Golf VX franchise unit economics
Golf VX franchisees run indoor golf venues that sell simulator play, tournaments, instruction and driving range time, with a sports bar and food menu in the lounge format or a micro market in the smaller lab format.
Golf VX franchise at a glance
Golf VX’s 2026 FDD, issued 9 January 2026, makes no financial performance representation in Item 19, so it gives no sales or profit figure. A Golf VX lab venue costs $339,743 to $586,563 to open and a lounge venue $809,442 to $2,558,947.
- A Golf VX franchise pays a $35,000 initial franchise fee, which does not include the simulators, equipment, software and opening inventory bought from the franchisor or its affiliates.
- Golf VX charges a royalty of 6% of gross sales and a brand development fund fee of 2%, and requires local marketing spend of at least 1% of gross sales each month.
- Golf VX charges a technology fee of $600 a month for up to five bays and $1,000 for six or more, which it may raise to no more than $1,500, plus a $125 monthly accounting software fee.
- Golf VX had 2 franchised venues and 1 company-owned venue at December 31, 2025, and 3 signed franchise agreements for venues not yet open.
- Golf VX requires a lounge venue to buy at least six simulators and a lab venue at least three, at an estimated $229,440 to $642,880 and $118,320 to $213,200.
These figures come from Golf VX's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, as the brand reported them, and were read by Averan Advisors.
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Talk to Averan → Averan Golf VX Conversion Package →- Item 19 contains no financial performance representation. The franchisor states that it does not make representations about future or past financial performance of company-owned or franchised venues. A buyer of an existing venue may be given that venue’s actual records.
- The lab and lounge formats pay the same fees. Both pay a 6% royalty and a 2% brand development fund fee, and must spend at least 1% of gross sales on local marketing, 9%* of gross sales in all. The technology fee is set by bay count, at $600 a month for up to five bays and $1,000 for six or more.
- The highest lab estimate, $586,563, is below the lowest lounge estimate, $809,442. A lounge adds a sports bar serving food and, where allowed, alcohol, on 4,000 to 12,000 square feet. A lab sells prepackaged food from a micro market on 1,800 to 4,000 square feet.
- Simulators are the largest single line after construction. They come to $229,440 to $642,880 for a lounge and $118,320 to $213,200 for a lab, bought from the franchisor, its parent or an affiliate. In a lab they are 34.8%* of the low estimate and 36.3%* of the high.
- The system had three venues at the end of 2025. Two franchised venues opened in 2025, in Massachusetts and Georgia, and an affiliate has run a venue in Arlington Heights, Illinois since 2024. No venue closed, was terminated or changed hands in the three years.
Revenue
What the Golf VX FDD discloses about revenue
The FDD makes no financial performance representation. Item 19 states that the franchisor does not make any representations about a franchisee’s future financial performance or the past financial performance of company-owned or franchised venues. The FDD gives no average revenue, median, range or profit figure for any venue.
A buyer of an existing venue may receive that venue’s records. Item 19 says that if you are purchasing an existing outlet, the franchisor may provide the actual records of that outlet.
The franchisor had total revenue of $55,670 in 2025 and none in 2024. Its audited statements show $10,383 of franchise fees and $45,287 of royalty and marketing fees in 2025, and net income of $5,215 after a net loss of $95,293 in 2024. These are the franchisor’s figures, not a venue’s sales.
Members’ equity was $5,292 at December 31, 2025. It was $110,000 a year earlier; the change includes a $109,923 return of capital in 2025. The FDD’s state risk page says the franchisor’s financial condition calls into question its financial ability to provide services and support.
The franchisee lists are in Exhibits G and H. Exhibit G lists current franchisees and Exhibit H those who left. Item 20 says no current or former franchisee has signed a confidentiality clause in the last three fiscal years.
Two formats
Lounge venue and lab venue
| Provision | Lounge venue | Lab venue |
|---|---|---|
| Food and drink | Sports bar with a food menu; may include alcohol | Micro market of prepackaged food and drink; no alcohol |
| Typical size | 4,000 to 12,000 square feet | 1,800 to 4,000 square feet |
| Simulators to buy | At least six: $229,440 for six to $642,880 for 14 | At least three: $118,320 for three to $213,200 for five |
| Total investment | $809,442–$2,558,947 | $339,743–$586,563 |
| Paid to franchisor or affiliates | $265,440–$682,880 | $154,020–$249,870 |
| Opening inventory from the franchisor | $1,000–$5,000 | $700–$1,670 |
| Designated territory | Smaller of 5 miles or about 200,000 people | Smaller of 5 miles or about 100,000 people |
| Typical time to open | 6 to 9 months | 3 to 6 months |
| Technology fee, current | $1,000 a month at six or more bays | $600 a month at up to five bays |
Source: Golf VX FDD, cover page and Items 1, 5, 6, 7, 11 and 12. The FDD sets the technology fee by bays and the simulator purchase by simulators; it does not say the two counts are the same.
Both formats offer simulator use, tournaments, golf instruction and a driving range. Item 1 says a lounge venue adds a sports bar serving a menu of food and drink that may include alcohol, and a lab venue offers a micro market and does not serve alcohol.
A lounge venue must buy at least six simulators and a lab venue at least three. Item 5 estimates $229,440 for six to $642,880 for 14 in a lounge, and $118,320 for three to $213,200 for five in a lab. The package includes simulator software and is not refundable.
Of a lounge’s cost to open, 32.8%* of the low estimate and 26.7%* of the high is paid to the franchisor or its affiliates. For a lab the shares are 45.3%* and 42.6%*. The parent, Golf VX Corp., supplies equipment, equipment financing and software to franchisees.
A lounge venue can serve alcohol where the law allows. Item 1 says the franchisee must get the state and local licenses, and Item 7 says the high estimate for licenses and permits does not include buying a liquor license from an existing licensee where that is how licenses are obtained.
Venues
Venues open and signed, December 31, 2025
| State | Franchised, open | Company-owned, open | Signed, not yet open | Projected franchised openings, next year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Georgia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Illinois | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Maryland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| New Jersey | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| North Carolina | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Texas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Virginia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| All | 2 | 1 | 3 | 12 |
Source: Golf VX FDD, Item 20, Tables 3, 4 and 5. Totals as printed. The franchisor also projects one new company-owned venue in Illinois in the next fiscal year.
Item 19 does not report results by venue, by format or by year. With no financial performance representation, the FDD gives no way to compare higher- and lower-revenue venues. Item 20 shows where venues are open and where agreements have been signed.
The company-owned venue is in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Item 1 says it is owned and operated by an affiliate, AHTIL GVX LLC, and is similar to the franchised business. Item 20 shows it opening in 2024.
The two franchised venues, in Massachusetts and Georgia, both opened in 2025. Item 20 does not say which format each one is.
The franchisor projects 12 new franchised venues and 1 company-owned venue in the next fiscal year. That compares with 3 venues open and 3 signed agreements at December 31, 2025.
Brand charges
Brand charges
| Charge | Amount | When | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty | 6% of gross sales | Monthly on the 5th, by ACH | – |
| Brand development fund | 2% of gross sales | Monthly on the 5th, by ACH | – |
| Local marketing | At least 1% of gross sales, spent by the franchisee | Monthly | – |
| Technology fee | $600 a month up to five bays, $1,000 at six or more; may rise to $1,500 | Monthly | $7,200* or $12,000*; $18,000* at the ceiling |
| Accounting software | $125 a month | Monthly | $1,500* |
| Online ordering, rewards and gift cards | Not currently charged; may be added | As invoiced | – |
| Annual conference | Up to $1,500 | When invoiced | Up to $1,500 |
| Additional training | $500 per person per day, rising no more than 25% a year | When invoiced | – |
| Transfer | $15,000 | On approval | – |
| Renewal | $5,000 | On signing the renewal agreement | – |
| Percentage charges together | 9% of gross sales* |
Source: Golf VX FDD, Item 6. The yearly amounts and the 9% total are Averan calculations. With no sales figure in Item 19, the fixed charges cannot be stated as a share of an average venue’s sales.
The royalty is 6% of monthly gross sales and the brand development fund fee is 2%. Both are debited by ACH on the 5th of each month. The franchisee must also spend at least 1% of monthly gross sales on pre-approved local marketing in its territory, so the percentage charges come to 9%*.
The FDD sets no minimum royalty. The royalty and the brand fund fee are percentages of gross sales. If a law stops the royalty being charged on alcohol sales, the franchisor may raise the rate on other sales so that the dollar royalty is unchanged.
The technology and accounting software fees come to $8,700* a year at up to five bays and $13,500* at six or more. These are fixed monthly amounts. The franchisor may raise the technology fee at any time up to $1,500 a month, which with the accounting fee would be $19,500* a year.
A fee for online ordering, customer rewards and gift cards is reserved but not charged. Franchisees must still buy those services as integrations from the designated point-of-sale vendor.
If the franchisor manages the venue, it charges 20% of gross sales plus expenses. Item 6 lists this for cases such as death, disability or the lack of an authorized managing owner or manager.
Cost to open
Cost to open
| Line | Lounge low | Lounge high | Lab low | Lab high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $35,000 | $35,000 | $35,000 | $35,000 |
| Construction and leasehold improvements | $225,000 | $1,080,000 | $111,600 | $190,167 |
| Simulators | $229,440 | $642,880 | $118,320 | $213,200 |
| Equipment | $109,699 | $266,855 | $6,000 | $10,020 |
| Furniture and fixtures | $57,441 | $124,243 | $12,500 | $20,875 |
| Additional funds, three months | $81,066 | $155,760 | $12,016 | $28,900 |
| Other lines* | $71,796 | $254,209 | $44,307 | $88,401 |
| Total | $809,442 | $2,558,947 | $339,743 | $586,563 |
Source: Golf VX FDD, Item 7, Tables A and B. Other lines is an Averan sum of lease deposits, signage, software and point of sale, grand opening marketing, initial inventory, utility and insurance deposits, training travel, professional fees, licenses and permits, and printing and office supplies. The lines add to the printed totals.
A lounge venue costs $809,442 to $2,558,947 to open and a lab venue $339,743 to $586,563. Construction and leasehold improvements is the widest line in a lounge, at $225,000 to $1,080,000. Item 7 bases the estimates on 4,000 to 12,000 square feet for a lounge and 1,800 to 4,000 for a lab.
The $35,000 initial franchise fee is paid in a lump sum when the agreement is signed. Existing franchisees in good standing receive 50% off the then-current fee for another venue. Honorably discharged veterans and certified golf instructors receive 20% off the fee for their first agreement.
Additional funds cover the first three months. The estimate is $81,066 to $155,760 for a lounge and $12,016 to $28,900 for a lab. Item 7 says it excludes pay to the owners and any interest or loan payments.
A multi-unit development agreement covers two to five venues. The development area fee is $35,000 for the first venue, $30,000 for the second and $25,000 for each of the third to fifth, up to $140,000 for five. Under such an agreement Item 7 puts one lounge at $874,442 to $2,698,947 and one lab at $404,743 to $726,563.
Locations
Locations, 2023 to 2025
| Year | Franchised, start | Franchised opened | Terminated, not renewed or ceased | Franchised, end | Company-owned, end | All venues, end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Source: Golf VX FDD, Item 20, Tables 1, 3 and 4. No venues were reacquired, closed or transferred in the three years.
Golf VX had 3 venues at December 31, 2025: 2 franchised and 1 company-owned. The company-owned venue opened in 2024 and the two franchised venues in 2025.
Three agreements were signed but not yet open at December 31, 2025. One each is in Alabama, Georgia and Michigan.
The franchisor was formed on October 4, 2023 and began offering franchises on January 23, 2024. The FDD lists a short operating history among the risks that certain states require it to highlight.
The franchise term is 10 years, with two renewals of 5 years each. Renewal carries a $5,000 fee and means signing the then-current franchise agreement.
Questions we get asked
Questions owners ask
How much does it cost to open a Golf VX franchise?
The FDD estimates $339,743 to $586,563 for a lab venue and $809,442 to $2,558,947 for a lounge venue. Of that, $154,020 to $249,870 of a lab and $265,440 to $682,880 of a lounge is paid to the franchisor or its affiliates, including the $35,000 initial franchise fee and the simulators.
What fees does Golf VX charge?
A royalty of 6% of gross sales and a brand development fund fee of 2%, both monthly, and local marketing spend of at least 1% of gross sales. There is also a technology fee of $600 a month for up to five bays or $1,000 for six or more, which may rise to $1,500, and a $125 monthly accounting software fee.
How much does a Golf VX franchise make?
The FDD does not say. Item 19 makes no financial performance representation, so there is no average, median or profit figure for any venue. A buyer of an existing venue may be given that venue’s actual records.
How many Golf VX locations are there?
There were 3 venues at December 31, 2025: 2 franchised, in Massachusetts and Georgia, and 1 company-owned in Illinois. Three more agreements were signed but not yet open, and the franchisor projects 12 new franchised venues in the next fiscal year.
What is the difference between a lounge venue and a lab venue?
A lounge venue has a sports bar with a food menu that may include alcohol, at least six simulators and 4,000 to 12,000 square feet. A lab venue has a micro market of prepackaged food and no alcohol, at least three simulators and 1,800 to 4,000 square feet. Both pay the same royalty and brand fund percentages.
Does a Golf VX franchisee get an exclusive territory?
No. Item 12 says the franchisee does not receive an exclusive territory. The designated territory is generally the smaller of 5 miles from the venue or about 200,000 people for a lounge and 100,000 for a lab.
Questions worth putting to Golf VX
These are questions the filing leaves open. An owner or a buyer can put them to the franchisor directly.
- Is the revenue in Item 19 gross sales or collected revenue, and how many locations sit below the average?
- Which factors does Golf VX see in its highest-selling locations, such as territory, years open and staffing?
- How long does a new location take to reach the average you publish, and what does the build-up look like month by month?
- At what level of sales do the minimum charges stop applying and the percentage take over?
- How many Golf VX locations closed, were sold, or changed hands last year, and why?
Run your own numbers.
The Franchise Numbers Check runs the same checks on your own numbers. It scores where you stand and compares you with Item 19 of your brand’s FDD. It works out what one location earns and spends, and builds a 13-week cash forecast. It also checks whether you are ready to open another one. It is free and it runs in your browser.
Launch the diagnostic →Reporting for a Golf VX owner
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Questions owners ask next
The figures above raise these, and each one is answered on its own page.
- At what level of sales does a minimum fee stop costing me more than the percentage?It works out the sales level where a minimum fee stops applying.
- How much cash do I fund before a new location covers its own costs?It builds a 13-week forecast for the months before break-even.
- What does this location earn on the money I put into it?It works out the payback period and cash-on-cash return for one unit.
- How much of Item 19 can I rely on?It explains what an Item 19 financial performance representation tells you and what it leaves out.
Where these figures come from
Every figure here comes from Golf VX Franchising, LLC’s 2026 FDD and is unaudited by us. We are unaffiliated with the brand. Calculations of our own are labeled where they appear. The figures describe past performance at other businesses and are not a projection of yours. This page is an educational summary. It is not an offer to sell a franchise, and it is not financial, legal or tax advice. Golf VX is a trademark of its owner. How Averan reads a Franchise Disclosure Document.
These figures come from the brand's disclosure. They are not a forecast, an offer to sell a franchise or advice. Source: Golf VX Franchising, LLC, 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued 9 January 2026.