“Corporate wasn’t for me. Golf was.”

Simulated Sports began in 2013 with a simple realisation: I didn’t want to spend my career behind a desk.

I had worked in business and finance for several years, but corporate life never felt like the right fit. What I did enjoy was working with people — and golf had been part of my life since I was old enough to follow my dad around a course.

One day I saw a golf simulator being used on television and a thought clicked: this could be something real. Not just a product, but a business built around the game I genuinely enjoy.

Armed with more optimism than experience, I started what was then called Golf Sim Hire.

The Late Late Show moment

In the early days, we hired simulators to corporate events. It was hands-on, practical work — setting up, taking down, learning quickly.

One of the first major milestones came when we brought a simulator onto The Late Late Show, where Paul McGinley put it through its paces. Thankfully, I didn’t have to be on camera — I could let the technology (and Paul) do the talking.

That exposure gave the business credibility at a critical stage. More importantly, it confirmed there was real demand.

From hire to installation

As interest grew, it became clear that hiring was only part of the opportunity. People weren’t just curious — they wanted permanent installations.

Transitioning from hire to design and installation was a bigger leap than it might sound. It required significant financial commitment, technical understanding and, at one point, revisiting my Leaving Cert maths. Trigonometry turns out to be quite useful when you’re measuring ceiling heights and calculating projector angles.

What started as event hire evolved into full simulator design and installation — in homes, golf clubs and commercial venues across Ireland.

The focus shifted from temporary setups to permanent, properly integrated builds.

Real people. A real landline.

In 2023, the business became even more personal when my wife, Ellen, joined full-time.

I handle design, technical planning and installations — the parts I genuinely enjoy. Ellen runs day-to-day operations, customer communication and the details that keep everything moving smoothly.

We remain a small, independent Irish business. When you call our Dublin landline, you speak directly to us — not a sales desk or a call centre.

That direct contact matters. Projects run better when the person designing your simulator is the same person overseeing the installation.

100+ installs. Nationwide. Still hands-on.

Over a decade later, Simulated Sports has completed more than 100 installations across Ireland — from compact garage conversions to multi-bay commercial facilities.

We’ve grown, but the fundamentals haven’t changed:

• Consultation-led planning
• Technology chosen for performance, not hype
• Professional, clean installation
• Direct accountability from start to finish

I’ve been fortunate enough to play Pebble Beach, St Andrews — where we got engaged — and Bethpage Black. I care about the game itself, not just the equipment. That perspective influences every project we design.

We’re proud of what the business has become — not because it’s large, but because it’s trusted.

And we’re still very much hands-on.