Inspiring Conversations with Daniel Booker of Franklin Golf Lab

Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Booker.

Hi Daniel , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in West Tennessee playing on the Tennessee Golf Foundation’s junior tour, and that experience shaped a huge part of my journey. Competing as a junior gave me a love for the game, a foundation of discipline, and the chance to measure myself against some of the best players in the state. It was during those years that my personal motto of Continuous Improvement was born.

Those successes on the TGF junior tour opened the door for me to achieve my dream of playing Division I golf at Belmont University. During my time there, I was honored to be named Freshman of the Year and earn All-Conference honors. After graduating, I was fortunate to step immediately into a coaching role as the Assistant Coach at Belmont while also beginning my work with the Tennessee Golf Foundation. Those two opportunities gave me an incredible perspective on the game — not just as a player, but as a coach and teacher — and allowed me to fully develop my philosophy of Continuous Improvement.

Over the years, I built a strong following as a teacher and eventually became the Director of the TPGA Junior Golf Academy — an academy I once attended as a young junior, which made the experience a full-circle moment. That role allowed me to coach and develop some of the most talented juniors in the region, which only deepened my passion for player development.

All of those experiences — from competing as a kid, to playing in college, to coaching at every level — have led me to my next chapter: creating Franklin Golf Lab. It’s the facility I always envisioned, one that blends world-class technology with a true community environment for golfers in Franklin who want to better their game. At its core, it’s built around Continuous Improvement — the belief that as long as we show up consistently and intentionally, the pursuit of becoming better is never-ending

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but I think that’s where the growth comes from. As a junior and college player, there were plenty of struggles — dealing with setbacks in tournaments, managing expectations, and learning how to bounce back when things didn’t go my way. Those moments taught me resilience and gave me empathy for what every golfer experiences when they’re trying to get better. We’ve all been there, which is why all golfers can relate with each other in respect to the grind.

On the coaching side, one of the biggest challenges was balancing all the roles I had early on. I was coaching at Belmont, working with the Tennessee Golf Foundation, and building my own lesson book all at once. It was exciting, but it also meant long days, constant learning, and plenty of trial and error. Over time, those challenges forced me to sharpen my skills and find clarity in the type of coach I wanted to be.

Most recently, the hardest decision was leaving a stable position at the Tennessee Golf Foundation to take a leap of faith and launch Franklin Golf Lab. Anytime you walk away from comfort to pursue a vision, there are risks. But I believed in the mission and the idea that golfers in our area deserved a facility like this. Looking back, every obstacle has been an opportunity — and they’ve all reinforced my belief in Continuous Improvement, both for myself and for the players I coach.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Franklin Golf Lab is a state-of-the-art indoor training facility built around the idea of Continuous Improvement. We specialize in combining world-class technology — TrackMan, Swing Catalyst dual force plates, multi-angle cameras, and PuttView — with personalized coaching to give players of all levels access to the same tools the best players in the world use.

What sets us apart is the environment we’ve created. We’re not just a lesson tee or a simulator bay — we’re a true development lab. Every session or booking is intentional, whether it’s a junior preparing for college golf, an amateur trying to lower their handicap, or someone just looking to enjoy the game more. Our philosophy is rooted in long-term growth rather than quick fixes, which is why players come to us not just for renting a bay for an hour to slap golf balls, but for a roadmap to becoming their best.

I’m most proud of the brand we’ve built because it reflects both professionalism and community. Franklin Golf Lab is designed to feel like a home base for golfers in the middle TN area — a place where technology meets coaching, but also where people feel supported and motivated. We want our players to know that our mission goes beyond swing mechanics or bay rentals: it’s about influencing lives through golf and providing an environment where showing up with intentionality and purpose leads to real progress.

Whether you’re a competitive junior, a college player, or someone picking the game back up, Franklin Golf Lab is here to help you improve in a way that’s structured, measurable, and sustainable.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My biggest advice is to embrace the process and not get caught up in instant results. When I was starting out, I thought success was about having the perfect swing or the perfect tournament right away. What I’ve learned is that progress comes from consistently showing up, being intentional, and staying patient through the ups and downs.

I wish I had understood earlier that growth isn’t always linear — you’ll have setbacks, slumps, and doubts, but those are often the moments where the biggest breakthroughs happen. Golf mirrors life in that way.

That’s why my motto has always been Continuous Improvement. If you commit to learning a little each day, to stacking small wins, and to staying disciplined even when it’s not easy, the results will come. So my advice: fall in love with the process, and trust that the work you put in will pay off

Pricing:

• Fairway Club – $299
• Players Lounge – $399
• Tour Card – $499
• Junior Lesson – $120
• Adult Lesson $150

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.franklingolflab.com
• Instagram: @thedbjgolf / @franklingolflab