Golf is a sport built on history and tradition, yet for centuries it was tied exclusively to fairways, greens and tee times. Since 2020, traditional golf has surged, but the places where Canadians play the game have expanded even faster. Golf is now being enjoyed in city centres, shopping malls, converted warehouses and increasingly in basements and garages.
Around the world, and especially in Canada, off-course formats – from tech-driven driving ranges to cozy indoor simulators and social golf lounges – are lowering the barriers to play, widening the audience, and reshaping what it means to be a golfer.
“We’ll always champion green-grass golf as the purest form of the game, but more specifically, we’re trying to send a message to the market: however and wherever you pick up a golf club, it is great. It’s golf,” says Golf Canada Chief Marketing Officer Tim McLaughlin. “And if you’ve never picked up a golf club on a course, and only play in simulators, you might not see yourself as a golfer right now. But what we’re trying to tell you is that you are a golfer.”
Off-course golf in Canada offers convenience and entertainment. Driving ranges across the country have evolved from rows of mats into covered, data-rich tech hubs where players of all levels track stats or compete with friends. Indoor simulators have popped up in all kinds of locations, making it possible to fit a full 18 holes into a lunch break. Date nights, kids’ birthday parties or winter weekends can all involve golf, no matter the season.
“If you’re not a golfer, (off-course golf) is probably the right way to get into the game – it’s geographically accessible, it’s likely more affordable, it’s less time-consuming and its less intimidating,” McLaughlin says.
To support this growing entry point, Golf Canada launched its Just Swing campaign to encourage year-round participation. Off-course play is clearly becoming a gateway to the sport. In 2022, about 23 per cent of golfers in Canada participated in simulator golf. Today that number is 41 per cent. In the United States, McLaughlin notes, more people are now playing golf off the course than on it.
While not everyone who plays off-course golf will transition to green-grass facilities, many will. Golf Canada continues to consult with provincial associations, industry partners and the R&A, all of whom see the same opportunity to grow the game through off-course participation.
“The feeling in the industry is that there has not been enough education and awareness about what off-course golf is, how to get involved, and how to participate. We see huge potential for off-course golf to open up new opportunities for people to engage with the sport,” McLaughlin says.
Golf Canada also recognises that the simulator market includes two distinct groups. Commercial facilities are rapidly opening in plazas, strip malls, and office buildings. At the same time many golf clubs have installed simulator bays in curling rinks, banquet spaces, or practice buildings to provide year-round experiences for their members. Golf Canada understands that off-course activity is already happening inside its existing network, while new stand-alone facilities continue to grow.
Off-course golf is not a replacement for classic layouts or modern designs. It complements them. It helps break down preconceptions, introduces the sport to new audiences, and shows Canadians they can enjoy golf in a way that suits their lifestyle.
The future holds great potential. Could there be an indoor Canadian Open someday? A high-performance simulator league? Or a top indoor-golf event? As more Canadians pick up a club wherever they can and simply “Just Swing”, opportunities keep growing.
“Our membership strategy aims to enhance connectivity between off-course golf and on-course play. Many of these facilities are eager to connect with the broader golf landscape, so hopefully, in doing this, we can achieve exactly that,” McLaughlin says.
“All golf is golf, and we need to signal that to the market.”
The post Redefining year-round golf: The rise of simulators across Canada first appeared on Golf Canada.
Article Link: https://www.golfcanada.ca/articles/redefining-year-round-golf-the-rise-of-simulators-across-canada/