SM East parents and friends Joe Speicher and Justin Hillard were disappointed as they looked around at the “crappy” golf course they were playing at. Every time they checked, all the tee time spots were taken at their go-to course. Every. Single. Time. They decided that they were tired of putting so much effort into a hobby that they couldn’t even depend on. It just wasn’t fun anymore.
So, their solution was virtual reality golf simulators. The pair decided to install a golf simulator in Joe’s garage so they could practice anytime. After using and enjoying it, they decided to expand and give other golfers a place to practice without having to fight for a tee time. Joe was a self-proclaimed “serial entrepreneur” and already had one business completely on his own, Easton Roofing.
“I’ve never found a business that didn’t interest me,” Joe said.
Whether it’s time commitments, course availability, or weather, many golfers need an alternative to playing on a typical course due to the obstacles, according to Joe.
After looking into the technology, the duo decided it would be a better investment of time and money to pursue franchises. The franchise they chose to invest in was Back 9, and the franchise already had a developed business model and access to the technology. They also added another partner—John Woods.
Back 9 is a virtual reality golf business with simulators inside. Patrons can buy a membership and schedule a tee time with a code to get into the building ,which is open 24/7. Joe bought into Back 9 when there were only 16 locations nationally. Now, just seven years later, Back 9 has been named one of the fastest growing franchises, according to Joe. His favorite parts of owning Back 9 are working from home whenever he wants, making his own decisions and working for himself.
“I like empowering other people to succeed, like being able to control my own destiny,” Joe said.
Back 9 uses the same technology and simulator that both Tiger Woods and Patrick M in their houses. The Full Swing simulator utilizes ceiling sensors to create a laser mesh. This creates an instant video replay and gives you data such as clubhead speed, spin rate, ball speed and swing path. Not only do customers avoid getting sunburnt, dealing with uneven ground or being tired from walking around, they also get more accurate data about their game.
“I like to get instruction indoors even more than outdoors,” Joe said. “Outdoors, instructors just tell you to do this or do that, and then you hit one, and you might hit it good, but you might just get lucky.”
When Joe’s daughter, freshman Lyla Speicher, was younger, she would tour the business while Joe pointed out everything he wanted to change and renovate. On the car ride home, Lyla was confused.
“Why do you get to choose everything, Dad?” Lyla said. Joe turned around to look her in the eye.
“Well, Lyla, I’m kinda the boss,” Joe said.
Eight years later, Lyla works for him during the summer at both Back 9 and Easton Roofing. She worked on the marketing side of Back 9, learning how to use Excel and using spreadsheets to compare their business model to other simulation businesses. Using this information, she developed a marketing plan to make them a competitive option.
“We stop at Back 9 a lot, just like driving around, and it's always really fun,” Lyla said. “We always see people we know, and everyone talks to each other, and there's always a game going.”
The instructors at Back 9 give feedback by analyzing the data the swing gives. The coaches and Back 9 also offer tournaments and leagues on the simulators for people to compete in. They have preloaded courses to provide a realistic feel of what playing outside would be like.
The SM East golf team visited Back 9 last season to practice before heading to state.
“It’s definitely more of a calculation than what's really going on, but we all got to be right next to each other, which was fun,” senior Josh Wehner said.
One of the SM East boys, golf coaches, Evan Scobie, also coaches for customers at Back 9. The community of coaches and staff is very close. Over the summer, the Back 9 staff would go out to lunch at local restaurants and break out into Nerf gun fights to provide a break in the day. Joe’s leadership of the team has led Lyla to admire him.
“He's just as hard on himself as he is on other people, like other people that he works with, and he has high expectations,” Lyla said. “And I think people see success when they see him, and they want to be a part of that.”
Leave a Reply