A gang of golfers being cheered on by an enthusiastic crowd isn’t necessarily what you expect to see when you pop into your local pub.
Nevertheless, it’s becoming an increasingly common sight at The Morley Local since the venue installed three golf simulator booths, which opened in March.
As well as being a welcome variation on the pub sport staples, the move is a clear indication that the Aussie golf boom is winning the hearts and minds of an atypical business audience.
Co-owners Ryan Davis and Jacob Van Bavel took over The Morley Local four years ago and have invested considerable time and money to transform it into a more welcoming, family-friendly destination.
The introduction of golf simulators is the latest step in their efforts to differentiate the Morley Local’s offering and provide a unique customer experience.
They also offer interactive darts, pool, big-screen sports and a comfortable dining room, with further updates in the pipeline. However, it’s their bold stride into Perth’s golfing ecosystem that has really set tongues wagging.
Taking the leap of faith
Enthusiastic choppers themselves, Davis and Van Bavel got a taste for how golf could succeed in a suburban tavern when they trialled the use of a pop-up simulator one night a week back in late 2025.
It proved to be an instant hit and was subsequently put into use on two nights a week, then four, with similarly positive results. From there, the decision to go all in on golf was made.
“We lean towards activity-based initiatives so that our customers can come here for a purpose beyond just having a drink,” explained Davis.
“Golf and padel are probably the two fastest-growing sports in Australia right now. We obviously can’t fit a padel court in here, but we did have room for golf simulators. Once we saw how popular the pop-up sim was, it was an easy decision to make.”
Morley Local co-owners Jacob Van Bavel (left) and Ryan Davis
They didn’t scrimp on the project either, installing top-of-the-line TrackMan technology in all three booths to offer the best possible user experience.
It didn’t come cheap, but the investment seems to be paying off handsomely with booth occupancy rates of 60% — three times higher than the pair had planned for.
“The feedback has been great, and we’re seeing people coming in to use the simulators that haven’t previously come here,” Van Bavel said.
“We had one guy waiting to come in when we opened doors so he could get an hour’s practice in. Another time, we had a father bring his young son here for a hit and they were loving it!”
To better facilitate those kinds of opportunities, Davis and Van Bavel are now seriously considering changing the venue’s operating hours.
“Down the line, we’re maybe looking to open at 7am and close at 10pm. That would allow us to especially target golfers, so they can get up early and have a hit here before work,” Davis said.
“For us, it’s really exciting to see how golf’s taking off here,” Van Bavel added.
“The number of people that come in here and tell us they’re blown away by what we’re trying to do is awesome.”
Find out more about golf at The Morley Local here.
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