Jim Gorrell has spent 45 years playing golf, determined to improve his game despite lessons, practice sessions and countless hours at the driving range. The scores never quite reached the level he wanted, but his enthusiasm for the sport endured.

That persistence eventually led him to an unexpected opportunity: opening Back Nine Golf in League City, Texas, where golfers can play, practice and compete indoors on their own schedules without worrying about daylight, weather or traditional course availability.

“I have this love-hate relationship with golf,” Jim says with a laugh. “And golf is a four-letter word for a reason, right?”

For Jim, Back Nine Golf brings together a lifelong interest, decades of business experience, and an opportunity to build something meaningful close to home.

From corporate strategy to a different kind of fairway

Around 2020, Jim and his wife, Jessica, began exploring ways to supplement their retirement savings. After years in the pet-products industry, he considered business opportunities in familiar territory. But a traditional retail operation would have meant creating another full-time job, and that’s something he hoped to avoid.

Then came a visit to a Houston franchise show. Although the couple had not set out to buy a franchise, the Back Nine Golf concept caught Jim’s attention.

“That’s the link that I’ve needed my entire life,” he recalls thinking.

The model offered a way to combine his interest in golf with a business designed to operate around the clock, using technology to support a largely self-service customer experience.

Before committing, Jim spoke with franchise owners in the Houston area and in Nashville, learning from their experiences and examining the business model. His professional background shaped the process: he challenged assumptions, considered the risks and evaluated whether the numbers made sense.

“The math kept mapping,” he says. “It’s not easy. It’s not guaranteed. But the math keeps mathing out.”

Back Nine Golf League City opened in July 2026, turning that carefully considered idea into a local business.

Golf without the clock

Located at 2640 E. League City Parkway, Back Nine Golf offers indoor simulator bays powered by Full Swing technology. Players can experience golf courses from around the world while receiving feedback on elements such as swing mechanics, ball speed and launch angle.

That information can help golfers better understand their performance and identify opportunities to improve. But the experience isn’t reserved for serious players chasing a lower handicap. Friends can compete, beginners can explore the game in a relaxed environment, and golfers with demanding or unconventional work schedules can fit in a round when it suits them. Players can experience renowned courses without traveling long distances or paying traditional course green fees.

The League City facility operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Customers book sessions online and use access instructions to enter, making it possible to play at times when traditional golf courses are closed.

Memberships offer additional access and guest benefits, but a membership is not required to book a public tee time. The facility also accommodates private gatherings and corporate events, with options tailored to the occasion.

For businesses, indoor golf can provide a fresh setting for team-building activities, client entertainment, sales meetings and customer appreciation events. Corporate packages can also include advertising opportunities, giving local companies another way to connect with the community.

Jim’s vision is to build a sustainable business while giving people more opportunities to enjoy golf, whether their goal is to improve their swing, spend time with friends, or simply try something different.

A business career built on growth

Jim brings a strong commercial and strategic background to his new venture. His career has included leadership roles at Mars, Healthy Pet, Darigold and, most recently, Vitakraft Sun Seed, where he serves as vice president of marketing.

Across the pet-products and dairy industries, his work has involved brand development, portfolio strategy, innovation and operational improvement. At Mars, he helped lead a brand relaunch that generated more than $15 million in annual revenue growth and contributed to margin improvements. Later leadership roles broadened his experience in commercial planning, team development and strategies for profitable growth.

That experience gives Jim a practical perspective on entrepreneurship. He understands that a promising concept needs more than enthusiasm: it requires a sound operating model, thoughtful financial decisions and a clear path toward sustainable growth.

Those same principles informed his decision to open Back Nine Golf. Rather than relying on his love of the game alone, he researched the franchise, consulted experienced operators and put the business assumptions under scrutiny before taking the leap.

Now, his focus is on building the League City location’s membership base and expanding awareness of its individual and corporate offerings. He sees opportunities to serve both golfers seeking flexible access and businesses looking for a distinctive way to bring people together.

Home is where the heart and the fur babies are

Originally from the Houston area, Jim graduated from University of Houston. He spent 10 years in Seattle before returning to League City, just south of Houston.

He and Jessica have been married for 28 years. Their family also includes two much-loved fur babies: a Newfoundland-Poodle mix and a Great Pyrenees.

Away from the business, Jim enjoys getting outdoors for boating, fishing, hiking and camping. He is also a member of BNI Strategic Alliance, a local business networking chapter that encourages members to build relationships and support one another’s growth.

For Jim, opening Back Nine Golf has brought several parts of his life together: a sport he has enjoyed for decades, a business opportunity he evaluated carefully, and a chance to build something close to home.

He may still be working toward that elusive lower golf score, but his relationship with the game has taken on a new dimension. At Back Nine Golf, the sport that kept challenging him has become the foundation for a business designed to help others play, improve, and connect — one swing at a time.