In the back of our suburban heads, we all envy golfers. They get to worship the sun while eschewing the rain; they flex their muscles and make tiny white spheres go where their eyes intend. And walking or driving around amidst all that Arcadian greenery with good times and great conversations, apres the 18th hole, has got to be one of the best lived experiences a person might have, while otherwise navigating the gritty complexities of urban life.
Certainly, the urge to play is strong among those who’ve already learned the aspects of the game lovingly described above. But what happens when time and circumstance get in the way; life constantly changes after all. But as the wiseman once said, the more that things change, the more they stay the same.
With golf, that’s good news because it means that there are ways of meeting that urge, thwarted by a busy life or a thriving business interest, that can be met in modern times using adaptation and technology.
That brings us to the subject of today’s lecture: Golf Envy, an indoor golf simulator, is a bustling at-the-seems new venture in Northeast Albuquerque that brings the best of technology together with the essential and joyful golf experience itself. The state-of-the-art facility, currently under construction, is due to open in early June 2026.
Albuquerque City Lifestyle Magazine met with the folks behind this city’s iteration of Golf Envy to find out how the three couples behind the business keep the game alive and vibrantly alluring for just about any citizen, from novice to pro, interested in the once ancient but now totally updated sport. Here in Albuquerque, Golf Envy is part of the entrepreneurial vision of Chris and Taryn Rivera, Brian and Selena Palmerton, and Brad and Sheree Palmerton. Brian and Brad are brothers. For our interview, we met with Chris Rivera, Brad Palmerton, and Selena Palmerton, who also owns Massage Envy in Rio Rancho; here’s their story.
Rudy Carrillo: Could you tell our readers about your business venture, Golf Envy?
Chris Rivera: Golf Envy is a franchise based out of California. We’re three couples here in Albuquerque that came together to form an LLC to buy the franchise. Golf Envy is basically a golf simulator business that has a private membership-based model that features 24-hour access! We will be open every day of the year, and our Northeast Heights location will give members a chance to work on their game; the setting is very high-end. It’s kind of a country club style environment inside the facility, it’s being built for the golf enthusiasts that want to work on their game, that want access any time of the day. We use state-of-the-art simulators called golf zone simulators. We are hoping to have a grand opening in early June.
Brad, do you want to chime in on the process that’s bringing Golf Envy to Albuquerque?
Brad Palmerton: Chris actually brought Golf Envy to my attention about a year ago and told me the concept. I’m a huge golfer. I've golfed my whole life since I was about eight years old. I was very impressed. So, then we took it to Brian and Selena; the last 10 to 12 months, we’ve all been working on it. We are currently under construction at a physical store located at 7900 San Pedro NE, just south of Paseo. Golf Envy is for people who want to go in and do the work; it’s the total opposite of our competitors in town right now. It's not Top Golf! We don’t have alcohol or food and beverages at all; it’s really for people who want to go inside and work on their game, no matter the weather.
How does Golf Envy offer a new sort of path for people who love to golf?
Selena Palmerton: I’m out in the community a lot; I do a lot of events, and I know I’ve talked to a lot of doctors who just do not have time during the day because they are in surgery, you know? They tell me that Golf Envy would be great for relaxation after a long day. I know some people don’t like to golf in the heat of the day. They don’t like to golf in cold weather. Golf Envy allows them to golf in an air-conditioned building! That's nice for them. There's enough room for each participant to take a full swing and do all the athletic sorts of things that are involved in golf in a comfortable and supportive indoor setting.
What’s your pitch for Golf Envy to get people interested and on board with your new vision of the sport?
Brad Palmerton: I think it’s just a great facility for anybody; a beginner just starting, all the way up to someone who has been playing for 60 years … and the technology is phenomenal! I think seeing your numbers live on the screen is a big deal. Seeing your feet, it even shows your feet move during your swing, which is something golfers can appreciate. So just seeing the technology, being able to use that to improve your game, is what we are about at Golf Envy.
Selena Palmerton: Well, I am more of a fun golfer, and so I am ready to grow my game, ready to become a better golfer with the help of Golf Envy. I go out there with my husband Brian just to have fun. So I would like to improve my game while having fun. That fun part of golf, I think that’s gonna mean a lot to me and those like me. This is as good as it gets if you want to golf in Albuquerque!
Their phone number is 505.410.6225, and they are at 7900 San Pedro Dr NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109.
Email: AlbuquerqueNE@golfenvy.com
Golf Envy is basically a golf simulator business that has a private membership-based model that features 24-hour access!
Thwarted by a busy life or a thriving business interest, that can be met in modern times using adaptation and technology.