Ethan Andrews's Parfour golf app was inspired by a FaceTime call.
Andrews, the CEO and co-founder of Windermere-based Parfour, was on the golf course about four months ago when his younger brother Ian was at work and said he wanted to watch someone play, but not on YouTube or the PGA. Ethan joked around and video-called his brother for nine holes, which helped lead them — as well as their older brother Caleb — to develop the app.
Parfour is a content platform that allows golfers to stream while they play their rounds, practice on the driving range or have golf-related podcasts. The free app includes an optional map where people can see where a streamer is on the course, and it eventually will have a scorecard feature.
Andrews — who previously worked for Apple, was a contract worker for Google and helped develop the Home Depot app — told Orlando Business Journal the goal with Parfour is to grow the game of golf.
The app launched in June at a Los Angeles event with Golf Gaming Club where it had its first stream, and by the end of the first week, the company had more than 5,800 registered users.
"It was a lot more than we were expecting, and we now have influencers pretty much daily ask us to live stream on the app."
In the next few weeks, the app will open streaming to all users, but for now, about 10 to 15 content creators are streaming for viewers on the app every day as it collects user feedback.
The company raised a pre-seed round of more than $750,000 during a two-and-a-half-week period it finished in February from friends, family and members at a few Orlando golf clubs. The goal now is to raise $10 million in a Series A Round.
Parfour has five employees spread in the Southeast. The company would use the Series A funds to add three to four engineers, two to four product-focused employees and enhance the app.
In addition, the long-term goal would be to have advertisements on the app to support operations. The app also would get a percentage of financial contributions sent to streamers on Parfour from viewers.
Meanwhile, golf continues to enjoy an increase in players that has grown over the past few years. The Jupiter-based National Golf Foundation found that the total of on-course golfers has increased for six straight years, with 2023 hitting 26.6 million who either only play on the course or play both on-course and off-course activities like interactive driving ranges. Total participation, including those who play only off-course, reached 45 million.
"Golf has enjoyed a renaissance since the pandemic and that’s resulted in more positive perceptions of the game, particularly among younger age cohorts," the report stated. "Off-course engagement and social media have played key roles in golf’s popularity and cool factor, as celebrities, athletes and content creators with sizable followings are boosting golf’s positive visibility, especially among non-golfers."
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