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Posted: Wed 21st Jan 2026
A Flintshire family has launched a new indoor golf centre in Chester after securing £100,000 in Start Up Loans funding to transform a disused warehouse.
Pro Sim Golf was founded by Lucy and Geraint Davies, Geraint’s cousin Carwyn Davies, and his partner Sarah Edwards.
The venue has opened with the aim of making high-level golf training more accessible to people of all ages and abilities.
The facility uses golf simulator technology typically found in professional academies, allowing users to analyse performance data in real time and play on a range of digital courses from around the world.
The simulators replicate different playing conditions, including bunker types, rough and fairway, to provide a realistic experience indoors.
The venue includes four golf simulators, social seating areas and an upstairs lounge.
The idea for the business came after Lucy and Geraint visited a similar centre in South Wales and identified a lack of comparable facilities across North Wales and the north of England.
“We immediately saw the potential,” said Lucy. “There’s such a gap in the market for year-round, high-quality golf training in this region, and we knew others would feel the same. We decided then that we wanted to make it happen, but without funding, it would have always been a pipedream. The Start Up Loan financing made the whole thing possible.”
The £100,000 funding was made up of four individual loans of £25,000, the maximum currently available through the scheme. The money was used to purchase the simulators, lease the building and fit out the space.
Much of the work was carried out by the founders themselves to reduce costs.
Initially, the business is being run by the four founders, with Sarah overseeing finance, Lucy leading on marketing, and Carwyn and Geraint managing operations and technical support. The team says it plans to recruit locally as the business grows.
“It was scary diving into something completely new,” Lucy said. “We juggled shift work, worried about borrowing money, and spent long hours building the space, but we believed in the idea. The mentoring and support we received through Start Up Loans has helped keep us on course.”
Pro Sim Golf is open seven days a week and has already taken bookings for parties, corporate events and social competitions. Plans are also in place to develop an academy programme for young players through links with schools, clubs and community groups.
The business is forecasting annual turnover of around £200,000 based on 40 per cent occupancy, with longer-term plans including the addition of a licensed bar and potential expansion to other sites.
“It’s amazing to see everything coming to life,” Lucy said. “We’ve jumped through hoops to get here, and there were times we panicked about the money we’d borrowed. But over the last month, everything has started to fall into place. We’re excited to finally welcome our community in.”
Jessica Phillips-Harris, senior manager for Wales at the British Business Bank, said: “Pro Sim Golf is a brilliant example of how the Start Up Loans programme can turn ambition into reality. This family’s determination to create an inclusive, community-focused sports space is exactly what the programme exists to support. We’re proud to have played a part in bringing their vision to life.”
The Start Up Loans programme provides government-backed loans of up to £25,000 per individual, alongside mentoring and support for new business owners.
Pro Sim Golf is located on Marley Way, Saltney, CH4 8SX
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