Golftec Australia – StartupSmart

Ever wanted to play golf, but looked out the window and been greeted by an ominously stormy sky? Golftec has created the solution to this conundrum.

Located in the heart of Melbourne, Golftec offers a virtual golfing experience where you can play world class golfing greens or have PGA pro lessons.

The founders of Golftec started the business after identifying a unique, untapped niche in the market: “Golf for people ‘stuck’ in the city.”

Through Golftec, people are able to practise their skills on the driving range, practise short game skills or play on the world’s most famous courses – St Andrews and Pebble Beach– all without leaving Melbourne.

Golftec also holds corporate functions and buck’s parties.

The company website sports a photo of founder Damon Rasheed and says his motivation for the business was his desire to become a better golfer.

“Damon Rasheed is a frustrated golfer who has always dreamed of playing off single figures. With this frustration in mind, he co-founded Golftec Australia, Melbourne’s leading indoor golf facility, to help improve his game and provide Melbourne CBD based golfers with the ultimate practice facility.

The founders own 100% of the business, but alongside them are a team of professional golf coaches.

Most recently, Golftec has launched on-course golf lessons with its coaches in order to meet the needs of its customers.

While the business is currently doing well, the start-up cost for this ambitious idea was a substantial $500,000. This money came from a combination of personal savings and loans from family and friends.

Throughout the start-up process, Golftec’s owners say its biggest difficulty was in dealing with its landlord.

From this experience they warn, “Do not rush into a lease”.