The Future of Golf Is Modular - How Cover The Tees is Building the Next Generation of Driving Range Experiences

What happens when modular construction expertise meets the booming golf entertainment market?
In this season premiere of The ModGolf Podcast, host Colin Weston sits down with Matthew Towell (Founder/CEO) and Stephen Arnold (COO) of Cover The Tees to explore how they're transforming driving ranges across America into vibrant community entertainment hubs.

From Matthew's unlikely golf start of hitting his stepmother's 7-iron over a house as a kid, to building a company that's now completed 100 modular installations nationwide, this episode is packed with insights on innovation, overcoming adversity, and the power of creating shared experiences through golf. Whether you're a golf course operator, an entrepreneur, or simply love hearing how businesses scale, you'll want to hear this conversation.

Key Takeaways you'll discover:

1. Modular Construction = Speed, Scalability, and Season Extension
Cover The Tees' modular approach allows facilities to install covered bays in just 10-14 days, scale from 10 to 20+ bays as demand grows, and add enclosures, heaters, and wind protection to extend operations into winter months. One Chicago-area facility tracked 1.5 million balls in the first four months of the year before the snow melted and their busy season even began.

2. Driving Ranges Are Becoming Community Entertainment Hubs
The traditional "hit a bucket and leave" model is evolving. Cover The Tees clients are hosting line dancing, bands, trivia nights, and craft events, transforming ranges into year-round gathering spaces. Nicole Inkle's facility saw community engagement soar, while Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort quadrupled their revenue in year one.

3. Start Small, Prove Your ROI, Then Scale
Cover The Tees encourages operators to start with 10 bays and expand later. One customer hit their previous year's ball sales in just the first month after installation, immediately requesting their second wing. The modular design makes expansion seamless.

Are you more of a watcher than a listener? Then check out our extended bonus segment with Matthew and Stephen on The ModGolf YouTube channel as we run through a live demo of Cover The Tee's "Bay Builder" tool. Click on this link or the image below to watch.

💬 Inspiring Quotes

"The money is great, but what you get to feel from it afterwards. It's really opening up this game for more people to get involved. Who would not have before."
— Matthew Towell, Founder/CEO

"I can't tell you why it works. I just know it does work. We built it. People showed up. We were able to take our revenues from $90,000 and do $300,000 in the first three months."
— Stephen Arnold, COO

"Watching the families come in with a grandmother in a wheelchair sitting in the bay with her family around her watching her grandkids hit balls. I was like, 'This is freaking cool, man. This is what I want to do forever.'"
— Matthew Towell, Founder/CEO

---

Episode Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Season 20 & Cover The Tees
02:13 Matt's first golf experience: stealing clubs, hitting over a house, and getting hooked
03:58 Stephen's introduction to golf: plastic clubs, grandpa, and the magic of a golf cart
05:12 The Cover The Tees origin story: Modular classrooms, rental businesses, and a wife's health scare
09:39 COVID, lost contracts, and the pivot to golf entertainment
11:24 The first prototype in Austin, Texas: finding early adopters
13:03 Stephen's journey: From skeptical client to COO at Cover The Tees
15:39 The Palmetto Dunes installation: 14 bays, built in 60 days, and how it 4x'd revenue
16:14 Market opportunity: 14,000+ golf courses in the U.S. and why this scales anywhere
17:53 The design process: Engineering packages, permits, and turnkey solutions
21:00 Building the dream team: Bringing in Top Tracer veterans and industry experts
23:52 The Bay Builder tool: Customization meets modular consistency
24:35 Extending seasons in northern climates: Enclosures, heaters, and garage doors
27:47 Flexibility in design: VIP bays, instruction spaces, and corporate events
29:25 Matt's race car driving background and the "apex" business strategy
32:29 Production and installation: A 10-14 day process that feels like assembling a Lego set
37:54 Success story: Nicole Inkle's hesitant start that turned into community transformation
41:10 How to get started with Cover The Tees (and their investment partnership program)
44:16 Closing thoughts: Building more than structures, building community

🔗 Resources & Links

Connect with Cover The Tees: Contact their team for a consultation
Website: coverthetees.com
Watch the companion video: ModGolf YouTube Channel

About The ModGolf Podcast: Host Colin Weston speaks with entrepreneurs, innovators, disruptors, and influencers shaping the future of the game and business of golf. Now in Season 20 with nearly 300 episodes produced since 2017.

We want to thank Big Swing Media for presenting this episode and supporting Season 20 of The ModGolf Podcast!

Anyone can tell you what happened in golf. The Big Swing Golf Business Intelligence Brief tells you why it matters, and what’s coming next. Twice a week, Big Swing delivers original reporting and expert analysis of the money, trends, technology and personalities reshaping the game. It’s essential reading for anyone who works in, invests in or cares about the future of golf. ModGolf listeners receive a special first-year rate with code MODGOLF26. Visit BigSwingMedia.news to subscribe.