10 Ways to Get More Out of Your Indoor Golf Simulator Busy Season

One pattern that comes up a lot in conversations with operators is the idea of charging different rates at different times. The logic is pretty straightforward: a Saturday evening slot in January is going to book up no matter what, while a Tuesday morning might need a little more encouragement.

Some facilities bump weekend and evening rates by $10-20 per hour while offering discounts during slower weekday periods. The average hourly rate tends to fall somewhere in the $40-60 range, though premium setups with high-end technology sometimes go higher.

This one surprised me when I first saw the numbers: food and beverage sales can add around $40 per visit on top of simulator fees. That's a meaningful boost, and it makes sense when you think about it—a foursome playing 18 holes takes about an hour and a half, which means three people are standing around watching for most of the session.

Wings, sliders, shareable appetizers that are easy to eat between shots—these tend to do well. A solid beer selection or some signature cocktails can help make your place feel like a destination rather than just somewhere to hit balls.

There's something special about leagues—they create predictable revenue several nights a week and build a sense of community that keeps people coming back. Once someone joins a Thursday night league, they've got a standing appointment at your facility.

The variety can be fun to play with too. Couples leagues, ladies nights, junior golfer programs, senior leagues during off-peak morning hours—each one draws a slightly different crowd. Some operators add prizes for tournament winners or offer food and drink specials as incentives.

Corporate bookings can be a nice way to fill slower weekday hours with larger groups. Team-building events, client entertainment, holiday parties—companies are often looking for venues that feel more interesting than a conference room but more controlled than an outdoor activity in unpredictable weather.

The key seems to be making it easy for whoever is planning the event. Packages that bundle simulator time, catering, and maybe a closest-to-the-pin competition can simplify the decision. Some facilities offer to display company logos on the screens or let groups use the A/V system for presentations. The more turnkey the experience, the easier it is for a busy event planner to say yes.

A good booking system can do more than just let people reserve a time slot. It can handle payments, send reminders, and reduce the administrative work that piles up when things get busy. When your bays are filling up, efficiency really starts to matter.

Your customers expect seamless digital booking—something that works on any device and sends instant confirmations.

The data coming off modern simulators—ball speed, launch angle, spin rates, club path—makes your facility genuinely useful for golfers who want to improve. Teaching tends to be one of the higher-margin services you can offer, and it attracts a different kind of customer than casual play.

If you're not an instructor yourself, partnering with local PGA professionals can work well. They get a year-round teaching space with professional technology, and you get their clients coming through your doors. Those students often stick around for extra practice time, grab some food, and mention your facility to their golf friends.

Nothing slows things down quite like customers who can't figure out how to start their round or change settings. If your staff has to walk over and help every third group, it creates friction for everyone—the customers waiting, the staff trying to manage multiple things, and the people who just want to get playing.

Simulators with fast load times and intuitive interfaces tend to get better feedback. Customers also notice the quality of hitting mats more than you might expect—a good mat that feels realistic and is easier on the joints came up as the second most important factor in one customer survey, right after the simulator itself.

There's real value in the personal touch. Think about how it feels when you walk into a business where the owner knows your name and remembers what you like—it creates a sense of belonging that's hard to replicate with discounts or loyalty programs.

Some of your best events might come from people who aren't hardcore golf enthusiasts. Birthday parties, bachelor and bachelorette celebrations, retirement parties—these bring groups who might never book a regular tee time but will happily pay for a fun experience that includes simulators, food, drinks, and a good atmosphere.

Having options for non-golfers in the group can help too—arcade games, putting greens, pool tables, dart boards. It means you can welcome the whole friend group instead of just the golf fans. Some modern simulator systems also offer multi-sport options for when people want a break from golf.

Here's the reality that every indoor golf operator eventually faces: when the weather gets nice, customers head outside. The slow season is coming, and it helps to plan for it.

Many experienced operators treat the busy season as the time to build up reserves that will carry them through summer.

It's also worth being careful about pricing memberships—several owners have mentioned that they offered memberships too early, before they really understood their utilization patterns, and ended up undervaluing what they were selling. Waiting until you've been through at least one full year can help you price things more accurately.

When summer does arrive, there are still opportunities: lessons for serious golfers wanting data-driven practice, corporate events, people who don't have time to get to a real course during the workday. The mix just shifts.

The indoor golf industry has grown quite a bit over the past several years—from a couple hundred simulator-dependent businesses in 2016 to well over a thousand today in the US alone. That growth brings both opportunity and competition.

The facilities that seem to do well aren't necessarily the ones with the fanciest technology or the best locations. They're often the ones that pay attention to the details, build real relationships with their customers, and think about multiple ways to create value. Every cold, snowy, rainy day is a good day to be in this business—hopefully some of these ideas help you make the most of them.