Since the pandemic, simulated golf has exploded in popularity, and many entrepreneurs in the competitive socialization industry are looking to capitalize on this growth.
According to a report from the National Golf Foundation, 6.2 million Americans hit a golf ball into a virtual simulator in 2023 — a 72% increase from 2019. At the time of the report’s publication, there were 1,600 businesses with a golf simulator registered in the National Golf Foundation’s database.
Photo provided | National Golf Foundation
Nick Loftis’ Off Par Golf & Social, bar and restaurant in Beaver Creek, Ohio, with multiple golf simulator bays, was presumably one of those 1,600. Loftis has since added to that total with the opening of the second Off Par location in Crestview Hills Town Center.
Like many others, Loftis didn’t grow up playing golf; he started in his 20s. His trial-and-error experience on the course taught him just how challenging it can be, especially for beginners.
“It’s a pretty intimidating sport if you didn’t grow up doing it or you didn’t develop that muscle memory in your younger years,” he told LINK nky.
With the rapid advancement of simulator technology, golf has become more accessible. If someone has never played golf before, they can try it out, surrounded by their friends or family, at a business like Off Par. This lessens the immediate pressure to perform while decreasing the cost of entry.
“I would point to the biggest rise, as the technology has become more accessible, there’s a lot more options, and you just saw a significant increase in the number of golfers,” Loftis said.
Off Par features eight golf simulators where patrons can play on world-renowned courses or practice their swing. While the simulators are primarily for golf, players can challenge their friends in other sports, such as soccer, baseball, or zombie dodgeball.
For golfers looking for something a little more, each simulator bay features PuttView’s Putting Green, a turf putting green that acts as a visual and interactive training aid. It comes with customizable drills, allowing golfers to augment any pre-existing putting green.
Besides the simulators, Off Par has a full-service, 20-seat bar with 12 taps and a curated selection of bourbon and ryes, alongside other options like craft cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks.
Off Par partnered with the Buffalo Wings and Rings location inside the Crestview Hills Town Center to provide food for the venue. The menu features chicken wings, fries, onion rings, burgers and other shareable appetizers.
The Town Center is owned and managed by Cincinnati-based Jeffrey R. Anderson Real Estate. Off Par’s over 8,000 square foot space was previously occupied by an Altar’d State clothing store. Loftis said he chose the location because it is close to several golf courses.
“It just came down to just basic geography for us,” Loftis said. “We had our first store in Dayton. We knew we wanted to be in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky market for our second store. We looked at the number of golf courses within a certain geographical radius, so that was a big thing when we were evaluating potential sites.”
Off Par opened on Black Friday of 2024. So far, business is booming, Loftis said. Off Par’s operating hours are Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. On Friday and Saturday, it’s open from 9 to 11 p.m. On Sunday, it’s open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“It’s picked up much faster than our original location did,” he said. “We’re also open in prime season right now, so that plays a big part in it. The demand for our services is very high right now.”
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