Five Iron Golf takes a swing at Syracuse market with downtown venue

SYRACUSE — Onondaga County has long had many venues in its suburbs and rural communities where people can enjoy golf. Soon, Central New York golfers will be able to tee off year-round in the heart of downtown Syracuse. A franchise location of the Five Iron Golf chain of indoor golf simulators is slated to open at the City Center building in December 2025 or January 2026. Syracuse’s Five Iron Golf will be operated by Swing Project Erie, LLC, a franchisee that currently operates a Five Iron Golf location in Erie, Pennsylvania. The local franchise will be helmed by Erie–based partners Chase Rogan and Drew Whiting, along with local partner Jeremy Thurston, president of Hayner Hoyt Corp. Hayner Hoyt is the contractor of record, completing the build-out for the project. According to Five Iron Golf’s corporate website, the Syracuse franchise is one of eight new developments that will be opening in the near future. The chain’s website lists 33 locations that are currently operating across the United States. Partner Chase Rogan, a golf-course superintendent turned entrepreneur, describes Five Iron Golf as, “a mix of a golfer’s paradise and an entertainment venue tied into one.” The Syracuse location, occupying 11,200 square feet with an expected staff of about 30 employees, will feature eight simulators, each of which allows up to six players to engage in a number of golf-related games and activities.

One option will be to play a game of golf at a virtual PGA Tour course like Pebble Beach. Rogan explains. “The simulators are perfect for golfers who want to work on their game or play a world-renowned golf course. The simulators have cameras on them that’ll record your swing and play it back for you. And then you get a ton of data about your swing path, your club path, your swing speed, all these different things that can help you improve your golf game. So, for the golfer, you can come in and play real golf there.” There are also options for those who aren’t necessarily looking for detailed swing analytics or to simulate world-renowned courses. Rogan says, “For the person that’s just seeking a Friday night out, the golf simulators have games that are designed for beginners and non-golfers.” Five Iron Golf Syracuse will also offer golf lessons and custom club fitting. For non-golfers or those just looking to take a break from the links, there will also be a sports bar and duck-pin bowling lanes. Rogan says. “There’s that other piece of entertainment, the duck-pin bowling, that’s great for parties, corporate events, things like that, but it’s a piece of entertainment for people who aren’t interested in playing the golf.” Rogan describes the future Five Iron Golf location as an option for birthday parties, corporate events, or draft parties. He says of his anticipated clientele, “I’d say our typical customer is the sports lover who likes active entertainment and is looking for something active to do. Typically, age 20 to 45 is kind of the target demographic, but we’re also a family establishment. We get a lot of families that come into our venue here in Erie. So, we’re looking for people who are interested in playing golf or just seeking out entertainment.” Based on its success in Erie, Rogan is optimistic about the future of Five Iron Golf in Syracuse and upstate New York in general. Future locations in Rochester and Buffalo are also being considered. “When we were kind of looking at the next site, I’d say Syracuse stood out just because of what’s happening with the [Micron] chip plant there and then the other construction that’s happening downtown,” Rogan says. “It seems like there’s a really, a lot of positive energy and positive things happening right now. A lot of good tailwinds behind the city.”