Golf management company Troon and GolfZon, a maker of advanced golf simulators, partnered to launch an experience-centric concept, GolfZon Social. The combined expertise of both partners offers a golf-themed, “food-fun-and-games experience,” complete with food and beverage offerings. To make this concept come to life, the partners turned to RealFood Hospitality, Strategy, and Design to provide both the design and management consultant services for GolfZon Social.
Troon and GolfZon have high hopes for scaling GolfZon Social, shaping the design priority of creating an operation with the ability to be flexible about the spaces where new locations could open. This desire to scale led RealFood to suggest pivoting from the original kitchen design; “We immediately suggested a vent-less solution because of the desire to be able to roll the concept out quickly, have more real estate flexibility, and offset the operational challenges” said Ed Doyle, the president of RealFood.
RealFood hit on the kitchen concept for growth, but also needed to develop a menu that stood up to the brand experience GolfZon Social was looking to deliver. The menu concept is focused on shareable dishes that are perfect for a group to order and enjoy together, like flatbreads and pretzel bites, as well as individual and XXL social libations meant for groups. The design concept was brought to life with GolfZon’s first location in West Nyack, NY, which opened in February 2023 and has been a success in the first months since opening.