Hey everyone —
This one’s a little more personal.
I’ve been missing something I can’t quite replace — that mix of friendship, competition, and purpose that golf used to give me every weekend.
I grew up playing with my dad. From the time I was little, we were always out there — early mornings, walking fairways, laughing, arguing over putts and how many mulligans he was taking, talking about life.
Later, I got to experience that same thing again with my son — watching him fall in love with the game, sharing those same rounds, same jokes, same long car rides home breaking down the day.
For decades, golf wasn’t just a sport for me — it was a family language.
When I was younger, I even worked in the pro shops. I loved it, not the selling shirts to old women, but the idea of being a part of a club. I got to see both sides — the players and the heartbeat of a real golf community. The routine, the stories, the familiar faces, the quiet little rituals that made it feel like home.
And for a while, I was a member at a club myself. Nothing fancy — just a place full of good people. We had our weekly dogfights, a few drinks afterward, and that feeling that everyone belonged to something bigger than themselves.
But life moves fast. My dad’s gone now. My oldest just started at Auburn, and while I couldn’t be prouder, I miss him — and I miss those shared moments we all had on the course.
So this idea comes from that — from a place of missing the camaraderie, the competition, and the connection that golf gave me for so many years.
What if we built a private, member-owned online country club — not another league or Discord — but a real club for simulator golfers who want that same sense of belonging, respect, and purpose again?
Here’s what I picture:
Invite-only, limited membership — quality over quantity.
Member-owned — this wouldn’t be mine. I’d just handle the administrative and some creative side (scheduling, design, events). The spirit, traditions, and direction would come from the members. We would still use the SGT Club feature, this would be in addition to
Live weekly rounds, dogfights, and events using GSPro and Simulator Golf Tour — with real rivalries, structure, and connection.
Exclusive Tekbud-built “home course” — chosen by the founding members, complete with a virtual clubhouse, range, and members’ hall.
Traditions inspired by real clubs, like:
A reserved parking spot near the clubhouse for the reigning Club Champion.
Member portraits lining the first tee hallway — everyone gets their place.
Founding members voting on the logo, course name, and Opening Day Invitational.
Clubhouse bulletin board with leaderboards, photos, and stories.
Transparent finances — almost every dollar of dues goes back into prize pools, course development, and member events.
I’m thinking dues somewhere around $750–$1,000/year, depending on how many members we cap it at. Enough to keep it exclusive, but with almost everything reinvested into making this a true home for us. This could be way off to be fair I may be nuts
This wouldn’t be about profit. It would be about rebuilding that sense of belonging — the same one so many of us grew up with at the course.
A place where we know the faces, respect the competition, and look forward to every round.
Maybe this goes nowhere — or maybe it becomes something real.
Maybe it starts with just a few of us missing the same feeling — and ends up becoming the best “club” we’ve ever been part of. Who knows I’m open to suggestions, comments thoughts etc if you think I’m off my rocker it’s because I probably am
– Brent (“Tekbud”)
PS if I’m already behind and there’s already a club like this, can I get an invite??
Brent Wells
Course designer · tekbud.com