Golf Simulator Club Pricing, Usage, and Retention: What the Data Says

‍From a $70/month unlimited-use model that works well for us.

We didn’t build this on a spreadsheet.
No pricing scenarios. No demand curve fantasies.

Just a bet: if we make golf easier—and keep fixed costs low—we’ll have room to work.

That’s still the bet. And so far, it’s holding up.

• Unlimited use of a high-end simulator
• Unlimited guests
• No booking restrictions
• About $70/month

Not exactly where we started two years ago with 1 club and a few brave members.
But here we are—10 clubs, 200 members, and a dataset that tells a surprising story.

The Industry vs. Us

Most indoor golf runs on:

• $30–$70/hour rentals (with $50/hour the common default)
• $200–$300/month memberships (with plenty of restrictions)

People sometimes compare us to gyms. Not what we’re aiming to be, but if that helps people make sense of things—no issues.

Gyms typically see:

• 60–70% retention
• 60%+ of memberships going unused
• A lot of success from sheer volume over value

We run on:

• ~$70/month
• Unlimited use
• Unlimited guests
• No restrictions
• No contracts

Obviously different.
Most question if we work—or rather how we can.

While my sales pitch has always been anecdotally accurate, I hadn’t had the time to back it up with data—until now.

What the Data Shows

Quick note: NPS (Net Promoter Score) is a standardized way many industries measure customer satisfaction and loyalty. A score above 30 is considered great, above 70 is excellent—so 84 is objectively strong.

92% monthly retention
No contracts. No pressure. Just people staying. That’s far above the 60–70% industry norm—even compared to gyms.

NPS of 84 (65% response rate)
No discounts. No reviews for gift cards. Just honest feedback.
We’re at 84—very high per the note, and a 65% response rate is exceptionally high too.

Average member spend per hour: $62.34
This is where it gets interesting. You’d assume, with unlimited access, our average hourly cost would be well below market. But we land above it.
Not because the value isn’t there—but because not everyone uses the club the same way.
Honestly, what we set out to deliver with the pricing that we have.

50% of members under $15/hour; 20% under $5/hour
These numbers may be less surprising, but the ah-hah here is that these members end up your biggest advocates—and the first to help—keeping operations as passive as possible.

We didn’t set out to model this.
We just paid attention.

Who Makes the Model Work?

High Users (~20%)
Use: 4–10 hours/week
Sessions: 3–4 short solo or 1–2 long with friends
They get insane value—and often become the club’s heartbeat.

Regular Users (~30%)
Use: 1–2 times/week
Session: ~2 hours
Their rhythm keeps the system healthy—and the club full of life.

Light Users (~50%)
Use: ~1 hour every two weeks (some never book)
Value: Like knowing it’s there, rain or shine
Their quiet consistency is what gives the model stability.

Respectful Use, Not Abused Access

Here’s one more thing the numbers show: nobody’s gaming the system.

Even our most active members—logging 4–10 hours a week—aren’t hoarding time.

They book about 29 hours in advance, compared to 26 for regular users and 19.5 for light users.

Slight differences—but everyone’s generally booking a day ahead.

That’s partly by design: we keep availability strong because the club’s no good if you can’t use it.
But mostly? Members look out for each other.

There’s nothing stopping someone from booking open to close, 7 days straight.
No system limits. The only thing that limits it is our golden rule: don’t be an asshole.

Members could easily jump on 12–1 every day, 5 days straight.
They don’t.

They’re just good neighbors.

That’s what makes “unlimited” work.
Not just the setup. The people.

What Makes It Work

We’re not trying to lure non-users.
We’re just making sure the club fits different types of users.

For some, it’s a budget-friendly golf lifeline.
For others, it’s convenient, low-stress access.

The value flexes. The pricing stays simple.
And even if you swing once a month, it still feels worth it.

It works because we keep our fixed costs low.
Because we choose aligned spaces and aligned people.
Because members know it’s theirs—and treat it like it is.

We priced for access, not max usage.
We operate with purpose, not transaction volume.
And the data shows the model holds.

How to Price a Golf Simulator Club

If you’re researching how to price a golf simulator membership—especially one that feels more like a club than a rental—focus on:

• Actual hours used
• Short session behavior
• Effective hourly cost per member

Unlimited models can work when:

• Expectations are clear
• Membership is capped
• There’s a culture of shared use and personal accountability

If you’re trying to maximize every hour on the calendar?
You’re looking to do something different—and our approach probably won’t work.
But if you build around real behavior, it might.

What We’re Actually Selling

It’s not sim time.
It’s not a service.
It’s a feeling:

“I’ve got a place to play—whenever I want.”

That only works when the culture around it works too.

This is what we’re building—a club people want to belong to.
Because it gives them access.
Because it gives them pride.

And at $70/month, people protect that.
They stay.
They invite friends.
They care.

Footnote: For zero-hour members, we track total spend—not spend/hour. Doesn’t make sense to divide by zero. But it does show the model holds up—even with low use.

Interested in these insights for your club?

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