Colton Card - March 2024 Entrepreneur of the Month
The NIACC John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center and North Iowa Area SBDC are proud to announce Colton Card of Twenty Fore Seven Golf in Mason City, IA as the March 2024 Entrepreneur of the Month.
Twenty Fore Seven Golf is a self-serve, contactless indoor golf and sports lounge located in Mason City, founded by Colton Card in late 2022. Twenty Fore Seven features a state-of-the-art facility that provides an easy, self-serve, and upscale guest experience through the use of the latest audio-visual, security, and golf simulation technology. “I think what makes us special is that we’re not like every other indoor golf place or pro shop with a basic ‘simulator’ setup.” says Colton. “We have something for everybody. Whether you're a casual player just looking to get some swings in throughout the winter, or a die-hard whose main interest is in the data and video analytics. We also have a wide array of family-friendly multi-sport and mini-game options available.” These games range from soccer, to baseball and football, “zombie dodgeball,” and everything in between. For competitive golfers, Twenty Fore Seven offers several Fall, Winter, and Spring leagues, as well as the option for self-organized leagues. Twenty Fore Seven also hosts multiple cash and prize-driven tournaments featuring some of the world’s most famous courses. Their upcoming “Mason City Masters” tournament features “Augusta National” and will be available for play April 8th - 21st.
Colton founded Twenty Fore Seven Golf when he realized that, despite the growing popularity of the indoor golf market, there was a lack of facilities for North Iowans. Colton was already familiar with golf simulation technology through his audio/video integration business. When he saw the opportunity in the market, he decided to act fast. “I moved quickly to make sure we were first to market and to hopefully bring something great to Mason City. I knew that [using automation technology] to put the facility in our customers’ hands and give them a sense of ownership is what would make the difference between ourselves and all the others out there – including those likely to come later.” Colton says his goal is to provide a comfortable, private, and hassle-free indoor golf experience for golfers of all ages and skill levels. Twenty Fore Seven’s fully-automated approach provides complete control to its patrons from the time of booking to the time they leave. The facility is BYOB/BYO-food friendly and offers guest’s the ability to control their bay’s audio/video with complimentary DirecTV service or even their own streaming services, similar to that of most modern hotels.
Part of Colton’s formula for success is keeping his business on the forefront of technology. Twenty Fore Seven Golf was the first in the country with TruGolf’s latest flagship launch monitors, the Apogee, which features unmarked ball/club tracking, AI-driven ball/club shot algorithms, a laser hitting area indicator, and even voice control. They also have some exciting additions on the way with the recent release of “E6 Apex,” the next-gen, ultra high-definition version of their current simulation software, as well as high-speed swing cameras and the all new “Align” video swing analysis software, the most highly-anticipated addition by Colton and membership holders at Twenty Fore Seven. The new swing cameras will boast a “pro comparison” feature, allowing a guest’s swing to be played back in real-time against any professional golfer in the system – as well as a full suite of club-fitting and lesson-centric features. These features are encompassed within wide, semi-private simulator bays with ultra-bright 220" screens with movie theater seating. “These are seemingly minor but highly-praised details by our guests that tend to be overlooked by most other indoor golf studios,” says Colton.
Colton’s advice for fellow entrepreneurs is to not be afraid to reach out to seek help or build partnerships. “Don’t put anyone on a pedestal. CEOs of companies are regular people like you and me. If you have a great idea it doesn’t matter where you come from or what you do,” he said. He added, “The NIACC Pappajohn Center & SBDC at NIACC is an extremely valuable resource when it comes to new business and aspiring entrepreneurs. The wealth of knowledge that they have to offer is just an invaluable resource.”
Colton continues to work on his business to expand, explore, and innovate. His current priorities involve the build-out of an upgraded booking system, a self-serve golf supply shopping area, and further technological upgrades to the simulator bays. He’s also exploring opportunities for third-party on-screen advertising and is working to further promote Twenty Fore Seven as a space for increased vendor pop-up events, food truck events, fundraisers, and more during the slower season. Colton says, “There’s some really exciting stuff coming up, specifically with the technology that I think will, if I have it my way, allow us to grow and potentially open other locations and even expand into some other realms of the golf industry.”