To bring a real golf experience to family and friends in the backyard, Tyler Simmons and Jenny Simmons created Bucket Golf—a portable, pop-up golf game that can be played anytime, anywhere, providing the feel of a real golf course. According to the game’s rules, players must hit the bucket or get the ball into the bucket within three strokes.
They appeared on Shark Tank Season 16 to seek investment from the Sharks, hoping to get their help in solving logistics-related challenges. Did any of the Sharks decide to invest money in this outdoor game business? Let’s find out what happened with the business and its current status.
| Company Name | Bucket Golf | |
| Founder/Co-Founder | Tyler Simmons and Jenny Simmons | |
| Founded | 2021 | |
| Product | Portable backyard golf game | |
| Asked For | $1,000,000 for 10% equity | |
| Final Deal | $1,000,000 for 12.5% equity | |
| Shark | Mark Cuban | |
| Episode | S16 E2 | |
| Air Date | Oct 25th, 2024 | |
| Business Status | In Business | |
| Website | Visit Website | |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California, United States | |
| Annual (Revenue) | $12 Million *estimated | |
| Worth / Valuation | $10,000,000 | |
| Buy and Watch | Buy Now | Amazon Prime |
What Is the Background of The Founder?
Bucket Golf Company was founded in 2021 by Tyler Simmons, who has served as an assistant men’s lacrosse coach at Stanford University. He is also the president and founder of a company called Elevate Sports LLC.
Jen Simmons works as the Admin & Accounting Manager for the company, and she also holds the same responsibilities at Elevate Sports LLC.
Business Pitch Episode Recap
Brother and sister team Tyler Simmons and Jenny Simmons asked the Sharks for $1 million in exchange for 10% equity, valuing their family business at $10 million. Their business offers a portable backyard golf game. COO Jenny invited Lori Greiner and Todd Graves to play the set-up portable golf course game inside the Tank, and Lori successfully made her first strokes right away.
Daymond mentioned that he doesn’t like the concept of a traditional golf course, but he appreciates the idea of Bucket Golf, which allows families and friends to enjoy a golf course experience anywhere. He likes this concept because he previously made a deal with the Spike Ball business on Shark Tank.
Kevin O’Leary asked Tyler about the company’s sales numbers. Tyler explained that the business initially struggled because he did not know the e-commerce and retail industries. Additionally, the product sets, made of soft, flexible plastic buckets, were large and expensive, resulting in only $5,000 in sales over the first three years.
After conducting more research, they introduced the pop-up bucket set in 2021. In 2022, sales reached $2.5 million, followed by $5.9 million in 2023. For 2024, they are on track to exceed $12 million in sales, with a profit margin of 15% to 20%.
Their best-selling product is the BucketGolf Pro Bundle, which includes nine holes and sells for $199.99, with a landed cost of $60. Additionally, 80% of their sales come from their official website and the Amazon Marketplace.
Tyler revealed that their product has a pending design patent. He also mentioned that they need the Sharks’ help to solve logistical issues related to transportation, inventory management, order fulfillment, supply chain management, and distribution.
Kevin, discussing the company’s future growth, stated that to achieve over $100 million in sales, they need to focus on distribution, as online sales alone won’t be sufficient. He offered $1 million for 25% equity, which includes distribution fees.
Daymond John offered $1 million for 25% equity and stated that he would work to help the company grow globally, aiming to turn it into a $150 million business.
Todd Graves expressed that he only invests in businesses that excite him. Since he did not feel excited about the golf game business, he was out.
Lori Greiner offered $1 million but wanted 22.5% equity in the company.
Mark Cuban offered $1 million but wanted only 15% equity in the company. Tyler countered with 12.5% equity, but Mark said no. Tyler tried to convince Mark to accept the 12.5% deal. Lori said she would do this deal, and Mark immediately accepted Tyler’s counteroffer of 12.5% equity.
Sharks Offers list!
| Sharks | Offers |
|---|---|
| Todd Graves | No Offer |
| Kevin O’Leary | $1 Million for 25% equity |
| Mark Cuban | $1 Million for 15% equity |
| Daymond John | $1 Million for 25% equity |
| Lori Greiner | $1 Million for 22.5% equity |
| Founder’s (Countered) | $1 Million for 12.5% equity (Mark) |
| Final Deals | $1 Million for 12.5% equity |
Bucket Golf Shark Tank Update
Before appearing on Shark Tank, Bucket Golf was already a successful product. However, after this episode aired, the company broke its daily sales record and achieved 50 times the sales. They are also planning to expand product distribution to increase sales further.
As of November 2024, Bucket Golf is offering a 30% discount for Black Friday and is ready for nationwide shipping. The company’s products are also available in over 300 retail stores across Canada and the United States.
We are currently tracking the company for more updates.
We have covered more businesses from Season 16, and you can also check them out!
