Back Nine Offers Indoor Driving Range Experience

If you’re a golfer, and you like hitting balls, you are pretty much out of luck when the weather turns wet. There is, however, a new spot available when the weather turns sour. Back Nine, located on Davis Road in Augusta, opened in early April. It’s a franchised venture with numerous locations throughout the country. The local location has a couple of notable investors - current PGA Tour player and broadcaster Kevin Kisner and former PGA Tour player Scott Brown. 

Both Kisner and Brown feel the popularity of the recently launched TGL series will contribute to the success of Back Nine. It is, in essence, an indoor range. Kisner plays in TGL and noticed an uptick in interest by younger golfers. Golf historically draws an older demographic. Opportunities such as Back Nine, however, are attracting the interest of a younger demographic.  

The Augusta Back Nine features three bays. Each bay is equipped with the Full Swing technology used in TGL. Golfers are able to track progress using the latest metrics, swing speed, ball speed, distance and more. It’s the same technology used by professional golfers every day. 

There are a couple of ways to practice/play at Back Nine. Players can hit on the range, much as they would at their golf course, or they can play the selected golf courses loaded into the system. Players bring their clubs. Balls and tees are provided. Back Nine encourages group play and members can bring guests to experience the facility. 

The business model is built on memberships, with players paying monthly dues. Membership allows players to arrange tee times on the website and access the facility 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Brown said early indications show that Back Nine should prove popular in the Augusta market. 

“After talking with other franchisees around the country, the number of members we’ve been able to get in the first month has been impressive,” he said. 

Membership is not the only way to access Back Nine. Public play will be available on a per-session basis with non-members also going on the website to access a tee time. 

Recently, Golf Now, the online tee time marketplace, teamed up with Back Nine to provide users with the opportunity to book tee times. 

Brown said Back Nine is not an alternative to players teeing up on traditional courses. He sees it as an additional opportunity to work on their games at any time, day or night  

Discussions are underway for a second location, this time in Aiken.  

“Aiken is really excited about this opportunity,” Brown said. “Kevin and I both live there and I can’t tell you how many people have approached us wanting to know when it will open.” 

Back Nine will be holding an open house Wednesday afternoon from 5 to 7 p.m. Kevin Kisner will be on site.  

WHAT: Back Nine Augusta 

WHERE: 110 Davis Road 

COST: $50 per hour for non-members. Memberships start at $160 per month. 

For more information, call (706) 309-4653 or visit www.thebackninegolf.com.