How Future Golf came to be – and how it’s revolutionising the sport Down Under.
Rummaging through the belongings of his late father, a 26-year-old Ali Terai came across a folder that would change everything. Inside it was a business plan for an Indian restaurant [below], a dream harboured by his dad for years but one that would ultimately be left unfulfilled, steering him into a dark world of alcohol and gambling.
For Terai, a young go-getter with natural entrepreneurship in his veins, it was a lightbulb moment.
“Everything suddenly made sense,” recalls Terai. “It dawned on me that a big part of Dad’s life and how it played out was because dreams were unfulfilled throughout that journey. I was watching that play out when I was a kid and it’s why he turned to alcohol and gambling and a few other things, because he never was able to fulfill those dreams. I know when I had my first child, one of the big inspirations behind my dream – Future Golf – was to do something that I really love, something that I’m passionate about. I was extra determined to make sure my dreams didn’t stay inside a folder.”
Terai’s dream was to democratise golf and make it more accessible, inclusive, and enjoyable for all. A passionate golfer himself, Terai recognised the barriers that deterred many potential players from taking up the sport. High membership fees, limited course access, and the perception of golf as an elitist pastime were among the factors he felt were hindering golf’s growth. The Melburnian envisioned a future where golf would shed its exclusivity and become a sport that resonates with a wider audience. And so Future Golf was born.
“The core principle that drives Future Golf is doing what you love with people that you love,” Terai says. “Ultimately, we’re a community in a partnerships business, where we’re exchanging value through connection and opening up the game of golf to other people that are a little bit non-traditional.”
Traditionally speaking, golf memberships demanded significant upfront costs and ongoing fees, which made the sport prohibitive for many. Future Golf flipped this model on its head by offering an innovative subscription-based service that provides members with affordable access to an extensive network of partner courses across Australia. This unique approach eliminated the need for expensive memberships and enabled golf enthusiasts to play at different courses, promoting diversity and excitement in the game. It also immediately served as a great revenue generator for participating golf clubs and, ultimately, a membership driver with many Future Golf customers transitioning to full-time members of golf clubs.
But the journey has been anything but easy for Terai.
“I remember when we started our first couple of events, we thought we’d have 100 people there and I’ve got images of us at Kingston Links with six people in attendance,” he laughs. “Just remembering what those early days looked like, celebrating the first member who joined up that wasn’t a mate of mine. Some of our very first members ended up working for us, all helping to get Future Golf to where it is today.”
Through countless “pub meetings” and strategising a future for a business model once branded by an industry expert as “the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard”, Future Golf has quickly become the largest golf club in Australia, as Terai calls it.
“We have about 100,000 participants across all our platforms, with an average age of 32 and the largest community of female members in the country,” Terai says. “We offer everything, from rounds of golf on great courses to handicaps, golf events, social rounds, lessons, simulator and driving range access, even retail experiences that include exclusive TaylorMade fittings and golf trips. And to think it all started with a Facebook post and a cheap Wix.com website…”
By providing affordable access, fostering a strong sense of community, promoting sustainability and prioritising inclusivity, the company has managed to reshape perceptions of golf and attract a new wave of enthusiasts.
As we peer into the future, Future Golf’s model could serve as an inspiration for similar initiatives worldwide. The sport of golf, once considered exclusive, can continue to flourish and evolve into a more inclusive and sustainable pastime, all thanks to the vision of Terai and the inspiration of a folder belonging to his father.
To join the Future Golf community, visit futuregolf.com.au
