Want to play Pebble Beach, St. Andrews without leaving SE Michigan? Here’s your chance

Business
Ed Wright
October 26, 2022
0
1048
6 minute read

South Lyon resident Carolyn Raney owns the Canton X Golf business with her husband Jason. The site opened in April of 2021.

Canton X-Golf facility is year-round haven for people crazy about golf

During the first few weeks following the April 2021 grand opening of Canton’s X Golf, several people would stroll into the massive space at 44524 Ford Road and expect to find golf apparel and equipment.

“When they discovered what we really were, they were like, ‘Wow! This is super-cool!’,” reflected South Lyon resident Carolyn Raney, who owns the X Golf franchise with her husband Jason.

To put it mildly, X Golf is a paradise for golf junkies — and beginners and intermediate-level players, as well.

Equipped with state-of-the-art golf simulators, the 18-month-old business allows people to play famed courses like Pebble Beach and St. Andrews for a nominal fee — without boarding a jet.

“The simulators are about 90% accurate,” Carolyn Raney said. “The designers of the simulators we use have put a lot of work into making them as realistic as possible. These are top of the line and the most accurate out there.

“Our simulators are PGA certified; these are the ones the competing pros use.”

Canton’s X Golf was rocking with league play on a recent Monday night.

Understandably, the business is incredibly popular during the frigid months of late-fall, winter and early-spring, when it’s not uncommon to see X Golf customers trudging through the snow-coated parking lot with golf bags slung over their shoulders — and smiles glued to their fairways-seeking faces.

“We offer winter leagues (with three-person teams) and they’re booked solid on Mondays through Thursday nights,” Raney said. “Indoor golf is the up-and-coming thing and a lot of people enjoy playing.”

Raney said business has been steady even in the summer months when X Golf is competing with the more conventional outdoor game.

“We’ll get people who love to golf, but want to get in from the heat,” she said. “We’ll also host parties and a lot of outings. Obviously, it’s a little quieter in here in the summer, but business remains steady.”

Buying into an X Golf franchise was ideal for the Raneys, whose backgrounds mesh well with the indoor-golf platform.

“My husband and I always wanted to own a business,” Carolyn Raney said. “We both love golf. I have a background in food and beverage and my husband is in the golf business, so this was a perfect fit.”

An X Golf customer prepares to crush his drive on one of the business’s simulators.

X Golf executives ensure franchisees that the businesses will be spread out, Raney added.

“It’s not going to be like CVS where there’s one on every corner,” she said, smiling. “Canton is a perfect location because it’s a huge golf community. We would have taken one anywhere in Michigan, but this is perfect.

“We have the best customers. They’re friendly, they have a good time and they’re very complimentary. We have a really good community of people who come in.”

Raney revealed there have been two holes-in-one registered during the business’s first 18 months.

“I was the only witness on one of them,” Raney said, smiling. “A guy came in by himself early before work, so no one else saw it but me. It was pretty cool, though.”

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X Golf’s technology consists of high-speed cameras and laser optics that measure each swing’s ball speed, launch, direction and spin. The path, impact and speed of the club is also tracked by up to 6,000 calculations per second.