Five Iron Golf is set to open in the former Blue Dog Cafe in downtown Lake Charles in the fall of 2026.
“This is a several million dollar development – but we believe in it,” Jason Benoit said.
Co-owners Benoit and Michael Boyer are thrilled to bring the excitement of Fire Iron Golf to Southwest Louisiana. Benoit and his wife, Mandy, reside in Lake Charles. Benoit owns Benoit Motors in DeRidder and has been looking for something new to do and bring to Southwest Louisiana.
It will be a family friendly area, but also have corporate events, birthdays, bachelorette and bachelor parties, date nights and nights out with friends. Five Iron Golf will have multiple simulators where guests can come in, rent a simulator or “sim,” play golf indoors, have a meal and socialize. The venue will also provide entertainment upstairs where there will be a stage for comedians and musicians.
“It’s golf with simulators and so much more – it also has food similar to the quality of Texas Roadhouse and we will be able to customize a lot of our things to our culture here in Louisiana from the art on the walls to the food and the drinks,” Benoit said.
The technology for one simulator is around $25,000 – you will be hitting a real ball and playing on real golf courses. While the business is named Five Iron Golf it is not solely golf on the simulators. You can choose other sports as well such as football, basketball, hockey, soccer, duck pin bowling and more. Five Iron will also be for those that have no desire to golf but would like to go out, have a meal, a cocktail and enjoy a day or night downtown.
“There will be pool tables, possibly foosball, there’s going to be so much more than golf for people to enjoy,” Boyer said.
The simulators use Trackman technology which is a very high end piece of equipment, according to Benoit. If you play in Lake Charles and go where there’s another Five Iron the next day – the system will pick up where you left off. Golfers can also play against others at different Five Irons no matter the location.
“It’s going to be based on hospitality and will be a unique venue for dining and drinks – it’s going to be a playground for kids during the day and adults at night,” Boyer said.
Boyer has stepped away as the general manager at Smalls Sliders in Lake Charles to partner with the Benoits and be the operations manager on this new adventure. Benoit said he got the idea to bring the business to the area due to his family spending a lot of time in New York and visiting. His family enjoys the experience at Five Iron.
“My family and I have a place in New York and it’s a very special place to us and Lake Charles has hardly anything to do unless you’re at a casino – if you’re not at a casino there’s no high-end anything,” Benoit said. “This is something we feel like is a little piece of New York and I can drop it right there in downtown Lake Charles and I’d like to see it spread.”
Benoit purchased the franchise rights for Five Iron for the entire state of Louisiana and to the other side of Houston. His first one being built will be built in Lake Charles. Benoit purchased the old Blue Dog Cafe at 607 Ryan Street and that will be the new home of Five Iron Golf. Following the Lake Charles opening he has intentions to open one near New Orleans, followed by Houston then work his way up the state of Louisiana. Benoit is super excited about the new venture and hopes to have five built within the next three years. Benoit also knows the future endeavor will provide jobs in Lake Charles.
“The business will bring employment opportunities to Lake Charles, a safe, edgy and fun environment for everyone and this will be an alternative to the casinos,” Benoit said.
“There’s a league aspect which is awesome for those that play golf because they’re able to play live against people from other countries on league nights and it’s also going to be a corporate venue for corporate events,” Benoit said.
Benoit and Boyer plan on separating the upstairs and downstairs according to events. Five Iron Golf will have a stage upstairs to accommodate for private events or shows. The two plan on having comedians and musicians upstairs for events while the downstairs remains open for families.
Benoit explained it as a high-end bowling alley as far as being able to walk in and rent a simulator or you can schedule one, join the Five Iron with a subscription or reserve one out.
“Our vision is going to be a little different than the typical Five Irons because it’s going to be something more upscale that will bring a lot of added value to downtown Lake Charles with a possible valet service and much nicer food menu to help target the people coming to Lake Charles from Texas and of course the residents in Lake Charles,” Michael Boyer said.
Boyer said he himself is not a huge golfer because it can be intimidating, but the greatness of Five Iron is there will be professional golfers on staff that teach you and you can even take private lessons as well for an extra charge.
Five Iron will also offer camps for junior golfers in partnership with Callaway Golf. The new business will be a Callaway Pro Shop and Callaway fitting facility. Subscriptions will be available for Five Iron as well so guests may come as often as they’d like. The facility will also be offering a cigar lounge as well as a premium bar.
“There is no Callaway Golf fitting center between Baton Rouge and Houston right now,” Benoit said.
The setting of Five Iron will depend on the time of the day and whether you’re upstairs or downstairs. Benoit and Boyer hope the mornings bring regulars in to play a game perhaps after breakfast, then afternoons will have clinics, golfers of all ages working with professionals on their game, evenings will be families and friends and then the night will slowly turn into a cocktail hour and hangout for more adults, an alternative to the casinos.
“It’s for all ages and will be a family experience – there will be a time later at night where it will be more of an adult only scene, for example there’s times where the upstairs might have an event for 21 and up, but the downstairs is still family friendly and you’ll never have to worry about the weather because it’s inside,” Benoit said.
To learn more about Five Iron Golf and see what will soon be in Lake Charles visit www.fiveirongolf.com.
