Golf tech founders took a big swing; it’s a pitch that’s paying off beyond KC

Viewing Kansas City-built GolfTRK as merely a neighborhood indoor golf simulator is a mirage that masks the broader sports technology startup behind it, said Matt Williams, detailing the data-driven play behind his surging business.

GolfTRK pairs tour-grade TrackMan and PuttView technology with PGA professional coaching — allowing every swing to be tracked and turned into measurable improvement. The concept sits alongside Noonan, a digital caddie helping avid golfers make smarter decisions on the course by leveraging data from its golf simulators, within the Albatross Golf tech incubator.

Launched in 2023, the venture has quickly emerged as a winner among competitors hoping to capture millennial golfers before they leave the game because of its difficulty, price point, and access to quality venues, he explained.

Matt Williams, co-founder of Albatross Golf and its portfolio businesses, GolfTRK, Noonan, and TRK Performance, answers judges questions June 5 during a pitch competition at Pipeline’s Daytime Showcase inside the Planetarium at Union Station; photo by Nicole Bissey Photography

“We took a measured approach, started a little bit smaller, proved it out, and built out our brand presence,” said Williams, co-founder of Albatross Golf, GolfTRK, Noonan, and TRK Performance brands. “And now we’ve kind of grown into this and the timing is right.”

Refining the company’s strategy — and its pitch to investors and franchisees — recently earned Williams’ accolades. The business builder earned Best Pitch honors June 5 at Union Station following the Pipeline Entrepreneurs Daytime Showcase, a competition that highlights fellows and cohort members with the elite Midwest-based entrepreneur network.

“I have an awesome team,” Williams said on stage, accepting the award during a Pipeline Innovators Gala at Union Station. “I feel like I’m just the cheerleader out in front, really selling it, but that’s what I’m good at, so we’re going to keep it going.”

The company now boasts locations in Lenexa and Overland Park, Kansas, and Liberty, Missouri, with a sprawling new headquarters and flagship store under construction in Prairie Village. Additional franchise locations are popping up from coast-to-coast — from Portland to Orlando.

Alex Reed and Matt Williams, co-founders of Albatross Golf, GolfTRK, Noonan, and TRK Performance, in March 2026 in Prairie Village; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

“We’ve spent the past couple years really laying the infrastructure and proving out the concept,” added Alex Reed, one of Williams’ co-founders at GolfTRK. “We very much need (new headquarters) space that can cater to where our concept is headed.”

Matt Williams, co-founder of Albatross Golf and its portfolio businesses, GolfTRK, Noonan, and TRK Performance, center, accepts the 2025 Best Pitch award at the June 5 Pipeline Innovators Gala in the Grand Hall at Union Station; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

GolfTRK facilities combine industry-leading technology with a member-focused experience. Because the spaces aren’t meant for walk-in traffic, the company is able to build its locations in light industrial areas, avoiding costly buildouts in pricey retail districts, Williams said.

The team just sold its 50th franchise unit, with 15 to 20 more coming later this year, he said. New markets include Irvine, California, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Bluffton, South Carolina, Mobile, Alabama; Pensacola, Florida; and Las Vegas, Nevada.

“This momentum is more than a business milestone, it’s a validation of the vision we set out to build,” Reed said. “Franchise partners are choosing GolfTRK because they see what we see: a smarter, more connected, data-driven golf experience that meets players where they are and elevates how they train and play.”

Albatross — which is currently raising a Series A funding round — has always had a long-term goal of disrupting the industry, Reed noted, and truly making a mark on where modern golf is headed by building a respected, durable brand that has its place in the off-course performance vertical.

“As much as we’re leaving the thumbprint in the local market with this development and a lot of the visibility that will come with it,” he continued, “We are also at a time where it feels realistic to think that we have started to make our mark nationally. And as our brand grows, we’re starting to see that take shape and be recognized and acknowledged within the space that we want to be in.”

Tommy Felts, editor-in-chief for Startland News, contributed to this report.