Wil Bangerter and his brothers could often be found in a competitive round of golf, betting money along the way. Always an avid golfer, Bangerter was often looking for ways to get in a quick round of practice, but he found it hard to make it to the course between his demanding job as an attorney and looking after his young kids. As a solution, he came up with The Back Nine® Golf, a golf simulator business concept that catered exactly to this demographic, where golfers could come any time, day or night, to squeeze in a bit of the game they love. By Kelsi Trinidad
ENTREPRENEUR
Wil Bangerter and his brothers could often be found in a competitive round of golf, betting money along the way. Always an avid golfer, Bangerter was often looking for ways to get in a quick round of practice, but he found it hard to make it to the course between his demanding job as an attorney and looking after his young kids. As a solution, he came up with The Back Nine® Golf, a golf simulator business concept that catered exactly to this demographic, where golfers could come any time, day or night, to squeeze in a bit of the game they love.
He named his business The Back Nine Golf as a funny homage to his competitive golf rounds with his brothers.
“Wil always says, ‘Look, you might beat me on the front nine [holes], but I’m going to take all your money on the back,’” said President of Franchise Development Darren Wilstead.
While it’s a fun story, this ethos is really at the heart of what The Back Nine Golf aims to do. It’s a place where golfers can spend time improving their game and enjoy the sport, whether it be solo, with friends or with clients.
It’s by targeting this key demographic that The Back Nine Golf has created a successful business model that stands out from the crowd. Unlike other golf simulator models, the company doesn’t provide food and beverage service at its locations because it allows customers to bring in their own refreshments if they’d like. This BYOB-style model eliminates the need for employees at each location and allows the model to differentiate itself by offering 24/7 access.
Additionally, The Back Nine Golf has built its support team to aid franchisees at every point in the process. From onboarding and territory analysis to location build-out, the company’s corporate team has made sure that no stone is left unturned in supporting its franchisees’ success.
“One of the key things to The Back Nine is that it really is kind of a personal love story born out of the love of the game,” said Chief Marketing Officer Curtis Reed. “Everyone has an opportunity to get better and evolve.”
Kelsi Trinidad