Gradum GswingFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Gradum Gswing franchise requires a total initial investment of $330K – $680K, including a $50K franchise fee and an ongoing 8.0% royalty[2]. Per the 2024 FDD, average unit revenue was $233K[2]. Verdict grade: C. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2024 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $330K – $680K
- 21st pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- $233K
- 0th pct Service Resta…
- Royalty
- 8.0%
- 44th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 13
- 24th pct Service Resta…
- SBA default
- N/A
Quick verdict · Full-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Full-Service Restaurants 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
At 0.5x revenue per dollar invested, this system underperforms the typical 1.5-2.5x range.
Started franchising in 2024. Newer systems carry more uncertainty but may offer better territories.
Bottom line
- Total investment $330K – $680K including a $50K franchise fee, 8.0% ongoing royalty.
- Average unit revenue of $233K/year (median $233K), with an estimated 11% cash-on-cash return (based on P&L Bottom Line).
- Verdict C (Average) with a risk score of 66/100.
- Bankruptcy history disclosed in the FDD. Review Item 4 for details before proceeding.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- GradumGswing Franchising, LLC
- Incorporated in
- FL
- HQ
- 7872 SW Jack James Drive, Unit 4, Stuart, Florida 34997
Affiliated brands
- Gradum in a Box
Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).
Overview
About
Gradum Gswing appears to be a golf swing analysis/instruction franchise where franchisees operate or staff golf instruction centers using proprietary swing analysis technology. Day-to-day operations likely include client golf lessons, swing analysis sessions, retail sales of golf equipment/apparel, and facility management.
- CEO
- William Pfaffmann
- Headquarters
- FL
- Founded
- 2023
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 3
FDD Item 7 · 2024 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $50K | $50K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $15K | $35K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $265K | $595K |
| Total initial investment | $330K | $680K |
Source: Gradum Gswing 2024 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
$19K
8.0% margin
Unlevered ROIC
4%
EBITDA / total invested capital
Payback
28.4 yrs
cash-on-cash, unlevered
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $330K – $680K
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $15K – $35K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $50K – $250K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 8.0%
- Gross Sales · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 10.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
- Payback period
- 9.0 yrs
- From FDD / Item 19
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 8.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Transfer fee | $10K |
| Inventory (initial) | $3K – $7K |
| Total fee load | 10.0% of rev |
Financial Performance
- Avg gross sales
- $233K
- Per unit, per year
- Median gross sales
- $233K
- Avg p&l bottom line
- $56K
- Reported as P&L Bottom Line in FDD Item 19
- Cash-on-cash
- 11.1%
- Based on P&L Bottom Line / investment midpoint
- Item 19 type
- Profit and Loss Statement
- Sample size
- 1 units
- vs category median 13 · small
- Transparency tier
- revenue_only
- Categorical assessment of disclosure depth
- Transparency
- 8 / 5
- vs category median 4 / 5 · above
Compared against 1264 Full-Service Restaurants brands
Revenue is only 0.5x the investment. This means each unit may take 5+ years to recoup the initial outlay at typical margins.
vs Full-Service Restaurants averages
How Gradum Gswing Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 13
- Opened
- 7
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Turnover rate
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 8
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 39%
- 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 · 3 states 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.
3
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Gradum Gswing presents HIGH RISK due to franchisor going concern issues, active litigation, tiny unit count with opaque growth, and questionable unit economics relative to investment size.
Litigation (Item 3)
2 case reference(s): 1 pending, 0 settled.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
Disclosed in last 7 years
Bankruptcy Code; (b) obtained a discharge of its debts under the bankruptcy code; or (c) was a principal officer of a company or a general partner in a partnership that either filed as a debtor (or had filed against it) a petition to start an action under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or that obtained a
Audited financials (Item 21)
No audited financials on file
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Must buy proprietary products: No
- Restricted to system-approved products: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 66 / 100 rating
- 01HIGHGoing Concern status is False — indicates financial distress or viability concerns at franchisor level
- 02HIGHActive litigation against former franchisee for IP/confidentiality violations suggests operational or enforcement issues
- 03MINOROnly 13 units system-wide with unknown growth trajectory — unable to verify expansion momentum or franchisee success sustainability
- 04MINORNet income of $55,933 on $233,082 revenue (24% net margin) appears optimistic given 8% royalty + operating costs; no Item 19 financial performance representations provided
- 05MINORHigh investment range ($330K-$680K) combined with modest average revenue creates extended breakeven risk
- 06MINOR20-year term locks franchisees into relationship with a franchisor showing financial weakness
- 07MINORLack of transparent unit growth data suggests possible system contraction or underperformance being obscured
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 | 20 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | Radius/Population |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| 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 | Yes |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Florida |
| Litigation count | 1 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
2 case reference(s): 1 pending, 0 settled.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 40 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 152 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and corporate
- POS system
- Mindbody, V1 Sports, and High Level
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Mindbody, V1 Sports, and High Level
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
14 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Gradum Gswing · FDD (2024) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Gradum Gswing franchise?
The total investment to open a Gradum Gswing franchise ranges from $330K – $680K, 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 Gradum Gswing franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the Gradum Gswing FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $233K. The median is $233K. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
What is Gradum Gswing's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Gradum Gswing (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 Gradum Gswing franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Gradum Gswing has 13 total units in the United States, including 0 franchised units and 8 company-owned units. 7 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Gradum Gswing a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Gradum Gswing as a C-grade franchise with a risk score of 66 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.