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12 June 2026 | BeaufortLifestyle.comrequired to build something meant to last. %u201cThe egret felt like the quiet, graceful side of the Lowcountry we fell in love with,%u201d Chad explains. %u201cAnd iron represents both the golf connection and our commitment to building something solid and lasting in this community.%u201dTAKING THE LEAP The transition from idea to reality required a leap of faith that temporarily turned their %u201cslower pace of life%u201d into a whirlwind of major milestones. After closing on their home in July 2024, they spent months navigating construction, permits and the countless details of launching a business in a new town. Egret & Iron opened its doors in July 2025, and somewhere in between, they got engaged last October. %u201cIt%u2019s been a lot of big life things all at once,%u201d Andrea admits, laughing. %u201cNew city, new house, new business, engagement. But in a weird way, it all feels connected. Egret & Iron is part of how we%u2019re building our life here.%u201d Those early weeks tested their confidence. %u201cDuring the first few hours of day one, we looked at each other like, %u2018Okay ... is anyone coming?%u2019%u201d Chad recalls. %u201cOpening a small, local business, you%u2019re competing with a million things for people%u2019s time and money. There%u2019s always that uncertainty.%u201dWHAT THEY BUILT Today, Egret & Iron stands as the largest indoor golf simulator facility in the Lowcountry, from Myrtle Beach to Savannah. Four separate bays, each designed as a private lounge with comfortable leather seating and vintage golf d%u00e9cor, line the main space. High-definition screens display realistic course graphics while professional-grade launch monitors and highspeed cameras capture every detail of each swing %u2014 distance, ball speed, club path, launch angle, and spin rate %u2014 providing instant feedback that helps players improve. The technology makes golf accessible in ways that surprise even Chad. %u201cSo many different types of people come in here: people who live in neighborhoods that don%u2019t have a golf course, people who live and breathe golf, beginners, older people who can%u2019t walk the course or be out in the heat anymore, people recovering from injury, threeyear-olds, high school players working on their game. This is the best deal in golf in the Lowcountry.%u201d But the detail that matters most to both owners is this: Visitors are connecting with each other and having fun. The welcoming bar, free wi-fi, and deliberately inclusive atmosphere mean that Egret & Iron functions as much as a community gathering space as a golf facility. Andrea%u2019s influence is evident throughout the space, from the thoughtful layout that ensures nongolfers feel comfortable to the inclusive programming that welcomes absolute beginners. %u201cI wanted someone to be able to walk in, know nothing about golf, and still feel completely at home,%u201d she says. %u201cThat was nonnegotiable for me.%u201dPARTNERSHIP IN ACTION While Chad handles the day-to-day operations and much of the vision behind the business, Andrea, who continues her fulltime career, plays a key role in shaping the atmosphere, ideas and community-focused direction of Egret & Iron. %u201cI may be the one on the floor most days,%u201d Chad says, %u201cbut we really work together to make all of this possible.%u201d Their complementary skills have proven essential as the business has grown beyond their initial projections. The facility now hosts private events including birthday parties, corporate outings, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and charity tournaments, with full catering and bar service available.GIVING BACK From the beginning, Chad and Andrea committed to making Egret & Iron a genuine community partner, not just a business that happens to be located in Beaufort. They actively support local causes including Young Life, Nemours Wildlife Foundation, CAPA%u2019s Dancing with Our Stars, Beaufort High School athletic teams, Beaufort Academy, and Riverview Charter School, sometimes through fundraising tournaments, sometimes through donated time and space. %u201cThis community is aligned with what%u2019s important to us,%u201d Chad reflects. %u201cIf we%u2019re going to be a community hub, we need to invest in the community that supports us.%u201dLOOKING AHEAD Ten months after opening, Egret & Iron is exceeding expectations, though Chad remains characteristically focused on growth. %u201cI%u2019m always moving the goal post,%u201d he says. %u201cThere%u2019s so much room for what we can become here.%u201d The business they never intended to start has become the center of the life they%u2019re building together in Beaufort: a place where a stormy Saturday night means a full house, where three-year-olds and retirees share the same space comfortably, and where the question isn%u2019t whether you can play golf, but whether you%u2019re ready to be part of something larger. %u201cThe golf is what gets people through the door,%u201d Chad says. %u201cBut what%u2019s been really meaningful is watching people start to feel like this place belongs to them, too.%u201dAndrea checks on the latest golf apparel selection.