Versant Media Group, the owner of the Golf Channel and several other cable stations, has completed the acquisition of Full Swing, a manufacturer of golf and baseball simulators and training equipment backed by Tiger Woods, for roughly $530 million in cash, subject to customary purchase price adjustments.

Versant said, “The acquisition extends Versant’s leadership in golf and deepens its portfolio of digital platforms. A trusted partner to many of the game’s top players, Full Swing serves one of the fastest-growing segments of the golf industry through immersive simulation, launch monitors, virtual greens, integrated software and performance data. Versant’s strength in golf uniquely positions the company to accelerate adoption of Full Swing’s technology across both consumer and commercial markets.

“Full Swing broadens Versant’s leadership within the golf ecosystem. Together with Golf Channel, GolfNow and GolfPass, Versant connects premium content, commerce, technology and participation, creating more ways to engage golfers throughout their journey. The platform also creates opportunities beyond golf, including baseball, where Full Swing’s technology is already used by both college and professional teams.”

With the transaction complete, Full Swing will operate within Versant’s Digital Platforms and Ventures portfolio and will be anchored in Versant’s golf business, supported by Golf Channel, GolfNow and GolfPass. Ryan Dotters, Chief Executive Officer of Full Swing, has joined Versant, reporting to Will McIntosh, President, Digital Platforms and Ventures.

The selling group included Bruin Capital, the majority owner of Full Swing, and a group of minority investors. North Castle Partners and Topgolf Entertainment Group also held stakes in Full Swing. Tiger Woods invested in Full Swing in 2015 and has since been an ambassador for the brand. Other investors and ambassadors of the company include professional golfers Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele, Jon Rahm, and Dustin Johnson; NFL players Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen; and NBA player Steph Curry. It was not disclosed whether the athletes or North Castle Partners and Topgolf Entertainment Group sold their stakes as part of the deal.

Based in Carlsbad, CA, Full Swing sells its simulators, which feature baseball technology for at-home and commercial use. The business was founded in 1986 by Floyd Arnold, who sold it to the current management group led by CEO Ryan Dotters in 2015. Private equity firm North Castle Partners became Full Swing’s majority investor in 2017 and sold its controlling interest in the company to Bruin Capital in 2021.

Full Swing is the Official Licensed Simulator of the PGA Tour and an Official Technology Partner of TGL, the indoor team golf league founded by Woods and Rory McIlroy that completed its second season in March. TGL features virtual holes projected onto a 53-foot-tall high-tech screen at the 1,500-seat SoFi Center in South Florida.

Image courtesy Full Swing