Top Golf is...

[William_G]

just another excuse to get drunk:


http://www.golf.com/extra-spin/2017/05/17/watch-man-whiffs-falls-topgolf-balcony?xid=nl_news

folks don't need another excuse in the first place

two, the man walked straight off the balcony after swinging and thus fell into a net

three, Topgolf is fun for everyone who goes there, whether they play golf or not

and four, it is fun whether you drink or not while participating

[Ben Malach]

Top Golf is the natural final phase of the monetization of the golf experience.
It takes the most basic and prevalent form of golf "The Driving Range" and marries it to overpriced food and beverages. Both of which are the major areas where clubs make money on golf. The development of Top Golf over real golf is that the land cost is significantly reduced due to the limited acreage required.  Also upkeep would be also be reduced due to the range area being artificial turf and the playing field having auto ball return on the targets meaning that you can focus your staff more on the customer experience rather than on picking and maintaining the range. 
The other huge benefit is that the experience is easier to replicate than that of a successful golf experience. The moving pieces involved in building a strong top golf experience are more similar to that of a good sports bar. Where as building and developing a good club takes years and lots of investment that will have little return for value.
These facts lead me to believe that Top Golf style developments are here to stay whether we enjoy them or not.
One final thing that has always irritated me about Top Golf is the constant hype about growing the game. Yes part of it is marketing but I think that there is a group of people that believe that that Top Golf is one of the keys to introducing people to the game. On this I personally disagree. I spend three years of my life working at a driving range with targets and a bar. I saw a lot of people coming to the driving range to hang out and hit balls. But would I consider these customers golfers, no I don’t think so. I just like how I don’t consider myself a singer because I like to go to Karaoke bars. I saw the same thing with the people that would come on a date or to hang out. It was not about getting better at the skill at hand it was just doing something for the momentary hope of glory.
This myth that driving ranges create golfers is one of the hardest to confront demons of the growth of global golf. That is not to say that it does not happen but the group of people that self select to become range golfers are also the group that I saw buy the most golf related product. But golf should not be about converting people into consumers but about creating a community that enjoys nature and spending time in the company of like minded individuals. The major issue of range golf is that it is so divorced from the actual playing of the sport that it makes using it as a point of introduction into the game almost laughable. I personally believe that if you want to successfully introduce people to the game of golf short course and putting courses do a better job than any driving range ever will. As the student is learning about the game holistically instead of the theory of how the parts fit together without consequence. 

[Steve_ Shaffer]

As a business concept, Top Golf works; however, it's not golf just as a driving range or even miniature golf  is not golf. Yes, even some users of TG may "take up" golf just as some miniature golfers or driving range users may do so. I doubt the number of TG users who
" take up" golf will be significant. Take a look at their website: https://topgolf.com/us/ Do they give golf lessons? Not mentioned.


As an aside, the  "active adult" residential golf community where I live recently started a putting club. There are now 300 members. Many have started lessons with our teaching pros and some have ventured onto one of our courses that has yellow tees of about 1800y per 9. We are " growing the game." Let's see if TG does.

[Garland Bayley]

Garland - you say above,


"I can play my favorite local muni for $16 to $25. To hit the ball as many times as I would in a round of golf, I would have to stay for an hour, which is more expensive than real golf at my favorite muni, and takes 1/4 the time. So the only savings I see is time."
BOOM.....!!!!
As Mike H says above, that is the audience for TG that sees golf taking too much F-ing time!!
And, since they can listen to music, watch TV, look at their phones, talk to their friends AND hit some balls, they have found the solution and it is called Top Golf.
QED.

Yep, that's what we need, more people that appreciate petrochemical grass, and awful music.
I'll stick to the course thank you very much. 

[Kalen Braley]

JK,


Sorry you dislike your wife's company so much, thats a bummer man!

[William_G]

As a business concept, Top Golf works; however, it's not golf just as a driving range or even miniature golf  is not golf. Yes, even some users of TG may "take up" golf just as some miniature golfers or driving range users may do so. I doubt the number of TG users who
" take up" golf will be significant. Take a look at their website: https://topgolf.com/us/ Do they give golf lessons? Not mentioned.


As an aside, the  "active adult" residential golf community where I live recently started a putting club. There are now 300 members. Many have started lessons with our teaching pros and some have ventured onto one of our courses that has yellow tees of about 1800y per 9. We are " growing the game." Let's see if TG does.

LOL, is the putting club another excuse to drink?  just like my wife's book club, hahaha, I mean wine club

so serious you be

[David_Elvins]

TopGolf is...an amazing story.




I heard the Dallas facility turns over $70mil a year with profit well into 8 figures.  Full credit to the people who designed and executed the concept.

[Terry Lavin]

It is OT. 

[noonan]

Top Golf is the natural final phase of the monetization of the golf experience.
It takes the most basic and prevalent form of golf "The Driving Range" and marries it to overpriced food and beverages. Both of which are the major areas where clubs make money on golf. The development of Top Golf over real golf is that the land cost is significantly reduced due to the limited acreage required.  Also upkeep would be also be reduced due to the range area being artificial turf and the playing field having auto ball return on the targets meaning that you can focus your staff more on the customer experience rather than on picking and maintaining the range. 
The other huge benefit is that the experience is easier to replicate than that of a successful golf experience. The moving pieces involved in building a strong top golf experience are more similar to that of a good sports bar. Where as building and developing a good club takes years and lots of investment that will have little return for value.
These facts lead me to believe that Top Golf style developments are here to stay whether we enjoy them or not.
One final thing that has always irritated me about Top Golf is the constant hype about growing the game. Yes part of it is marketing but I think that there is a group of people that believe that that Top Golf is one of the keys to introducing people to the game. On this I personally disagree. I spend three years of my life working at a driving range with targets and a bar. I saw a lot of people coming to the driving range to hang out and hit balls. But would I consider these customers golfers, no I don’t think so. I just like how I don’t consider myself a singer because I like to go to Karaoke bars. I saw the same thing with the people that would come on a date or to hang out. It was not about getting better at the skill at hand it was just doing something for the momentary hope of glory.
This myth that driving ranges create golfers is one of the hardest to confront demons of the growth of global golf. That is not to say that it does not happen but the group of people that self select to become range golfers are also the group that I saw buy the most golf related product. But golf should not be about converting people into consumers but about creating a community that enjoys nature and spending time in the company of like minded individuals. The major issue of range golf is that it is so divorced from the actual playing of the sport that it makes using it as a point of introduction into the game almost laughable. I personally believe that if you want to successfully introduce people to the game of golf short course and putting courses do a better job than any driving range ever will. As the student is learning about the game holistically instead of the theory of how the parts fit together without consequence. 

Agree 100%


The Top Golf customer has to have constant stimulation.


There is scoring in TG correct? Wait until the interest in TG wanes. They will start running tournaments too!

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Who is the architect of the TG courses? 


Our Putting Club meets once weekly in the early morning and our bar isn't open when their "tournaments" conclude. They don't even help our F&B. 

[/size]TG is a great business concept if those numbers are to be believed.  The big question is if they can continue at this pace. [size=78%]

[Kalen Braley]

Jerry,


The scoring is the best part about it.  There are multiple different games to play and the buggy computer keeps track of everything...


The group is just charged by the hour to use the stall.

[Jay Mickle]

Top golf is.......TOPGOLF.
                .......a fun, food, beverage, people watching, sem-athletic center for families, hookups, and maybe golfers.
                .......a great business for our hyper ADHD times.
                .......not worthy of a GCA thread unless we start to address the architectural merits of the different locations.

[John Kavanaugh]

Where would have the $70 million gone in Dallas if TopGolf didn't exist? Someone, most likely us, is getting hurt.

[Eric Smith]

John,


For a man who has played Butt Golf I would think you'd enjoy a go at Top Golf.

[Mark Pavy]

Where would have the $70 million gone in Dallas if TopGolf didn't exist? Someone, most likely us, is getting hurt.

 

[Bruce Wellmon]

Opens in Charlotte soon. I want to go. 

[David_Tepper]

.....20% owned by Callaway.

[Steve Lang]

   definitely more fun than Putt-Putt or the indoor black light version(s) thereof


   cash flow from tee time inventory ++++




and at at least one location I know, they do teach golf, on the top level, if not at a top level...

[Ian Mackenzie]

Where would have the $70 million gone in Dallas if TopGolf didn't exist? Someone, most likely us, is getting hurt.

Naw...if you take what is said here at face value, the venues being impacted by TG's patronage are:


1. Bowling alleys
2. Sports bars
3. Amusement parks
4. Mini-Golf
5. etc.


You appear to be seeking some "zero sum game" smoking gun that indicts Top Golf as an evil new entity destined to usurp needed green fees at fledgling public courses.


Just dont see it.

[John Kavanaugh]

Naw, I'm sure the hoovies in the world that come home and brag to their wives how TopGolf only cost $60 for a day aren't going to have an issue charming ole Ben out of her purse for a weekend golfing. This signals the end of millennial golf.

[BHoover]

Naw, I'm sure the hoovies in the world that come home and brag to their wives how TopGolf only cost $60 for a day aren't going to have an issue charming ole Ben out of her purse for a weekend golfing. This signals the end of millennial golf.

Drinking early already! I haven't been to a Top Golf, but I have heard they serve booze.


How about a 2017 BuddyUp! outing at a Top Golf?

[Brian Finn]

...

[V_Halyard]

....a fantastic new venue to expose golf to more people.


....a shrewd timely idea that appeals to the trends of today's entertainment seeker.


....a great place for newbies to learn the fundamentals before venturing to a golf course and creating a 5.5 hour round behind John Kavanaugh....;-)


....a way to make golf less stuffy, less steeped in elitism and less expensive


....a welcome breath of fresh air.


....a really fun thing to do at night with a bunch of your friends.

An great party place to get some swings in and socialize with non-golfers in a way that does not frustrate a golfer.

[V_Halyard]

They just announced that they are opening/building one here in the Twin Cities. They are buying a 15 acre plot of land that is currently home to a 20-plex movie theater.


I've been to a couple of their facilities, one in Chicago and one in Kansas City. I'm always amazed at their popularity. I don't think I would want to visit one once a week, but every once in a while it's not the worst thing to hit a few balls and drink beer. It's certainly more fun than going to one of those industrial park golf simulator setups.


I'll be curious to see how Top Golf does here in Minnesota. I'm sure it will do great in the warm months, but there isn't an overhead space heater in the world big enough to make a -30* wind chill feel warm!

Don't you guys have dome in storage somewhere up there? LOL.

[John Kavanaugh]

Take a look at all these happy people on the TopGolf website and ask yourself why would they give all that up to play golf. Charity scrambles maybe, long term avid golf...see ya.


https://topgolf.com/us/overland-park/play/golf-lessons/