The Swing Bays, an indoor golf instruction and golf fitness membership franchise headquartered in Colorado, continues its coast-to-coast expansion with another multi-unit development deal in North Carolina, led by its third franchisee, Shaun Kelley.
Bringing more than 35 years of business experience and prior service in the Marine Corps, Kelley has long prioritized people—a philosophy he shares with the Swing Bays and one that led him to sign the deal in Clayton.
“From early on, when I first joined the Marine Corps, people have been at the center of everything I focus on first,” said Kelley. “There’s a really strong correlation between that and the Swing Bays philosophy.”
Dustin Miller, PGA Professional and co-founder of the Swing Bays, said the vision has always been to make golf more approachable, educational, and community-driven—giving golfers a place to grow their game year-round.
“From day one, we wanted to create a space where golf feels welcoming, not intimidating. The Swing Bays is about helping golfers improve—building skills, confidence, and connections within a supportive community,” said Miller.
Kelley found more than just shared values in the Swing Bays —he saw a personal opportunity to reach beyond the day-to-day operations he had overseen for others.
“I’ve built businesses for other companies for many years and run companies successfully for many years,” said Kelley. “It’s time to do something on my own and build something that is mine.”
Beyond centering human connection at the core of everything this franchise does, what draws prospects to the Swing Bays franchise is simple. For golf lovers, it’s a home away from the course. For franchisees, it offers low overhead and, built on the expertise of PGA Professional and co-founder Dustin Miller, a golfer-focused experience rooted in expert instruction. Most attractively, each Swing Bays location provides eight revenue streams that franchisees can profit from. While membership is the ultimate revenue driver, the remaining streams include earnings generated from fitness programs, the bar and refreshments, hourly rentals, private and social events, club repair and fitting, retail and golf equipment, and, of course, golf lessons.
“In my head, I was wondering: how do you fit all of this into such a small space?” said Kelley. “The locations are very well laid out, very organized—there’s great flow.”
The Swing Bays’ layout not only supports personal athletic improvement, but Kelley noted he was equally impressed by the number of guests simply grabbing a drink at the bar — a sign of the growing community atmosphere the space fosters. “They weren’t even playing golf, but they were members,” said Kelley.
In his pursuit of a franchise model he could invest in, Kelley shared he reviewed five other simulator brands before signing with the Swing Bays. “The model that Dustin and Brenna created is a great model,” said Kelley. He added that the other simulator brands all seemed to be “lacking something” and that the Swing Bays franchise opportunity provides a more complete golf and community experience.
Now, as a franchisee, Kelley targets an early fall Swing Bays expansion in the Clayton, North Carolina area, just after another Swing Bays franchise opening in Los Angeles this summer.
To support the growth of indoor golf instruction, fitness, and community experiences, the Swing Bays has partnered with Fransmart, a franchise development company founded by Dan Rowe, with 25 years of experience helping franchises expand. Fransmart has successfully assisted brands like Five Guys, QDOBA, and The Halal Guys in expanding worldwide. Through this partnership, the Swing Bays franchisees receive guidance on real estate site selection, operations, and marketing strategies. Fransmart also offers support for grand opening execution and ongoing assistance as franchisees grow their operations.
“Looking ahead, we see the Swing Bays becoming the go-to destination for golfers to connect year-round and get better, longer—building their skills over time, not just hitting balls,” said Rowe. “For franchisees, it’s a model built on multiple revenue streams and strong unit economics. We’re just getting started.”
The Swing Bays is actively seeking qualified franchisees in markets nationwide. The brand targets entrepreneurs with a passion for service and commitment to membership. For more information, visit ownaswingbays.com.
About the Swing Bays
The Swing Bays is an innovative indoor golf and fitness franchise co-founded by PGA Professional and Golf Digest Best Teacher Dustin Miller, PGA. The franchise combines data analytics, fitness programming, and traditional golf instruction into personalized training plans for each member, setting it apart from conventional golf training facilities. The Swing Bays is expanding nationwide and has open territories in most states. Visit ownaswingbays.com for more information on the brand, or ownaswingbays.com for franchise opportunities.
About Fransmart
Fransmart is a leading franchise development company specializing in helping emerging restaurant and retail concepts expand through strategic franchising solutions. Founded 25 years ago by Dan Rowe, Fransmart has a proven track record of transforming single-unit stores into successful franchise systems. The company has played an instrumental role in building franchising programs for internationally recognized brands, including Five Guys and The Halal Guys, demonstrating its expertise in scaling innovative concepts from startup to global franchises. For more information on Fransmart, visit fransmart.com.