By Vinnie Manginelli, PGA
It’s a special time in the golf industry – that’s no secret. The effects of Topgolf and the pandemic bringing new golfers to the game and creating such high demand for all things golf have been well-documented, and golf facilities of all shapes and sizes are reaping the benefits. This burgeoning interest in golf means the future is bright, thanks to a welcoming atmosphere being implemented at courses and ranges, as well as a new and exciting demographic of customers that is more diverse, youthful and open to new experiences than ever before. That innovative and modern new vibe is seen at well-known golf entertainment destinations like Topgolf and PopStroke as non-golfers enjoy time with friends and family, eating, drinking and yes, playing golf.
The driving range has long been the go-to venue for beginners picking up a golf club for the first time. And though there may be more competition with Topgolf, PopStroke and Drive Shack, as well as indoor golf simulators, putting courses and pitch and putts, the driving range remains a vital source of growth in participation and revenue in golf. After all, more golfers mean fewer available on-course tee times, magnifying the importance of the aforementioned green grass alternatives.
When it comes to the golf driving range, today’s new golfer seeks more than just a bucket of worn-out range balls on dry patches of grass. They want technology and new range balls on quality mats or grass. GRAA partner Flagd Golf delivers precise distances from the golfer’s hitting bay to each target on the range. Toptracer Range, also a GRAA partner, is changing the landscape of the driving range with gamification and added opportunities to socialize and compete via its state-of-the-art ball-tracking capabilities.
Additionally, there’s a company based in Dallas called Blue Jeans Golf that is transforming existing driving ranges to embrace this new demographic of golfers and provide an upgraded experience for traditional players.
Headquartered in Dallas, Texas and operating under the mission of More People, More Golf, More Often!, Blue Jeans Golf, which is also a proud partner of the Golf Range Association of America (GRAA) was founded in March of 2021 by Devin Charhon, who led real estate development and emerging concepts at Topgolf for more than six years, and Michael Canfield, a former VP of Finance at Topgolf. Their goal is to create a new category in the game called Golf Lite, a new niche between golf entertainment and the traditional on-course game. The primary way they are achieving this is through their driving range concept, Golf Ranch, which invests in and operates existing driving ranges.
Blue Jeans Golf started with the acquisition of Golf Quest in Brookfield, Connecticut, in November of 2021. This facility was built by a group of friends in 1996, who were now ready to retire from the business and sell to another real estate buyer. Devin and Michael realized the opportunity to save one of the only public golf facilities in the region. This multi-year investment culminated with the rebranding to Golf Ranch Brookfield in April 2024. The facility is a large two-level structure with 69 hitting bays equipped with Toptracer Range monitors, new mats and golf balls and an upgraded customer experience.
Charhon commented in a March interview specifically about the award-winning Connecticut location that Brookfield is one of four properties currently managed under the Blue Jeans Golf umbrella. They have a Golf Ranch site in Richardson, Texas and one in Kansas City, Missouri, with another range in Kansas City that is undergoing renovation before being relaunched as a Golf Ranch.
When looking at potential facilities to invest in, the team at Blue Jeans Golf sees opportunities in successful ranges, as well as others that may have seen better days. “Our goal is to preserve these existing golf facilities,” Charhon adds. “We embrace the opportunity to carry forward the legacy of a great facility and reinvest in its future and equally love the opportunity to breathe life back into businesses that may be struggling.”
He says they have examples of both in their current portfolio, acquiring really strong businesses that have great reputations upon which they’ve added the Blue Jeans Golf philosophy and vision, as well as a Kansas City facility that had been closed for three years. The building was run down and the range was neglected. Charhon and Canfield’s team have since redeveloped the site and transformed a business that was closed.
As they look to grow, Charhon and Canfield are focused on building relationships with driving range owners who may be starting to think about an exit plan and care about the future of their business, employees and customers. As driving range operators, they pride themselves on continuing to invest in the property and improving the customer experience. Many of these relationships have come from organizations like the GRAA and word of mouth from range owners who have sold their range to Blue Jeans Golf.
“As people have experienced or heard about what we’re doing over the past few years, they have been very eager to reach out and tell us about a range they think would be a ‘perfect’ fit for us,” Charhon explains. “Opening those notes over email, LinkedIn or through our website is always fun because you can sense the excitement they have around our business and desire for it to grow.”
If you’re a range owner, what are you doing to maximize the benefits of this unprecedented time in golf? Is your business underperforming or are you seeing revenues like never before? As you know, timing in life is everything. Getting into an investment at the right time can dictate how profitable the outcome will be on the back end. On the other hand, perhaps now is the time to get out, maximizing the investments you’ve made over the years and reaping the ultimate reward from this latest and greatest golf boom.
As Charhon stated, Blue Jeans Golf is all about preserving golf driving ranges. They’re not seeking land for future development outside of golf – they’re pursuing properties that need some TLC to generate a greater return or perhaps require a larger overhaul to relive past glory in the game.
Charhon asks the question, “How can we make an impact on the driving range?” The Blue Jeans website states on its homepage – “It’s a win for you, the community, the game of golf and us. Your legacy doesn’t have to become an industrial warehouse. You don’t have to sell to Amazon.” This is the message that Charhon and Canfield want to portray. They are committed to a simple and smooth transitional process. So, why is now the time to make a move with your facility?
“Golf is at this unique inflection point where demand is really strong, but it’s important to understand that the industry has changed,” Charhon tells us. “With this new demand in the game, you have vastly different consumer preferences than during other peaks in popularity (e.g. the Tiger Woods boom of the late 90s and early 2000s). Ultimately, we believe that the driving range has to evolve.”
Charhon goes on to say, “It’s a great time to be a range owner because your facility probably has more value today than in the past 20 years based on how strong the game is, and you have two exciting options – reinvest and transform your business to ride this new wave of growth OR sell based on historically high financial performance.”
With 73 percent of golf being played off-course, the greatest risk to your business is in doing nothing.
For more information on Blue Jeans Golf or to reach out to Devin or Michael, log on to their website today!
