The installation of a putting green, especially when combined with a modern golf simulator, is no longer a whim of luxury resorts. Today, it is a precisely calculated business tool that truly increases occupancy, generates major growth in the F&B (Food & Beverage) department, and becomes a trump card when selling event packages. How does this work in practice?

Why does golf infrastructure actually increase occupancy?

Industry statistics from recent years—including data from the USA—speak for themselves. According to CBRE analyses, in 2019–2023 “golf” revenue in resort hotels grew significantly faster than total property revenue (an increase of approx. 50% per occupied room compared to approx. 35% growth for the entire hotel).

Why could this trend translate to Poland? The Polish golf market is growing dynamically—it shows steady infrastructure development, club modernizations, and growing interest among both Poles and foreign tourists. Hotels, especially in Masuria and Warmia (a region with over 100 hotels, including 26 four- and five-star properties), are increasingly investing in on-site activities, combining them with MICE packages and incentives, which helps them stand out in the competition for business groups. In 2024, average hotel occupancy in Poland rose to 69.2% (from 66.9% a year earlier), and RevPAR increased by 10.6%—adding a golf zone can accelerate this trend by attracting higher F&B spending and events, similarly to the USA.

Why does this happen? A golf-interested guest is a customer with a higher average daily spend. Such guests are less likely to leave the property in search of entertainment in town. They stay on-site, are more willing to purchase SPA services, and above all—they generate significant traffic in restaurants and bars.

In Poland, the importance of destinations offering strong “on-site activities” is clearly growing. Renowned chains and top conference resorts in Masuria and Warmia aggressively promote their leisure offerings. Imagine a hotel in Masuria that, instead of a standard bowling alley, offers HR departments a “golf evening” with a putting contest on its own illuminated green. This is a ready sales argument that can determine an event organizer’s choice of your property.

Impact on the F&B department: Golf is the pretext, food is the business

In modern hotels, the F&B department is one of the main engines of profitability. An attractive, “Instagrammable” zone can increase occupancy by up to several percentage points, because guests come “for the vibe.”

How do a putting green and simulator affect gastronomy? They act like a magnet for groups.
In properties with golf zones, integration with the F&B offering can generate around 20% of the golf center’s annual revenue. While some people play, others wait their turn, cheer, take photos, and have a great time. This extended time spent in one area directly translates into continuous orders from the bar and kitchen.

Example of an F&B product for immediate implementation:
Create a recurring “Golf & Gin Night”. This is a two-hour casual putting tournament or simulator challenge, combined with a dedicated tapas set and signature cocktails. The hotel sells it as a ready-made product for groups of friends or as an evening attraction for local businesses.

Events, MICE, and ROI from hotel space

Polish hotels are increasingly successful in competing for international conferences, incentives (motivational trips), and team-building events. However, MICE organizers are tired of the standard “training room + dinner + DJ” format. They are looking for experiential spaces.

Modernizing event spaces and giving them a unique character delivers strong returns. In one well-known industry case study, rearrangement and adding “experience” zones allowed a hotel to increase event revenue from USD 800,000 to USD 1.4 million annually. Small, well-designed golf infrastructure enables the creation of high-margin premium packages.

Sample offer structure for your sales department:

• “Business & Birdies” package: Room rental + summer breaks + evening Nearest to the Pin competition on the simulator + putting green tournament with branded prizes + open bar and finger food in the lounge area.

• “Golf Experience” package (Incentive): 2 nights, breakfasts, workshops with a professional golf coach, a tournament on the green, and evening integration with drinks and music by a DJ.

How to calculate ROI from a putting green and simulator?

Hotel management is mathematics. Investments in event-entertainment spaces are usually calculated over a 5–7 year horizon, but golf zones can pay for themselves much faster. How should you approach the calculation?

1. Additional revenue streams:

   • Higher price of event packages with a golf element (an “X” PLN/person surcharge compared to the standard).

   • Significantly higher F&B bill from groups spending the evening in the golf zone (spending higher by “Y” PLN compared to a standard restaurant guest).

   • New room bookings from themed weekends or amateur golf league meetups.

2. Cost calculation:

   • One-time CAPEX: design and turnkey construction of the zone (substructure, drainage, high-quality artificial turf, lighting, simulator installation).

   • OPEX: minimal artificial turf maintenance, marketing, possible cooperation with a local coach (animator).

3. Payback period (Example):
   If your zone (green + simulator) generates just 2 additional corporate events per month, each bringing PLN 8,000–10,000 margin (zone rental + F&B), that gives PLN 200,000 to 240,000 in additional net profit annually. Depending on project scale, the investment can pay back in as little as 2 to 4 years.

Checklist for the Hotel Director – how to sell it?

Before you decide to build another standard conference room, ask yourself three questions:

• Does our evening integration offering truly stand out from regional competitors?

• Do we have space inside the property or in its garden that can be transformed into a highly profitable “Golf & Lounge” zone?

• Does our sales department have a ready high-margin product in its portfolio, e.g., a “Golf team-building evening”?

Invest in a complete business solution

As contractors, we do not sell only artificial turf or screens. We deliver a complete, engineered business solution for hotels.

We offer design and construction of professional putting greens (from substructure to certified artificial turf) and integration of advanced golf simulators—all in a turnkey model. We take technical matters off your hands so you can focus on what matters most: increasing RevPAR, driving F&B sales, and winning profitable MICE contracts.