The 24/7 Golf Sim That Runs Itself — And Keeps Growing
“You Don’t Need a Bar. You Don’t Need Trackman. You Just Need a Good System.”
How Chuck built a fully unmanned, 24/7 golf sim business in New Hampshire — and tripled his original membership goals
When Chuck launched The Tee Box NH, his vision was simple: build a 24/7 indoor golf facility that didn’t rely on staff, food and beverage, or expensive branding.
Just a place to play.
Fast forward to today, and that simple idea has turned into a thriving members-only business with over 325 active members, completely unmanned, running itself with help from Birrdi, Square and ProTee VX.
We caught up with Chuck to break down what’s working — and what most new sim owners are overthinking.
“I wanted something lean. Something I could step away from.”
Chuck started The Tee Box with the goal of building a sustainable retirement business. He wasn’t trying to staff a bar or build a mega sports complex. He just wanted to fill a gap he saw in his market.
“There was nothing around here for people who work weird hours or just want to play whenever they want. So I built that.”
His model:
- Members only
- 24/7 access
- No front desk, no staff, no kitchen
And it worked.
He originally hoped for 100 members. He hit 325 — and counting.
The Setup: “Birrdi had us live weeks before we even opened.”
From the very first demo call, Chuck was surprised by how fast things moved. Birrdi handled the website, reservation software, memberships, access control, and Square integration — and had everything live weeks before the doors opened.
“From the first call to full setup, it took just a few weeks. We were ready to go way before we were even close to opening.”
With Birrdi in place, everything clicked. Members book online, pay online, and automatically receive their unique access code — no manual work, no back and forth.
“I thought I’d be making changes every day, but once Birrdi was configured, it just ran. I didn’t need to touch it.”
“I don’t take phone calls. I don’t unlock doors. It’s all automated.”
“100% of our memberships are sold online. Every single one.”
Chuck doesn’t take in-person payments. He doesn’t sell memberships over the phone. And he doesn’t auto-renew, either.
“Birrdi just shuts off access when a membership expires. If they want to come back, they renew online. It’s clean and respectful.”
His growth strategy? Word of mouth.
About 85–90% of his members heard about The Tee Box from someone who already plays there. A couple newspaper features, some donated gift cards for local golf tournaments — that’s it.
“The model sells itself once people try it.”
“I don’t have staff. I don’t have to manage anything.”
Chuck’s daily responsibilities?
“Maybe take out the trash. Answer a few emails. That’s it.”
Everything else — reservations, payments, membership access — is handled automatically.
And when there’s an issue?
“Birrdi support is awesome. I don’t need them often, but when I do, it’s quick. They know who I am, they know my setup. It’s not a help desk — it’s a team.”
“People said I needed Trackman. I didn’t.”
Chuck uses ProTee VX launch monitors with GS Pro — and his members love it.
“It’s super intuitive. Even beginners figure it out right away. It looks great, it feels real, and it’s affordable.”
When asked what he’d say to people who claim you have to use a big brand like Trackman to succeed?
“Look at what I’ve built without it. No Trackman. Just solid tech that works. You don’t need a big-name launch monitor to build a massive membership base.”
And thanks to Birrdi’s integration with ProTee, members walk in, fire up GS Pro, and play — no manual setup, no assistance required.
“It just works. No staff required.”
“You don’t need food and beverage to make this work — at all.”
Chuck hears it all the time from new operators: “We’re planning to open a bar, maybe a restaurant.”
His advice?
“Skip it. Let members bring their own food. Let them cater their events. That’s what we do. No staff, no inspections, no headaches.”
It hasn’t stopped leagues. It hasn’t stopped corporate events. And it definitely hasn’t stopped membership growth.
Final Advice for New Owners
If you’re thinking about opening a sim business, Chuck’s message is clear:
“Less is more. One membership. Simple reservation options. That’s it.”
“Set it up right the first time — and learn to let go.”
The more you automate, the less you have to manage. And with tools like Birrdi, Chuck proved you don’t need a team of five or a million-dollar buildout to create a profitable golf business.
Just a good system, great golf, and a little trust in your members.