THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE BUILDS
Built by operators.
Not installers.
Simulator Design Studios is led by the same team that designs, builds, and operates every Five Iron Golf venue. We’ve deployed hundreds of simulator bays in commercial environments, and now we’re bringing that expertise to your space.
CO-FOUNDER & CEO
Jared Solomon
Jared Solomon co-founded Five Iron Golf in 2017 after spending nearly two years scouting real estate and developing the concept for a new kind of indoor golf experience. What started as a single location has grown into 50+ venues across the United States and internationally — a trajectory that earned him the EY Entrepreneur of the Year® 2025 New York Award. Jared’s leadership is defined by a hospitality-first philosophy: the belief that a great simulator environment is about the experience, not just the equipment. That same philosophy drives every SDS engagement, from the initial consultation to the final calibration.
EY Entrepreneur of the Year® 2025 — New York
Grew Five Iron from 1 to 50+ locations
Investor in Tiger Woods’ New York Golf Club
CO-FOUNDER & CDO
Nora Dunnan
Nora Dunnan is a co-founder and Chief Development Officer of Five Iron Golf. With degrees from Davidson College and Duke University, Nora began her career in consulting before channeling her skills into building Five Iron from the ground up. She designed the company’s first location and has since led the expansion from one venue to 50+ — overseeing development projects, operational strategy, and the community-driven initiatives that have made Five Iron a category leader. Nora’s approach to growth is deliberate: every new space must meet the same standard of design, hospitality, and experience that defined the original. That standard is what SDS brings to every private client engagement.
Led expansion from 1 to 50+ Five Iron locations
Duke University — Master’s in Management Studies
Designed Five Iron’s first location
CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF GOLF OFFICER
Mike Doyle
Mike Doyle is the co-founder and Chief Golf Officer of Five Iron Golf. An accomplished junior player who was passionate about teaching from a young age, Mike has spent over 12 years redefining what indoor golf instruction and operations look like at scale. Named a Golf Digest Best Teacher in New York, he oversees the instruction program, membership experience, and golf operations across every Five Iron location. His deep expertise in simulator calibration, software selection, and performance tracking is what ensures every SDS build isn’t just installed correctly — it’s configured to perform the way the client actually needs it to.
Golf Digest Best Teacher in New York
12+ years redefining indoor golf
Architect of Five Iron’s “Drop 5” performance program
VP OF GOLF OPERATIONS
Chris White
Chris White has spent more than eight years leading golf operations across the Five Iron Golf network. He oversees the day-to-day performance of every simulator bay in the system — from calibration and software configuration to staff training and member experience. That operational depth is what makes him invaluable to SDS clients: Chris doesn’t just know which platforms work in theory, he knows which ones hold up under thousands of rounds of real-world use. When SDS recommends a specific system for your space, it’s informed by the data and operational insight Chris brings from managing 300+ bays at commercial scale.
8+ years in Five Iron golf operations
Manages 300+ simulator bays
Platform calibration and software specialist
VP OF CONSTRUCTION
Hayyim Danzig
Hayyim Danzig brings deep expertise in hospitality construction to every SDS project. Before joining Five Iron Golf as VP of Construction, he served as Head of Design and Construction at J&R and Director of Design and Construction at City Winery — roles that gave him extensive experience building high-end, guest-facing environments under real-world constraints. At Five Iron, Hayyim has overseen the build-out of 50+ locations, managing every phase from permitting and procurement to installation and final punch list. For SDS clients, that means a construction process led by someone who has done this hundreds of times — on schedule, on spec, and without the surprises that come from working with teams that haven’t built at this scale.
50+ Five Iron location build-outs
Former Head of Construction at J&R and City Winery
End-to-end project management — permitting to punch list
VP OF INTERIOR DESIGN + ART
Natalie Borten
Natalie Borten is the creative force behind every Five Iron Golf environment. As VP of Interior Design + Art, she has designed and developed the design standards that ensure continuity across 50+ locations while giving each venue a distinct identity that responds to its architecture and neighborhood. Her portfolio spans 16+ Five Iron locations — including Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle, Boston, New York, Cincinnati, Detroit, Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Atlanta — covering everything from bar design and custom art installations to lighting, materials, and spatial flow. For SDS clients, Natalie ensures that every simulator environment doesn’t just perform well — it looks like it was always meant to be there.
Designed 16+ Five Iron locations across the US
Custom art installations and bar design specialist
Fashion Institute of Technology background
VP & GM, SIMULATOR DESIGN STUDIOS
Adam Franchella
Adam Franchella joined Five Iron Golf as VP & GM of Simulator Design Studios, bringing a relentless entrepreneurial spirit and deep product leadership experience to the venture. With 8+ years as a founder, advisor, and Head of Product, Adam previously co-founded Auggie — a parenting platform that helped thousands of parents connect with experts — building it from the ground up into a meaningful resource. A Villanova University graduate, Adam leads the day-to-day strategy, growth, and client experience for SDS, ensuring every engagement reflects the same standard of excellence that defines Five Iron Golf.
8+ years as founder, advisor & Head of Product
Co-founded Auggie — parenting platform
Villanova University
VP & GM, SIMULATOR DESIGN STUDIOS
Tommy Ballerini
Tommy Ballerini brings over a decade of operational leadership experience to Simulator Design Studios. Prior to joining Five Iron Golf, he spent 10+ years in the restaurant industry, most recently serving as Director of Strategic Business at The Halal Shack, a multi-brand fast-casual platform operating in non-traditional retail environments. At Shake Shack, Tommy rose from a team member to multiple leadership roles spanning operations, design, and strategy. During his tenure, he led and supported key strategic initiatives including Drive-Thru, Food Trucks, third-party delivery, and profitability transformation efforts. A graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, Tommy combines deep hospitality expertise with a proven ability to scale brands and build operational systems from the ground up. This experience directly informs how SDS serves its clients—through a white-glove, hospitality-first approach grounded in operational excellence.
Deep experience in scaling hospitality brands
Cornell University School of Hotel Administration Graduate
Fast Company Innovation by Design Award Winner (2023, Shake Shack Drive Thru)
COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE
The numbers behind the team.
10+
YEARS OPERATING
50+
FIVE IRON LOCATIONS
300+
SIMULATOR BAYS BUILT
750K+
ROUNDS PLAYED
READY TO START?
Work with the team that’s done this before.
Tell us about your space and we’ll follow up with a tailored recommendation — no obligation.
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