When a company is eyeing a potential $4 billion IPO, standing still is not an option.
That’s why Topgolf has announced a pair of new concepts that are ready to launch in various places around the country, highlighted by Topgolf Augusta, which is set to open to the public in a few short months in conjunction with the Masters Tournament in mid-April.
Topgolf Augusta will be a first-of-its-kind communal concept that is designed to enhance the non-golf aspects of the traditional Topgolf experience while still offering some groundbreaking technology in the bays that golfers and nongolfers have come to know and enjoy over the years.
“We wanted to open this new extension of our brand first in Augusta because we have tremendous respect for the game and we also think we’re part of the more inclusive future of golf,” Topgolf Entertainment Group CEO Dolf Berle said, according to Forbes. “Augusta has welcomed us and we very much look forward to being part of the history of golf in our own small way going forward.”
.@Topgolf will debut its new one-story venue concept in Augusta, GA, during #Masters week. 36 bays, mini golf, backyard games, live music stage, fire pits, and more:https://t.co/lulN0bvpMR #golf #sportsbiz @ForbesSports
— Erik Matuszewski (@ematuszewski) February 5, 2020
The new concept will feature 36 bays on a single story and have all the traditional Topgolf games that players have come to expect with one key improvement: Toptracer Range ball-tracking software, which will combine what you see on television and replace the typical micochip-embedded balls that are used for scoring at typical Topgolf locations. Similarly, there won’t be the in-ground targets as the Toptracer technology can simulate the scoring for patrons.
“We realized that a single-level venue, provided we had all those other dimensions, could be viable,” Berle said. “When we combine that with our Toptracer technology which allows for really great ball-tracking along with a gamified digital experience, then we realized we had the essence of the Topgolf experience with some important new dimensions that could make this an exciting extension of the brand.”
Aside from the bays, Topgolf Augusta will feature an open-concept that has a heavy emphasis on the entertainment side of Topgolf. From yard games such as giant Jenga and cornhole to a 9-hole mini-golf course, the communal area will also feature seating areas around firepits, picnic-style dining tables and even a live music stage.
Elsewhere, Topgolf is downsizing in hopes of making its mark on more dense urban areas. The 4.5 acre range is not a realistic possibility in a lot of high-density areas, so this week Topgolf launched its first small-footprint location in Kirkland, Washington, just outside of Seattle, a concept which is called Lounge by Topgolf.
The concept features five simulator bays called “Swing Suites” where golfers can play up to 84 different courses as well as other games, such as baseball, football, hockey and Zombie Dodgeball, according to a RestaurantBusinesOnline.com story.
Introducing Lounge by Topgolf! Our first location opens this week outside of Seattle. #LoungexTopgolf https://t.co/VFqCGTzvq9
— Topgolf (@Topgolf) January 22, 2020
The Lounge by Topgolf is designed to be an elevated dining experience, which will give way to a high-quality menu for the 225 guests it can seat. The idea is to suit Topgolfers who fall into one of three genres: those who simply want to hit some golf balls, those who would like to play golf while dining and those who want to watch while dining.
