In this episode of The ModGolf Podcast, host Colin Weston sits down with Kelly Gold, the innovative founder behind TeeFox.golf. Kelly shares his journey from a solutions engineer in the tech world to tackling one of golf's most persistent frustrations: booking a great tee time. We dive into the $12.3 billion problem plaguing golf courses, the strategy behind building the largest tee time catalog in the US, and how a forced rebrand led to one of the most memorable names in golf tech.
If you've ever spent an hour refreshing golf course websites or wondered how technology can make golf more accessible, this conversation is for you.
Watch the Live Demo:
Colin and Kelly jump over to the ModGolf YouTube channel right after this episode for a live demo of the TeeFox platform! See how it works and how you can book your next tee time at over 7,000 courses in the US.
Watch the TeeFox.golf Demo on YouTube >> https://youtu.be/xpvjWa24zio
During this episode you will discover these key takeaways:
The $12.3 Billion Leak:
Discover the shocking scale of revenue golf courses lose annually due to last-minute cancellations and no-shows, and how TeeFox is designed to recapture that value.
Beyond the "Golf Now" Model:
Learn why the traditional aggregator business model fails to include many top-tier courses and how TeeFox's different approach aims to create a truly comprehensive, golfer-first marketplace.
The Power of a Pivot:
Kelly's initial brand, TeeBox, faced a trademark challenge. Hear how this setback led to the creation of the clever and memorable TeeFox brand, proving that sometimes the biggest obstacles lead to the best opportunities.
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Episode Chapters:
00:28 - Introducing Today's Guest: Kelly Gold of TeeFox.golf
00:57 - Kelly Gold Joins the Show from Denver, Colorado
01:15 - How a Meeting in Ireland Led to This Conversation
01:27 - The Icebreaker: Kelly's First Golf Experience and Who Got Him Hooked
03:30 - Decoding "Solutions Engineering" and Kelly's Tech Background
05:47 - The TeeFox Elevator Pitch: Building the Premier Tee Time Distributor
07:03 - TeeFox's Secret Sauce: Differentiating from GolfNow and Other Competitors
09:40 - Building a Two-Sided Marketplace that Benefits Golf Courses
12:11 - The Technology Culture Shock: Bringing Tech Innovation to the Golf Industry
15:28 - The Staggering Statistics of Tee Time Cancellations and No-Shows
17:22 - The TeeFox Revenue Model: Subscriptions, Fees, and Golfer Choice
19:45 - Scaling Nationally: The Goal of 8,000-9,000 Golf Courses
20:54 - The Story Behind the Rebrand: From TeeBox to the Memorable TeeFox
24:44 - The Worst Job Kelly Ever Had and What It Taught Him
27:56 - Building the Team: Leveraging a Network of Talented People
29:28 - The Aha Moment: From Side Hustle Prototype to Full-Time Venture
33:44 - Where to Find TeeFox.golf Online
34:11 - Closing Remarks and a Tease for the YouTube Demo
Quotable Moment:
"Wouldn't it be cool if you could send your user a notification saying, 'hey, a tee time just opened up at that course you play all the time'?... there are ways that we can get this data out into the industry to create better experiences for golfers." - Kelly on the vision for TeeFox as a data platform for the entire golf industry.
Are you more of a watcher than a listener? Then enjoy our video with Kelly Gold on The ModGolf YouTube channel. Click on this link or the image below as Kelly walks Colin through a live TeeFox.Golf demo to effortlessly book a couple of tee times.
Want to connect with Kelly? Check out his bio page to make that happen!
Kelly Gold's bio >> https://modgolf.fireside.fm/guests/kelly-gold
Do you find yourself frustrated by lack of available tee times in your area? If you are, then visit the TeeFox website or click on the image below to unlock access to tee times and to receive wait list cancellation alerts.
Follow TeeFox.Golf on social media:
• Instagram: @teefoxdotgolf
• TikTok: @teefoxdotgolf
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As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.
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I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin
