The Back Nine Franchise
Cost, fees, owner earnings, closure rate and litigation for a The Back Nine franchise — pulled from the franchisor's own public FDD (2026), not its sales material.
Disclosure honesty
The Back Nine discloses earnings (Item 19) — but the grade is how honestly. We graded it C.
What their own earnings claim actually says
45 operating franchises with 6+ months open disclosed. Revenue data provided. Cherry-picking: 75 outlets under 6 months excluded; 4 outlets with fewer than 3 simulators excluded.
What a The Back Nine franchise actually costs to run
| Fee | Disclosed | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $50,000 | Item 5 — paid up front, before you open |
| Royalty | 8% of gross sales | Item 6 — charged on revenue, not profit |
| Total recurring fees | 8% of gross sales | Before rent, labor, food or debt service |
| Total initial investment | $307,050 – $688,500 | Item 7 — franchisor's own low/high estimate |
8% royalty on gross revenues. $250-$350/month technology fees. Significant liquidated damages provisions: up to $50k or 24 months royalties for default.
Royalty and ad-fund percentages are charged on gross sales — an owner pays them whether or not the location is profitable.
The Back Nine system size and owner turnover
| Total outlets | 120 |
| Ceased operations | 0 |
| Terminated by franchisor | 0 |
| Transferred to new owners | 2 |
| Closure rate | 0.0% of outlets |
Zero terminations/closures through 2025; rapid expansion (95 new outlets in 2025) raises sustainability concerns.
From Item 20 of the FDD 2026. Terminations and ceased operations are the franchisor's own count of owners who stopped — the number the sales pitch leaves out.
Is The Back Nine worth it? — how it compares to 436 similar franchises
| Ongoing fees | 8% of sales | lower than most (median 8%) |
| Startup cost | from $307,050 | pricier than 73% of peers |
| Disclosure honesty | Grade C | typical for the category |
| Closure rate | 0.0% of outlets | better than most (median 1.5%) |
| Disclosed lawsuits | 0 | fewer than most |
Benchmarked against every other franchises franchise we've graded from public FDDs — the context the franchisor's pitch never gives you.
Owner take-home for a The Back Nine
The franchisor's framing: 45 operating franchises with 6+ months open disclosed. Revenue data provided. Cherry-picki… We reconstruct what an owner actually keeps, from their own FDD.
- Reconstructed owner P&L — net take-home after royalty, ad fund, rent, labor & debt
- Break-even timeline + cash-on-cash ROI
- Full fee stack + required-purchase markups
- Decoded real failure / closure rate
- How it ranks vs comparable franchises
- Validation-call playbook — the exact questions to ask
See a full sample report → · 30-day guarantee
The Back Nine franchise — frequently asked
- How much does a The Back Nine franchise cost?
- The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $307,050–$688,500, including a $50,000 initial franchise fee.
- How much do The Back Nine franchise owners make?
- 45 operating franchises with 6+ months open disclosed. Revenue data provided. Cherry-picking: 75 outlets under 6 months excluded; 4 outlets with fewer than 3 simulators excluded. We grade this disclosure C for honesty.
- What are the The Back Nine franchise fees?
- The Back Nine's FDD discloses a $50,000 initial franchise fee, a 8% royalty on gross sales, for roughly 8% of gross sales in recurring fees before rent, labor, or debt service. 8% royalty on gross revenues. $250-$350/month technology fees. Significant liquidated damages provisions: up to $50k or 24 months royalties for default.
- What is the The Back Nine franchise profit margin?
- The Back Nine does not publish a franchisee net-profit margin — almost no franchisor does. What Item 19 actually shows: 45 operating franchises with 6+ months open disclosed. Revenue data provided. Cherry-picking: 75 outlets under 6 months excluded; 4 outlets with fewer than 3 simulators excluded. Recurring fees alone take about 8% of gross sales, before rent, labor, food or debt service. Margin has to be reconstructed from the disclosure, not read off it.
- What is the The Back Nine franchise failure rate?
- Zero terminations/closures through 2025; rapid expansion (95 new outlets in 2025) raises sustainability concerns.
- How many The Back Nine locations are there?
- The Back Nine's FDD reports 120 total outlets, with 0 that ceased operations in the most recent reporting year and 2 transferred to new owners. Item 20 is where system health shows up before the marketing does.
- Does The Back Nine have complaints or lawsuits?
- The Back Nine discloses no material litigation in Item 3 of the filing we reviewed. That's a positive signal, though it covers only what the franchisor is required to report.
- Is a The Back Nine franchise worth it?
- It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. The Back Nine scores C on disclosure honesty, carries about 8% of sales in ongoing fees. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.
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Compare The Back Nine to similar franchises
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Source: WI DFI Franchise Registration (2026). FranchiseValidate is independent and not affiliated with The Back Nine or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.