By Vinnie Manginelli, PGA
Golf entertainment venues are not only bringing new golfers to the game, but they’re serving the non-golfer, as well. These individuals are arguably having as good a time “playing golf” as their golfing counterparts.
Chasing Aces opened in Bossier City, Louisiana, back in June of this year with 30 hitting bays, an 18-hole putting course, a nine-hole Par 3 course and two baseball/softball entertainment suites from Home Run Dugout. John Dudley (pictured in the center below), a dental executive, entrepreneur and United States Marine, is the owner and CEO of this new golf entertainment venture.
“I got into the golf industry after a visit to Whistling Straits during the Ryder Cup in 2021 and left their short course inspired to do something in the game,” Dudley explains. “I’ve played golf my whole life, but was always more of a social golfer and still play in a group event or outing a couple of times per month.”
Socialization and fun are what Chasing Aces is all about. In fact, 70 percent of its clientele are not golfers. Dudley views his business as more inclusive than most golf outlets and seeks to not only grow his business but also promote the game of golf in his area of Louisiana — and beyond. We’ll touch on that in a bit.
“I was fascinated with what Topgolf has done, creating this market of customers who don’t actually play golf,” he tells us. “It intrigued me when I looked at the entertainment experience that Topgolf provides to 26 million people, and asked myself how we can get these golf entertainment enthusiasts to transition to more traditional green grass golf.”
Dudley grew up playing a local executive golf course and has always had an appreciation for the lighted short course model. He decided to mature the game through baby steps by creating a volume of people whose interest in golf varied, and take them through the various stages of what Chasing Aces is all about.
“Chasing Aces is an Academy. We have an entertainment range. We have a lighted Par 3 golf course with proprietary camera technology and an 18-hole putting course,” Dudley boasts.
He envisions customers visiting his entertainment range on their initial visit to Chasing Aces and then progressing to a social/instructional event, such as Wine & Wedges, held every Wednesday. For $15, golfers get a one-hour group lesson with Caleb O’Neal, the facility’s PGA of America Associate Head Golf Professional or Meredith Duncan, an LPGA Teaching Professional and the 2001 U.S. Women’s Amateur Champion. Once learning within the Chasing Aces academy’s ecosystem, Dudley sees golfers wanting more coaching, which in turn will become more visits to the range, time spent on the putting course, Par 3 course and eventually a green grass golf course.
Dudley welcomed 47,000 visitors during its first month in business and almost 50,000 people a month later. He is proud of the fact that 43 percent of his customers are women, a demographic (along with juniors) that Dudley wants to attract to his golf facility.
“To truly grow the sport, we have to broaden our horizons and become more inclusive,” he says. “I think traditional golf courses are intimidating to new women and junior golfers, and we want to eliminate that barrier by being these individuals’ first golf home. We have an inviting environment and are a social hub that will help give these new golfers the confidence to take their games to the grass.”
There’s music in all areas of Chasing Aces and an events calendar that goes beyond golf. It’s about time spent with old friends and meeting some new ones. There’s food and friendly competition like scrambles and putting contests. There’s a nightlife atmosphere with a sports bar, food, draft beer, cocktails and so much more.
Originators of the golf entertainment model generally have one offering – golf. Sure, they have F&B, but the activity is the same. Chasing Aces offers a variety of options, as we’ve detailed, and is sure to attract an even broader clientele than some of its predecessors in this space. There are different experiences available to the same clientele, increasing Dudley’s return rate and creating a dedicated group of core customers. He says that the initial golf entertainment models attract a customer 1.6 times per year, whereas his framework, with its multiple attractions, will ideally bring in a customer 4-5 times per year, or more. This clientele runs the gamut from non-golfers to new golfers to avid golfers to highly skilled golfers.
In building Chasing Aces, Dudley has focused on community and family. For instance, there’s the “Hole-in-One Experience,” a philanthropic endeavor that Dudley created. Golfers donate when signing up for the Hole-in-One experience with a $10 donation (in addition to their Par 3 course green fee), and each hole has an available purse to be paid for an ace. With each hole-in-one made, a portion of the funds goes to a local non-profit making an impact in the community.
“It creates a unique driver that nobody has done, and we have the experiences to back it up,” Dudley says. “When a player gets a hole-in-one, we have the video footage edited, professionally produced, put on our website and issued to the golfer. We’re doing things a little bit differently.”
Dudley has a second location in Sarasota, Florida, coming soon, and two locations in the early stages in Alabama.
Chasing Aces has a full golf shop and is an exclusive Srixon/Cleveland hard goods retailer with expert clubfitting services onsite. They carry several brands of apparel, including Johnnie-O, Bad Birdie and Turtleson. They even have golf accessories from Sunday Golf.
Chasing Aces is a full-service golf facility with an understanding of what’s important – family, community, socialization, learning, growth, fun and growing the game of golf.
For more information about Chasing Aces, log on to their website today!
