How one operator is helping players transform their game — indoors
Throughout Canada, where shoulder seasons seem to linger and winters can feel never-ending, simulator golf has quietly evolved from a temporary fix into a powerful, year-round training tool. Beginners, time‑pressed adults, and ambitious juniors now turn to indoor environments not simply to maintain their skills sharp, but to accelerate improvement at a pace that outdoor practice often can’t match. While many golfers wait for the snow to melt, those training on simulators head into spring looking as though they never left mid-season form.
Driving this change is a new wave of performance‑oriented facilities equipped with state-of-the-art launch monitors, tailored coaching, and athlete-centered programs. In Montreal, Nakhjavani Golf has emerged as a leading example: an indoor studio demonstrating that technology, community, and expert instruction can make golf both more accessible and more effective.
Meet the operator: Branden of Nakhjavani Golf
Nakhjavani Golf was established in 2018 by PGA TOUR coach Shauheen Nakhjavani and his brother Branden, who turned Shauheen’s expanding online instruction platform into a physical performance studio. From the start, the focus was clear: it wouldn’t be an entertainment venue, it would be a home for golfers serious about learning.
The facility grew from a single-bay proof of concept into a multi-bay performance studio with a private gym and a growing, tight‑knit membership. Its community is intentionally diverse: complete beginners, adults returning to the game, juniors refining fundamentals, long‑drive athletes, college teams, and professional players who travel to Montreal for coaching. All of them with one thing in common: a desire to better understand their game.
As Branden puts it, “Golf is for everybody. Golf instruction can be and should be for everybody.”
What indoor data can teach you that the range cannot
Many first‑time visitors arrive with the same hesitation: How can I improve if I can’t see my ball flight? Branden hears it often and he loves watching the “aha” moments that follow.
Thanks to modern launch‑monitor technology, players receive detailed metrics on distance, spin, launch angle, face angle, club path, and even exact impact location on the clubface. “You’re getting such an insane amount of data that it’s almost a disadvantage not to be practicing indoors,” Branden explains.
One of the earliest revelations for new students is the classic feel versus real disconnect. “A lot of times players say, ‘Yeah, that felt good,’ and then we open the screen and show them they hit it off the toe. Those feelings can be deceiving,” he says. Technology removes the guesswork. “You’re not guessing whether you’re doing something right or wrong. The data is all in front of you.”
Paired with a coach who can break it down, that data becomes a roadmap for improvement, accelerating learning far more efficiently than outdoor range sessions alone.
Breaking down barriers: making golf accessible year‑round
For many beginners, outdoor golf can feel intimidating. Branden understands the pressure: crowded ranges, unpredictable pace, limited warm‑up space, and the constant feeling of being watched. Indoors, he says, “those barriers fall away.”
He shares the story of a newcomer who arrived with no experience and a lot of nerves. Inspired by a family member, he committed to lessons every few weeks—indoors and outdoors—and progressed so quickly that he broke 90 in less than a year. “It’s so fun to take someone with so much enthusiasm and help push them in the right direction, right from the beginning,” Branden adds.
Inside the studio, first‑timers discover a controlled, welcoming environment where feedback is clear and improvement feels attainable. Low‑pressure guided practice, structured entry points, and supportive coaches help new golfers build confidence… especially through Quebec’s long winter.
And in a province where golfers only get a handful of months on real grass, simulator golf becomes more than a training tool. It becomes an on‑ramp: a way to bring more people into the sport, from various backgrounds, more frequently.
From fun to fundamentals: programs that actually build skills
Once players feel comfortable, Nakhjavani Golf provides pathways for deeper development. Offerings include beginner‑friendly group lessons, weekly leagues, semi‑private sessions, parent‑child programs, and a junior curriculum designed to establish proper habits early.
These formats succeed because they blend fun with purpose. “Golf becomes frustrating when you’re not improving,” Branden notes. Structured programming solves that by giving players clarity, reinforcement, and measurable progress.
That commitment to creating meaningful early experiences is also why the team was so keen to see the studio become an official First Tee – Premier départ Québec site—another way to give young people access to a sport they might not otherwise have the chance to discover.
Asked which programs have been most impactful, Branden emphasizes anything that helps players start strong: “Getting newbies is one of the things we love most. When you guide someone properly from the beginning, everything becomes easier.”
A tool for serious players too, of course
While accessibility is central to the studio’s mission, performance remains at its core. A significant share of players training indoors are competitive golfers: varsity athletes (the studio is the official practice facility of the Concordia University Stingers), long‑drive competitors, and pros working with his brother Shauheen on tour. Others are amateurs preparing for Quebec championships or national qualifiers.
These players rely on off‑season training plans, data‑driven club fitting, shot‑shaping drills, and simulated course play to sharpen their decision‑making. For them, indoor practice acts as a diagnostic tool. “Working indoors is kind of like getting a blood test,” Branden says. “It gives you the data that supports what the coach is already seeing.”
The result? Players enter the season with more awareness, better habits, and a clearer understanding of their strengths and weaknesses.
Try it yourself
If you’ve ever wondered whether simulator golf could improve your game, Branden offers simple advice: “Take the leap. Try it once. I promise you, you will be surprised.”
Visit a local indoor facility, join a beginner session, track your numbers, and give yourself a head start before the season begins. Just swing!
Better golf isn’t reserved for summer—and your best coach might be waiting for you indoors.
The post From screen to scorecard: How one studio is transforming golfers indoors first appeared on Golf Canada.
Article Link: https://www.golfcanada.ca/articles/from-screen-to-scorecard-how-one-studio-is-transforming-golfers-indoors/