Indoor golf facility opens first NC location soon. What to expect
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- The Back Nine Golf in Chapel Hill features three semi-private simulator bays.
- Memberships, which offer round-the-clock access, start at $170 per month.
- Simulators track swing speed, spin and distance for golf beginners and professionals.
A company’s first of two indoor golf facilities planned for North Carolina opens soon.
Utah-based The Back Nine Golf is expanding into the Tar Heel State with two Triangle locations, starting with one in Chapel Hill.
The 2,500-square-foot franchise location, complete with three semi-private Full Swing golf simulators, is owned by husband-wife duo Demetrius and Barbara Carter. Both have lived in the Triangle for several decades, Demetrius told The News & Observer in a phone interview. He grew up in Greenville, North Carolina, and graduated from N.C. State, while Barbara graduated from Shaw University.
After working for about 25 years in the drug development industry, Demetrius decided to make a career move, drawn to The Back Nine Golf because of its entrepreneurial opportunities and its combination of technology and automation, he said.
“We saw a need or a gap in accessibility for golf in the area, so there are fewer golf courses available, and not everyone can afford to join a golf club or country club,” Demetrius said.
The golf simulators help players improve by tracking swing speed, ball spin and distance. A few of the available courses include Bethpage, Pebble Beach and Pinehurst.
“People can play regardless of their skill level, how often they want to play, regardless of the weather,” Carter said. “It creates an environment for people to be able to learn and a nice opportunity to play golf in the community, and I think that was missing from the Chapel Hill space.”
Visitors do not need to purchase memberships to play at The Back Nine Golf, but members get perks such as 24/7 access to the place “where golf never sleeps,” unlimited tee times and discounts at participating Back Nine locations.
Memberships start at $170 per month. Non-members can book a simulator for $40 per hour.
The Back Nine Golf’s grand opening weekend begins with a ribbon-cutting at 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9 at 227 S. Elliott Road in the Elliott Square shopping center. Starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, visitors can try the simulators and see the space. The Back Nine Golf will also give away prizes including memberships and a Scotty Cameron putter.
A second Back Nine location, which is not owned by the Carters, is planned for 1141 Falls River Ave. in Raleigh, according to the brand’s website.
The Back Nine Golf has locations across 37 states and Canada.
Indoor golf simulators in the Triangle
There are several other indoor golf concepts in the Triangle. In addition to miniature golf courses, businesses including Durham’s State of Golf, which opened in 2024 at American Tobacco Campus, offer golf simulators.
Intown Golf Club is expected to open this year in a 13,000-square-foot space at the North Hills Innovation District in Raleigh. It will have eight Trackman-equipped simulator bays, food and beverages, a cocktail lounge and outdoor patio, and other amenities.
This story was originally published January 5, 2026 at 3:21 PM.
