Post by Old Tom Capital

Calling all founders. We're looking for the companies that will define the next era of the golf economy. If you're building in this space, we want to find you. At Old Tom Capital, we've spent years building conviction around one thesis: golf's growth is structural, not cyclical. 500M+ rounds played six years running. 47 million participants. 6 million new golfers entering the game every year. The infrastructure to support what golf is becoming hasn't been built yet. Here's where we're actively looking: The conversion layer - 1 in 4 beginners becomes a committed golfer. The other 3 leave. The onboarding experience, early instruction, and social mechanics that make the game sticky haven't been purpose-built for this moment. Someone will build the retention engine. Travel and hospitality infrastructure - Golf travel is one of the fastest-growing segments in the sport. The booking, packaging, and membership infrastructure serving that demand was built for a different era. The gap is obvious and the market is ready. Creator economy infrastructure - Golf's top YouTube channels rival traditional broadcast. Parasocial connection with creators is driving equipment purchases, travel decisions, and new golfer acquisition. The audience is there. The monetization infrastructure underneath it is still being built. Indoor golf OS - The simulator market has nearly tripled since 2022. 1,500+ venues across the U.S. but no interoperability, no unified player profiles, no cross-venue competitive infrastructure. The company that builds the OS for indoor golf will have leverage across every bay in the country. Fan data - Golf has one of the most affluent, loyal audiences in sports and almost no ability to act on it in aggregate. A golfer's simulator activity, handicap, purchases, and viewing habits are completely disconnected. The window to build the unified engagement layer is open now. These aren't the only areas we back. We invest across the full golf economy: equipment and apparel, course operations, media, travel, wellness, and the capital infrastructure supporting the asset class itself. If you're building something in golf that doesn't fit neatly into a category above, apply anyway. The sport is ready for change and innovation. We're here to fund it. → Submit your startup here: https://lnkd.in/edjGnsJw → Tag a founder you know building in this space