GolfCaveFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A GolfCave franchise requires a total initial investment of $506K – $1.0M, including a $50K franchise fee and an ongoing 8.5% royalty[2]. Per the 2025 FDD, average unit revenue was $801K[2]. Verdict grade: A. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $506K – $1.0M
- 30th pct Recreation & …
- Avg gross sales
- $801K
- 14th pct Recreation & …
- Royalty
- 8.5%
- 32nd pct Recreation & …
- Units
- 6
- 18th pct Recreation & …
- SBA default
- 0.0%
- system-wide median varies by category
Quick verdict · Recreation & Entertainment · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Recreation & Entertainment avg · No shading = within ±15% · Red = >15% below avg · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Started franchising in 2024. Newer systems carry more uncertainty but may offer better territories.
The franchisor's auditor raised doubt about continued operations. This is a serious risk signal.
18% cash-on-cash return (based on Operating Income). Within the 15-30% range most franchise investors consider acceptable.
Bottom line
- Total investment $506K – $1.0M including a $50K franchise fee, 8.5% ongoing royalty.
- Average unit revenue of $801K/year (median $763K), with an estimated 18% cash-on-cash return (based on Operating Income).
- Verdict A (Top Quintile) with a risk score of 34/100.
- Auditor disclosed a going-concern note, which flagged doubt about the franchisor's ability to continue operations. Verify against the latest FDD.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- GOLFCAVE FRANCHISING, LLC
- Parent company
- GolfCave Franchising Holdings LLC
- Incorporated in
- NJ
- HQ
- 1 Clarkton Drive, Clark, NJ 07066
- Auditor
- Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $0
- Most recent fiscal year
- ⚠ Going-concern note
- Disclosed in FDD 2025
- Auditor flagged doubt about continued operations. Verify against the latest FDD before deciding.
Overview
About
GolfCave franchisees operate golf retail/entertainment venues, likely combining equipment sales, simulator experiences, lessons, or practice facilities. Day-to-day operations include customer service, inventory management, facility maintenance, and potentially coaching/instruction delivery.
- CEO
- Amy Wechsler
- Headquarters
- NJ
- Founded
- 2022
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 1
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $50K | $50K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $35K | $65K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $421K | $888K |
| Total initial investment | $506K | $1.0M |
Source: GolfCave 2025 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Single-unit · estimated
Returns at a glance
Indicative numbers using FDD Item 7 / Item 19 inputs and category-benchmarked cost ratios. Full single-unit, 25-unit portfolio, and LBO models (with every input editable to stress-test your own scenario) live on the financials page.
Store EBITDA · annual
$92K
11.5% margin
Unlevered ROIC
11%
EBITDA / total invested capital
Payback
8.7 yrs
cash-on-cash, unlevered
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $506K – $1.0M
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $35K – $65K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $50K – $50K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 8.5%
- Gross Revenues · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- $1,000 per month, up to 3% of Gross Revenues
- Total fee load
- 11.5%
- vs 9–13% typical
- Payback period
- 5.4 yrs
- From FDD / Item 19
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 8.5% of gross sales |
| Transfer fee | $13K |
| Renewal fee | $13K |
| Total fee load | 11.5% of rev |
Financial Performance
- Avg gross sales
- $801K
- Per unit, per year
- Median gross sales
- $763K
- Avg operating income
- $139K
- Reported as Operating Income in FDD Item 19
- Cash-on-cash
- 18.4%
- Based on Operating Income / investment midpoint
- Item 19 type
- gross_sales
- Sample size
- 3 units
- vs category median 5
- Range (low → high)
- $704K→$938K
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Transparency
- 8 / 5
- vs category median 4 / 5 · above
Compared against 176 Recreation & Entertainment brands
vs Recreation & Entertainment averages
How GolfCave Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 6
- Opened
- 3
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Turnover rate
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 3
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 50%
- vs corporate-owned
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 1 state reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
1
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA loan disclosures. This brand has only 3 7(a) loans on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 3
- Loan volume
- $2.9M
- Median loan
- $1.0M
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 0.0%
- rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- N/A
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 2
- Defaults
- 0
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into GolfCave's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 2 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 2 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 1-year lending trend
Instant access. No subscription.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
GolfCave presents meaningful caution-level risk due to minimal system size, zero territory protection, and unclear unit performance sustainability across a wide investment range.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP⚠ Going-concern note flagged
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Score breakdown · what drove the 34 / 100 rating
- 01MINOROnly 6 units in system with unknown growth trajectory suggests stagnant or declining franchise
- 02MINORNo protected territory creates direct competition risk and cannibalization potential
- 03MINORHigh royalty rate (8.5%) combined with wide investment range ($505K-$1M) indicates unpredictable unit economics
- 04MINORGap between average net income ($445K) and royalties owed (~$68K annually at avg revenue) leaves thin margins for owner compensation and reinvestment
- 05MINORExtremely small franchise base limits franchisor support infrastructure and increases dependency on unproven business model scaling
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Protected territory | No |
| Online sales rights | Granted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | New York |
| Litigation count | 0 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 13 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 18 hrs
- POS system
- USchedule
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: USchedule
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
5 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
GolfCave · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a GolfCave franchise?
The total investment to open a GolfCave franchise ranges from $506K – $1.0M, with an initial franchise fee of $50K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do GolfCave franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the GolfCave FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $801K. The median is $763K. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
What is GolfCave's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for GolfCave (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many GolfCave franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, GolfCave has 6 total units in the United States, including 0 franchised units and 3 company-owned units. 3 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is GolfCave a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates GolfCave as a A-grade franchise with a risk score of 34 out of 100, based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.