I too have not read through the entire post, but I want to contribute too. Full disclosure, I am a partner in a business that sells, rents, and operates golf simulators. The money is in the winter months for sure, but you do not open a business based on golf simulators, you open a bar/restaurant that has golf simulators as a form of entertainment for your patrons. The key is not to overspend on the equipment, unless you are in NYC, then you can afford to overspend. Indoor golf business start ups should not invest in equipment that is over $30K, your lease payment will crush you, all it takes is one bad month. Secondly, the biggest mistake is going it alone. Piggy back, there are tons of businesses out there that would love to add sims, but are afraid. Capitalize on that fear. Make a deal to put some sims in 2-3, I recommend start with two have room for 3, and grow into it. No set rent amount, the business that you place them in, will get a small percentage of the pay per play money, plus negotiate for them to give you a refundable deposit. Do not set up an agreement to be there for a lifetime, only for 3-4 years, the time it takes to pay off the equipment. Let the deposit be the amount the lease company will ask to incept the lease. A good indoor golf business from November to Mid March should do about $1500 per sim every week. This is generated from an indoor golf league Monday - Thursday, slower days so it is okay. Then peak time is Friday - Sunday.
Think about it, the place that you put the sims in, makes more money from food and beverage. While you make money from the pay per play. Plus, their employees oversee the use of the equipment, and it is on their utilities, and you only pay the location a small percentage of your net income after lease payment. No employees (except for paying the sim company to provide regular maintenance - so you do not have to worry about it, this should be part of the costs before figuring out your net profit that you share), rent (if you want to call it that) is based on what you make. Plus, you can tap their existing clientele, which is usually built in, especially if you propose this to a golf course near you, but it only really works if they have a bar/restaurant already.
Why pay over $2500 - $5000 for rent, and at $12 per hour in NY, after payroll taxes, your employee can cost you up to $15 per hour or more. If you are open 45 hours, then that is $675 per week right there.
Problem is that most indoor golf entrepreneurs want a place to call their own, it is about the image rather than the investment. Keep it all about the money. That is how November - March will make you approx. $30K net over 5 months. Heck shut down in the spring, they will be calling you to put them back up in May because of rain, night, and something to do while they eat their wings and drink their beer.