Every Answer to The Q&AS · Launch Point 24/7 Golf Sim

Every Answer to The Q&AS

Are you making money?

Yes. No complaints so far. We’re averaging about 12.5 booked hours per day since opening. Still paying off startup costs, but cash flow has been solid and better than expected.

What’s your revenue with only one simulator?

Rough math: 12.5 hours per day at $30/hour puts us around $11k per month gross. Bills still apply, but the model works.

Is it profitable / worth it?

So far, yes. Our math said we needed 1.5 people per day to walk in the door to stay open. We’re booking about 12.5 hours per day. Marketing matters a lot, but we’ve got enough runway to stay open for at least a year even if summer slows down.

What was your total startup cost?

About $50k all-in. Simulator hardware was roughly $28–30k. Build-out, turf, carpet, cage, and misc were another $20–25k. Carpet was one of the biggest surprise expenses. We did a lot of DIY which saved money but cost time.

What are your monthly expenses?

Software and insurance are a few hundred dollars per month. Rent is around $1,200/month with a negotiated deal. Utilities and misc costs on top of that.

How many bays do you have?

One bay to start. We wanted to test demand before scaling.

Why only one sim instead of two or three?

Startup cost and market testing. We’re in a smaller town and weren’t sure demand was there. Turns out we’re booking about 12.5 hours per day. Lead times are around five weeks and spring/summer real golf slows things down, so expanding makes more sense in the fall.

How big is your space?

30x60 with a separate bathroom. Plenty of room to add bays later.

What kind of building do I need for a golf simulator?

Minimum 10-foot ceilings and roughly 20x30 for one bay. Our space could fit three 15x15x10 cages if needed.

Is the facility fully self-serve and open 24/7?

Yes. It’s completely self-serve and open 24/7.

How do you manage door access for after-hours bookings?

Each booking automatically sends a unique door code. We also have cameras for quick check-ins and instructions posted inside.

What do you use for door locks and access control?

Avigilon Alta integrated with ActiveBooker. The integration automatically sends access codes tied to each booking.

What booking and payment software do you use?

ActiveBooker for both booking and payments, integrated with door access.

Do you provide instructions for new users?

Yes. QR codes are posted in the bay, a YouTube how-to video is included with every booking, and my phone number is posted on site.

Can you fix issues remotely if something breaks?

Yes. I have remote access to the bay computers so I can log in and fix issues without being on site.

Which launch monitor did you choose and why?

ProTee. Trackman is top-tier but about $30k just for the monitor. Uneekor was decent but had too many no-reads. ProTee had the smoothest end-user experience for the price.

What simulator software are you running?

GSPro paired with ProTee.

Did you consider adding other sports like soccer or baseball?

No. We’re focused entirely on golf to keep the experience clean and consistent. If summer slows down, we’ve talked about kids parties or using the screen for consoles.

Do you offer memberships or pay-as-you-go?

Both. Memberships start at four hours per month with monthly or yearly options. Yearly memberships get one free month. Walk-ins are $30/hour. Members get a three-week priority booking window, non-members get two weeks.

How many members do you have?

About 10 yearly members shortly after launch.

How do you differentiate in a saturated market?

Low overhead pricing, the best end-user experience we could build, no quality sims within about 20 miles, and aggressive local marketing.

What marketing tactics have actually worked?

Consistent social content (especially Reels), showing the build and real numbers, responding to comments and DMs, leaning hard into the 24/7 angle, basic Google Business setup, and letting word of mouth do its thing once people try it.

Do you have a slow season?

Still early, but expecting summer to slow down. Planning tournaments, challenges, and events to keep people coming in.

How do random one-time users treat the space?

About 95% are totally fine. Occasionally someone needs help, but nothing major. I check cameras early in bookings and step in if needed.

How do you keep the facility clean?

Roomba and traded a membership for a guy to clean once a week.

Which Roomba model do you use?

Costco special. Whatever they had.

Does the Roomba work on turf?

Yes, once it’s dialed in. Took some trial and error marking obstacles as no-go zones. Biggest issue is timing since it takes about two hours to clean and we’re often booked late.

Would you help others open a similar facility or discuss franchising?

Yes. I’m happy to hop on calls and share what I’ve learned. No pitch.

Would you open another location?

Eventually. Right now the focus is maxing out this one first.

Are you hiring?

Our only employee is the Roomba and he’s crushing it.

Can I ride the Roomba while taking sales calls?

No official policy against it.

How did you end up with a mini horse?

Marriage, Craigslist, questionable decisions, and now Chip exists.

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