A Costa Rican National, Dale W Wood is a renowned investor and the founder of Dale Ventures.
He founded the venture capital firm Dale Ventures in 2017 after being in the domain for more than 20 years. The venture investment firm is headquartered in Dubai and has invested in companies operating in media, tech, business, consumer services, finance, and real estate in its portfolio.
Quoting Dale Wood,
“Ideas come and go. But it’s hard work, careful execution, and unending persistence that make a great company.”
It’s on this premise that the investor realized his life-long dream after decades of hard work, failing forward, and challenging lessons. Dale Wood undertook an MBA in International Business from Southern Methodist University’s Edwin L. Cox School of Business. After this, he worked for people to discover his passions and the things he didn’t enjoy. For example, holding mid-level marketing and recruitment roles showed him that he wasn’t cut for a 9-5. Dale W Wood then sought roles that allowed him to travel abroad and serve in various capacities, such as CEO, founder, investor, and CEO in internet-based businesses.
This quest for something more meaningful became his lifelong mission to help promising entrepreneurs establish and make their mark in the technology, media, retail, real estate, and finance industries. Over the last few years, Wood used his venture firm to transform great ideas into the next big reality by investing money, time, and other resources.
In June 2021, through Dale Ventures, Wood acquired a majority stake in Dubai-based X-Golf entertainment, a golf company using tech to change the sport experienced by players and fans worldwide. Speaking on the investment, Wood said he couldn’t miss the opportunity to invest X-Golf’s ambitious plans for technological innovation and expanded access to an otherwise exclusive sport.
Dale Ventures mentioned that their investment in X-Golf would help the golf company execute its vision as a leading tech sports firm and capitalize on golf’s increasing popularity in the Middle East.
Dale W Wood, an avid golfer, acknowledges how X-Golf has made it possible for people like him to play the sport anywhere and despite the weather. “Virtual Technology Brings in the New Era of Sports. An avid golfer myself, I know all too well the draw of the game. I am positive X-Golf’s stunning simulators and stimulating environments will help to transform what it means to play recreationally. “, he stated.
About X-Golf Entertainment
Established in 2005 in South Korea, X-Golf has sold over 3000 systems worldwide. It is celebrating its 29th franchise in the USA, opening up another 20 venues in 2021.
The company’s state-of-the-art simulators provide players unmatched realism and accuracy. Its technology is made up of high-tech camera systems, impact sensors, infrared lasers, and advanced gaming software, which enable precision training, virtual gaming, competitions, golf lessons, and social events. Players of all ages, gender, and experience can comfortably find playmaking X-Golf ideal for parties, work events, corporate events, and buck’s nights.
Virtual Technology and Its Future Growth
While the epicenter remains the game in sports, technology has been embraced to take the game to a new connected level. When golf is mentioned, tech is not exactly the first thing that comes to mind. However, the entire golf landscape is gravitating towards technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and data analytics.
The principal appeal of VR and AR in sport lies in their potential to deliver immersive experiences which can give fans and players a front-row seat from the comfort of their homes. For all the heightened interest in VR and related tech in sports, many people are still skeptical. Critics particularly comment that the current technology does not deliver a fully immersive virtual gaming and viewing experience.
Once sports content creators get more familiar with VR and AR broadcasting, this is bound to change. The onset of networking technologies such as 5G and others may also help the quality of experience for golfers and golf fans.
Post Covid-19 Rise in Opportunities
Post-pandemic scenes in golfing and other sports are changing thanks to technology. 33% of golfers in the USA participate exclusively in off-course golfing activities at golf simulators such as X-Golf and TopGolf. This percentage hugely outstripped the participation growth on course. And this statistic grows when it comes to younger golfers, 46% of whom golfed off-course.
Golf has an ever-expanding demographic globally. This puts X-Golf Entertainment, Topgolf Entertainment, and other tech companies innovating in the space on the leader’s trail in an industry that has so much growth potential.
Speaking on the opportunities they are exploiting, Madeleine Curran, the joint Managing Director of X-Golf entertainment, talked about the significance of having Dale Ventures onboard their vision. “X-Golf is playing an important role in modernizing the sport and entertaining a new generation of players and ‘competitive’ socializers alike.
The backing of Dale Ventures through our new partnership will enable us to capitalize on the opportunity ahead fully. It’s an exciting time,
This Industry Is Positioned for Explosive Growth
X-Golf has an ambitious and forward-looking vision for growth in the Middle East, with plans underway to establish the region’s first large-scale urban sports bar and golf club, together with a fleet of luxury commercial and residential projects in the tourism and hospitality space. Having Dale Ventures backing them will help carry and execute its vision, capitalizing on the increased interest of the sport in the region.
Some of the factors contributing to their popularity are an unforeseen development boom in the Middle East, the region’s scorching heat, and a growing emphasis on leisure and luxury activities.
Bottom line
The pandemic has changed how many things are experienced and how people interact, and sports, a heavily interpersonal industry is no different. From the playing to the spectating, everything is changing. It’s therefore exciting to see companies like X-Golf leveraging technology to create a safer viewing and playing experience for golfers worldwide. Having firms like Dale ventures investing in this is a testament that there lie massive opportunities in the space. Dale W Wood feel pride in adopting a consultative approach in harnessing the power of revolutionary companies to create and develop groundbreaking ideas and see to their long-term success. We can only watch this space over how their partnership with X-Golf transforms golfing in the Middle East.
Read more:
“Virtual Technology Bring New Era of Sports” – X Golf’s Investor Dale W Wood