Indoor golf simulator 6ix Iron has opened its second Toronto location at 146 Dupont Street in Yorkville. President Fabian Wat spent six to seven months hunting for the right spot, eventually settling on a neighborhood he’d actually considered for the company’s first location over a year ago.
“When we launched our first location, downtown Toronto lacked accessible indoor golf options,” Wat explained. “We initially focused on serving the financial district and East Downtown Core.” While golf simulators exist throughout the GTA, certain high-density areas remain underserved—a gap 6ix Iron is now addressing.
The Yorkville choice wasn’t random. Wat identified several demographic advantages: proximity to University of Toronto, dense condominium developments, and corporate offices around Yonge and Bloor. Plus, the area is experiencing significant residential growth. “We’re seeing substantial condominium development in the area,” Wat noted. “Many projects that were under construction during our initial location search have now completed, with additional developments planned for the coming years.”
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♬ original sound – 6ixironindoorgolf
Interestingly, 6ix Iron had considered Yorkville even for their original George Street location. “We did actually consider the spot for our first location, but they decided to do some renovations. We thought our downtown core would be our starting point and then we can slowly start to expand.”
The new Dupont Street site offers strategic visibility with a nine-by-18-foot installation visible to passing traffic. “The intersection sees significant vehicle volume, which provides excellent advertising exposure for our brand,” Wat said.
Learning from George Street
The Yorkville facility incorporates hard-won lessons from the George Street location. Most notably, 6ix Iron expanded bay sizes to 17 feet wide—two feet larger than their original setup and significantly wider than industry standard.
“It just feels a little bit more premium,” Wat explained. “It’s a little bit more money on our end to make and maintain, but once you go there, you’re like, wow, these are actually quite large. And it makes the experience just even better.”
Twenty rental lockers address another lesson learned. “That was something that a lot of our members were requesting because they don’t want to carry a whole bag of clubs with them wherever they go, especially in the winter when you’re not really going to courses to play,” Wat said.
The Yorkville space features five open-play bays plus one private VIP suite, all with TrackMan simulators. But the operating model differs from George Street in important ways. The downtown location runs 24/7 with keyless entry, targeting financial workers who might want early morning or late-night sessions. Yorkville operates 6 AM-11 PM Sunday through Thursday, extending to 2 AM on weekends—reflecting the more residential character of the neighborhood.
Both locations emphasize the lounge experience. “We make it kind of a loungey feel rather than just stools—we give you nice couches and stuff like that,” Wat explained. “We really want to elevate the experience.” The George Street bar, famously built into an actual golf cart, operates 4 PM-11 PM daily, while the Yorkville bar remains temporarily closed.
The 6ix Pickle Factor
The Yorkville opening comes as sister brand 6ix Pickle hits its stride. The Berkeley Street indoor pickleball facility, Toronto’s first downtown option, runs “pretty much full most nights and most of the days during the weekend” three months after opening.
“People have been really excited,” Wat said of 6ix Pickle’s reception. “There’s just something that you really cannot do downtown—play pickleball unless you’re going to community centres sometimes, but they’re not always available.”
6ix Pickle’s success validated Wat’s thesis about unmet demand for indoor sports downtown, and directly influenced the golf expansion. The booking system overhaul that now enables discount codes came from pickleball member feedback. “We’ve just added these new value packs so that if you buy bulk, you get more virtual credit,” Wat explained. The new system supports first-time user discounts—50% off with code “Toronto”—impossible with the previous platform.
Member behavior at 6ix Pickle also informed the golf strategy. “Our members have been our biggest champions. Before it was cold, they were actually going to outdoor courts and helping us promote it. They bring their friends.” The cross-promotion works both ways, with golf members trying pickleball and vice versa.
Equipment Philosophy and Partnership Challenges
One area where 6ix Iron learned from 6ix Pickle involves equipment provision. Many facilities nickel-and-dime customers on rentals, but Wat’s brands include gear in pricing. “A lot of people don’t actually bring their own paddle and we always provide it right by the courts,” he said of 6ix Pickle. “Meanwhile, a lot of other places charge $5 a paddle—here it’s just nice and easy.”
The downtown focus initially limited partnership opportunities with major golf equipment brands. “We’ve looked at some partnerships with bigger golf club brands, but for them, they didn’t really think that the downtown market was as viable when we started a year ago,” Wat explained. Golf companies preferred suburban locations “where they do fittings and things like that.”
But the TrackMan technology opens possibilities beyond golf. Customer demand has Wat considering indoor tennis simulators, where players “hit the screen and it shows you exactly where you’re going.” For now, though, “our focus is on pickleball and golf.”
Building the Brand
With two concepts now operational, Wat’s strategy centers on establishing 6ix Iron as the premier downtown golf destination rather than rapid expansion. “Our focus right now is these two locations. We are trying to build them up and build our branding even more so that people would recognize us as the premier destination for indoor golf, especially in the downtown core.”
The approach reflects lessons about customer feedback and operational refinement. “We are always taking feedback from our customers about how we can improve, so one way is to add some more things as we can,” Wat noted. Founding memberships remain available with annual discounts, 14-day advance booking, and access to private events.
The winter season will test whether Yorkville residents embrace indoor golf as regular entertainment versus occasional novelty. Success could establish a template for serving Toronto’s affluent neighborhoods year-round, but the indoor golf market presents real challenges—high rent, seasonal demand, and niche appeal.
“Our mission is to democratize golf access within Toronto’s urban core,” Wat said. “Traditional golf courses remain largely inaccessible to downtown residents, particularly during winter months. We’re creating year-round accessibility for golf enthusiasts who want a premium experience without geographic constraints.”
6ix Iron is taking bookings at both locations—146 Dupont Street in Yorkville and 142 George Street downtown—with founding memberships still available at the new facility.
Dustin Fuhs is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of 6ix Retail, Toronto’s premier source for retail and hospitality industry news. As the former Editor-in-Chief of Retail Insider, Canada’s most-read retail trade publication, Dustin brings over two decades of expertise spanning retail, marketing, entertainment and hospitality sectors. His experience includes leadership roles with industry giants such as The Walt Disney Company, The Hockey Hall of Fame, Starbucks and Blockbuster.
Recognized as a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert in 2024 and 2025, Dustin delivers insider perspectives on Toronto’s evolving retail landscape, from emerging brands to established players reshaping the city’s commercial districts.