Driving into a new venture: the Tee Box brings year-round golf and family fun to Watford City
M.K. French
Farmer Staff Writer
In small towns across America, many families face the challenge of entertaining their youngsters when the indoor options get a little repetitive. A Watford City family felt this themselves, and recognized an opportunity to launch a brand new business. Meet Larriyon Smith and Emily Williams. After fifteen years of making Watford City their home, the couple has officially “pulled the trigger” on a dream three years in the making: opening The Tee Box, a state-of-the-art golf simulator facility designed with a little something for everyone: date nights for couples, family fun with the kids, or even practice for serious golfers.
The idea for The Tee Box grew directly out of the family’s own love for the sport. Larriyon is an avid golfer, and the couple’s nine-year-old son, Landyn, is already competing in the junior league. But when the snow hits, keeping a consistent golf swing becomes nearly impossible around here. “I fell in love with the game of golf, and my son Landyn fell in love with the game of golf,” Larriyon said. “We kind of had ourselves thinking ‘How do we keep our swing?’ And if I’m thinking of it, I know other people are thinking it as well.”
That realization pushed Larriyon to finally take the leap with the LLC he’d been working on. “This year was my time. I just finally said, ‘you know, pull the trigger on it.’ I put everything into it. It’s a passion.” While the facility boasts a top-tier TrackMan system, which Smith says is the number one launch monitor on the market, the couple is quick to emphasize that you don’t need a low handicap, or even your own set of clubs, to enjoy it. “It’s not just for golfers, it’s a place to get out, do something different,” Larriyon explained. “Maybe I can catch a young kid that doesn’t know what they like about golf and maybe say, ‘Hey, this kid’s got a nice swing,’ and introduce them to the sport.”
For those who prefer video games over PGA tournaments, the system features engaging, family-friendly games like Tetris and Scrapyard. “What’s cool about that is you see kids, they engage with it, also not knowing they’re learning how to aim in a competitive way,” Larriyon laughed. “My son plays it all the time...he gets competitive, but also he’s learning distance and how to aim. It’s really cool.”
Beyond a practice space for junior athletes, Emily envisions the space filling a much-needed niche for local couples looking for a night out. “Anyone with family knows that winter months are long,” Emily said. “We wanted something else that would be a place for date night or a place to practice and learn...something that could be for everybody, of all ages.”
Running a new business is a massive undertaking, especially when you have four kids keeping you on your toes: 12-year-old Emorie, 9-year-old Landyn, 4-year-old Taylee, and 1-year-old Luca. To make it work, the family is taking a unique, flexible approach to their operating hours. While they offer wide availability, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., the facility operates mostly on a booking basis. “We always encourage bookings, either call or book online. So then that way we can still be active with our kids, because that’s important.
While Larriyon continues his full-time role in oil field business development, Emily is focusing on managing the back end of the business and on her family. For them, The Tee Box is an ultimate family project. “It’s fun to see the different ways that we’ve been able to use the facility just for our family,” Larriyon said. “We’re hoping that other families will enjoy it as much as we do.” Emily added that it is a wonderful opportunity for the children “just seeing the benefits of working hard and pushing for your dreams, too.”
The couple originally moved here from the St. Louis, Missouri area, back in 2011 to help with another family member’s business. They fell in love with the community and never left. “Watford has grown so much, and everyone is so nice,” Larriyon said, noting how welcoming and genuinely supportive the community is. “We love that this is home for our children.”
Following a successful grand opening, the family is pacing themselves for the summer before gearing up for a busy winter season. Future plans include hosting men’s and women’s winter leagues on Wednesday and Thursday nights to keep the golfing community connected when the local outdoor course closes for the season. When asked about his ultimate goals for the business, Larriyon keeps a growth mindset: “I just hope this is received well from the community. That’s the number one goal,” he said. I’m just going to give it my all and then good things will come.”
Ready to swing? To book a session or learn more about the facility, visit theteeboxllc.net or email admin@theteeboxllc.net. The facility is located at 509 16 St NE. Remember to book online or call ahead before heading over.