St. Louis is the newest home of a premier, tech-influenced golf and entertainment venue that boasts locations from New York to Singapore. Last weekend, Five Iron Golf quietly opened its first St. Louis area location inside an 8,300-square-foot facility on the ground floor of Emerson Tower (8027 Forsyth), in the heart of Clayton’s central business district.
The concept offers instruction, club fittings, and the ability to play 200-plus virtual courses or a gamified golf experience. Club members and walk-ins can reserve a simulator in 30-minute to four-hour increments.
Founded in 2017, Five Iron Golf has 34 units in 15 states and five countries. The St. Louis location is its third franchised unit. Hours are from 6 a.m.–midnight. Here’s what to know before you go.
The Concept
“The Five Iron brand is a lot more than just an indoor golf facility,” Carlton Blood told SLM when the concept was announced in August 2024. Blood is a longtime hospitality professional who is leading the brand’s expansion here, with a three-location deal. “From our state-of-the-art simulators to the lounge and bar area to the other entertainment options, customers will feel immersed in a fun, active, social, and interactive experience.”
With a lively, elevated sports-bar atmosphere, Five Iron lends itself to corporate events, happy hours, birthday parties, or casual social gatherings. For golfers, locations feature Trackman simulators, access to golf instructors, league play, storage, and showers. For those looking for something besides golf, Five Iron also offers shuffleboard, a pool table, and televisions showing local sporting events.
Five Iron aims to attract both golf enthusiasts and newcomers. A press release notes “it’s a new kind of clubhouse—no dress code required.” Five Iron understands that golf can feel out of reach for many, whether because of the time commitment, the expense, or how intimidating it seems to newcomers. At Five Iron, however, guests can play a round in a hour, as one member notes.
The golf experience shifts throughout the day to suit a range of needs and preferences. Mornings provide a quiet, focused atmosphere that’s ideal for solo practice or private lessons. Starting at 6 a.m., members can enjoy complimentary beverages, light breakfast, lockers, and showers. Blood notes that in some locations, early mornings between 6 and 9 a.m. can get quite busy. “People arrive in their work attire with their golf shoes on, get a few swings or a lesson in, and head off to work,” he says.
By afternoon, he says, the setting becomes more relaxed, inviting casual play, lunch, and drop-in groups. Semi-private spaces with projectors accommodate professional meetings, and members benefit from complimentary daily golf during off-peak hours.
In the evenings and during late nights, the lights come down, the music turns up, and the venue transforms into a vibrant social hub with happy hour specials, league play, and lively events—all accompanied by a full bar and food service, available until midnight.
Group experiences can be tailored to a variety of occasions, including adult group packages for birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and corporate team-building events. Families and children are also welcome, with weekend bookings, birthday parties, and youth-oriented activities available. For those seeking an elevated experience, luxury outings feature Callaway-powered custom club fittings and concierge-style service. The space can also accommodate semi-private and private rentals for gatherings of up to 150 guests.
The Space
Although it spans 8,300 square feet, the space is cleverly divided to feel more intimate. Ten simulator bays are integrated alongside a bar and a pair of lounge areas, with a pool table and shuffleboard court adding to the relaxed, social atmosphere.
Lisa Morrison, associate principal at locally based Lawrence Group, which spearheaded the design, says that “while staying true to 5 Iron Golf’s design standards, we approached the St. Louis location as an opportunity to elevate the brand through a distinct, site-specific lens.
“Set in a street-level retail space in the heart of Clayton,” she says, “the design emphasizes openness and connection, with expansive storefront windows that flood the interior with natural light. We partnered with local graphic artists and muralists to create custom, St. Louis-inspired artwork that adds vibrancy and authenticity throughout the space. Unique to this location, the simulators are arranged in flexible groupings that support private events, reinforcing our focus on social connection, adaptability, and experience-driven design.”
The Menu
The 30-item menu is fairly consistent throughout the locations, and consists of appetizers, salads, 12-inch artisan pizzas, handheld sandwiches (including proprietary beef blend cheeseburger sliders), street tacos, desserts, and half a dozen sides. Each unit has a few location-specific items. In St. Louis, it’s (can you guess?) toasted ravioli and gooey butter cake.
The bar menu is a combination of alcoholic cocktails, including a few whimsically named options (Par-garita, Birdie Marg, Ace Marg, Green Jacket), as well as canned beers, draft beers and craft drafts, canned cocktails and wine, mocktails, and four-item spirit flights. The menu also contains a section of shots, dubbed, ”Hit Shots, Take Shots.”
The Background
Founded in New York’s Flatiron District in 2017, Five Iron has grown to span more than 30 locations across the United States, as well as franchises in India and Singapore. The “eatertainment” chain recently received a $20 million minority investment from Enlightened Hospitality Investments, a private equity firm owned by acclaimed restaurateur and St. Louis native Danny Meyer.
Blood, a veteran of area country clubs and restaurants, was looking to open an indoor golf facility in St. Louis and came across the Five Iron brand. After seeing it firsthand during a trip to Chicago, he was convinced that it would fit his vision for a St. Louis gathering place.
“I instantly knew this matched the ambiance and vibe that I envisioned,” says Blood. “St. Louis is an absolute sports town, and golf has a lot of history here. To bring a golf-forward and technology-focused event space here is very exciting.”
He notes that Five Iron had been scouting locations in St. Louis for five or six years, and the owners of the Emerson Tower eventually approached the brand. “Turns out, they wanted an interactive experience concept for the ground floor of their building,” he says, “and Five Iron was perfect.”
With golf being more popular than ever (with 47.2 million Americans ages 6 and older playing in 2024, according to the National Golf Foundation), accessibility has become a major factor. Five Iron helps fill that void. “That’s why we’re trying to be in the most convenient locations, metropolitan areas,” says chief marketing officer Jed Lewis, “so that people have access to it and they can come in during their lunch hour or before work.”
Golf has continued to evolve from a sport that was traditionally played on the course to a sport that people interact with in a variety of formats. Five Iron has introduced Multisport to expand its offerings, encouraging non-golfers to get involved. New games on the simulator include slapshot hockey, bowl-a-rama breakaway soccer, disc-go golf, foot golf, and zombie dodgeball.
To celebrate the grand opening, memberships are available at a special rate of $129 per month (normally $185 per month), which includes free daily golf, priority booking, and 20 percent off lessons, food and drink, retail, and more.
Five Iron Golf
📍8027 Forsyth
📞 314-866-5066
⏰ Daily, 6 a.m.–midnight (last bookable simulator time 11 p.m.)
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