Is It Entertainment or Is It Sports?
If you’ve played golf more than a couple times in your life, chances are good that you’ve visited a driving range. It can be a great place to work on your game, but it can also be a bit boring.
About 25 years ago, a couple of brothers in the U.K. thought the same thing and decided to try something new. They embedded microchips in golf balls, so that distance and accuracy could be tracked, they added loud music, bright lights, a full-service bar and food, and they brought the tee box inside, so that the game became weather-proof. They named it Topgolf, with the first facility opened in Watford in 2000.
Fast-forward 26 years and there are more than 100 locations around the world, from the United States to Australia, Germany, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates. If you’ve been around the country, chances are you’ve seen one…it looks like a huge elephant cage, visible from miles away.
How Topgolf Works
The Topgolf facility has a three-story building at one end of an oval parcel of land. On each level of that building are hitting bays, with the tees spaced about 11 feet apart. Each bay has a high top table for food and beverages, seating for up to 8 and a TV screen. The tees look out over what resembles an outfield, a grassy area that is enclosed in a fence that goes up about 10 stories. The farthest netting is about 250 yards from the tee boxes. Each bay is also stocked with various types and sizes of golf clubs, but you can bring your own.
To play, you use a touchscreen monitor to choose from more than 12 games. Most are based on accuracy (there are targets on the field). The balls come from a ball dispenser. When you wave your club over it, a ball pops up. The ball has RFID technology inside to track your shot. You get points based on how close you come to specific targets.
Geared for the Masses
Much of the setup of Topgolf is designed to appeal to individuals seeking fun and entertainment. There’s no dress code and you don’t need to bring any of your own equipment. Whereas live golf courses limit the number of people playing together to four, Topgolf allows six to play and provides room for up to 8 per hitting bay. It can be cheaper, too, because you rent the bay, rather than paying greens fees per person. Because of the tall fence, it’s almost impossible to lose your ball in Topgolf, so you won’t have penalty shots or need to worry about mulligans. The large targets, loud music and bright lights make it feel like you’re in an arcade. Best of all, you have access to full-service food and bar menus.
Topgolf has far less appeal to serious golfers, for a number of reasons. It can be expensive, if you just want to hit balls. The balls typically don’t travel as far and as true as other golf balls. The loud music and raucous behavior of those around can be distracting.
Topgolf—Sports as Entertainment, Rather than Competition
If you’re looking for something fun and different, where you don’t have to have any particular skill and can hang out with friends and family, consider Topgolf.
