Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip vs Pro Golf
Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip vs Pro Golf: Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip costs $89K to $247K to open; Pro Golf costs $84K to $400K. Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip has 69 units, Pro Golf has 25. SBA loan history: Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip = 119 loans (39.5% default); Pro Golf = 49 loans (49.0% default). The franchise with more SBA funded units, a lower SBA default rate, and a lower royalty load is the safer financing bet; see the comparison below.
Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip vs Pro Golf: Capital, Scale & Lending Analysis
Analysis based on FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan level data. Each pairing reflects a unique combination of capital intensity, system scale, and financing path.
Capital Intensity
Pro Golf requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($84K vs $89K for Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip), a 5% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $34K for Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip versus $25K for Pro Golf, Pro Golf has the lower entry fee.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip operates 69 units to Pro Golf's 25, roughly 3× the system size. Pro Golf has been operating 64 years (founded 1962) versus 28 for Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip (founded 1998), a 36-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 119 7(a) approvals compared with 49 for Pro Golf. Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip's peak SBA year was 1998 (13 loans); Pro Golf's peak was 2004 (12 loans). Pro Golf's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip has the most SBA funded units in TX, with 12. Pro Golf leads in FL, with 8. Borrowers should pick the brand whose strongest SBA state matches their own state for warmer lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip deals is $165K vs $269K for Pro Golf, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 39.5% for Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip and 49.0% for Pro Golf, Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip has the cleaner SBA loss record by 9.5 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 24 (Fair) for Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip and 23 (Fair) for Pro Golf, giving Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 24/100 | 23/100 |
Health Tier | Limited | Limited |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 119 | 49 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 39.5% | 49.0% |
Peer Tier | major | established |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $89K to $247K | $84K to $400K |
Franchise Fee | $34K | $25K |
Royalty Rate | N/A | N/A |
Ad Fund | N/A | N/A |
Liquid Capital | $100K | N/A |
Net Worth Required | N/A | N/A |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Not Disclosed | Not Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 69 | 25 |
Franchised Units | 69 | 25 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | N/A | N/A |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 1998 | 1962 |
Franchising Since | N/A | N/A |
Years Franchising | N/A | N/A |
Headquarters | ABILENE, TX | TAMPA, FL |
Category | Sporting Goods Stores | Sporting Goods Stores |
Website | ||
FDD Year | N/A | N/A |
Which Is Better, Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip or Pro Golf?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip: $89K starting · Pro Golf: $84K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip
Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip: 119 SBA loans · Pro Golf: 49 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip
Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip: 39.5% · Pro Golf: 49.0%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip: 69 units · Pro Golf: 25 units
More lender financing options
Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip
Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip: 73 unique lenders · Pro Golf: 30 unique lenders
Decision matrix uses publicly disclosed FDD and SBA loan data. Not a recommendation. Your best franchise depends on capital, market, operating capacity, and risk tolerance.
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Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip vs Pro Golf: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip and Pro Golf is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $84K to $400K.
Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip has 119 SBA loans on record and Pro Golf has 49. Those totals are cumulative history rather than a measure of current appetite. Recent lending activity is trending down for at least one of these brands, so current lender appetite has to be checked deal by deal rather than assumed from the totals.
SBA 7(a) loans are the most common franchise funding vehicle, offering up to $5M with as little as 10% down. PeerSense connects franchise buyers with the specific lenders who have approved loans for these brands, not generic referrals, but lenders with actual franchise lending track records.
Data sourced from SBA loan records, Franchise Disclosure Documents, and public filings. Updated regularly. Not financial advice, consult with a lending professional before making investment decisions.
Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip vs Pro Golf, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip or Pro Golf?
How much does a Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip franchise cost compared to Pro Golf?
Can I finance Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip or Pro Golf with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, Golf U.s.a. (Retail Golf Equip or Pro Golf?
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Page Review
Reviewed by Edward L. Freeman, Founder and Managing Director, PeerSense
- PeerSense is a capital advisory firm that places commercial financing with direct capital sources; it does not lend, fund, or approve loans, and the capital source sets final terms.
- Edward L. Freeman founded PeerSense in January 2020.
- He is a Registered Franchise Consultant with Business Alliance, Inc., a credential issued in March 2022, and worked as a franchise consultant there from March 2022 to May 2023.
- His recorded experience includes a $22 million SBA construction loan, with about $16 million funded on the deal.
- In the 12 months through September 30, 2026, PeerSense tracked 912 publicly announced financings with a disclosed size of $361.32 billion. PeerSense Capital Data Report · Methodology page
Last reviewed LinkedIn profileAbout Edward Freeman