and realistic swing experience: cameras above capture initial impact club and ball data, then the golf ball passes through four hyper-clear cameras for a precise, realistic and real-time experience.
“They only had U.S. locations, but I reached out to the CEO and said, would you be interested in coming to Canada?” said Neil.
With backing from Tiger Woods and a business model that sees members and guests receive a code for self-guided tee times in private rooms, Neil could picture casual and serious golfers alike enjoying Back Nine — and he could envision a business with potential.
While he awaited a response from Back Nine, Neil worked on helping his wife see the vision.
“I wanted to have a good sense of what the risk was and what the investment would be,” said Jenna.
After a few months, Back Nine replied to Neil, and after a few calls, in the fall of 2025, the couple was invited to a conference in Las Vegas, where they heard from other franchisees talking about hosting everything from kids’ camps and ladies’ nights to school groups and corporate parties.
“That part really excited me,” said Jenna. “That trip solidified things for me. We came back feeling pretty committed.”
There were just a few hurdles to overcome. First, the Vernon location would be Back Nine’s first in Canada, so the paperwork took a while. In the meantime, Neil secured a space he knew would be ideal for multiple rooms hosting multiple golfers.
Second, they needed financing, and once the paperwork came through, they didn’t have time to lose.
Their initial experiences at large financial institutions left them feeling disappointed.
“When everyone was saying ‘no’, it was really hard,” Jenna shared. “We kept saying, it’s going to be great. It’s fail-proof. Trust us, we’re going to get it done.”
Finally, they landed a meeting with Scot McNair, business analyst with Community Futures North Okanagan.
“He wanted to know what is your passion and what are you going to do to make it happen,” Jenna said.
The couple took their homework seriously and returned with what they felt were realistic and promising projections, including a goal of 20 founding memberships within weeks of opening and more than 150 members within a year, in addition to guests who are not members.
Neil and Jenna’s business loan application was approved.
“It was really rewarding,” said Jenna. “It felt like someone was behind us and believed in our good ideas.”
Then, they were off to the races.
In February, Back Nine hosted a grand opening that was well attended and soon they had their first 20 members. Today, they have more than 80 five-star reviews and their vision has become a reality.
“We’re seeing families come in and play and say this is how we’re spending family time,” said Jenna. “And now that it’s nice out we’re hearing people say the practice here is translating to a better swing and a better game on the course, and that’s great.”
Those considering opening or expanding a business can explore how Community Futures North Okanagan can help through lending and a large range of resources.