Approximately 33.5 million Americans played golf, both on-course and off-course, in 2018, according to the National Golf Foundation’s Participation Report. This includes 24.2 million who played on a golf course and another 9.3 million who participated in golf entertainment venues.
Four to five hours is a big block of time to take out of a meeting or conference for an extracurricular activity, and this is what 18 holes take to play. Golf-related activities with a networking component are popular, especially amongst millennials.
Topgolf is a popular venue for corporate groups and its facilities are opening at a rapid rate. This is an activity that appeals to those who don’t want to take the time to play 18 holes, but still want to gather together.
At Topgolf venues, point-scoring games use microchipped balls that instantly show performance data, including accuracy and distance, on a TV screen in the bay. Combine this with chef-driven menus, top-shelf drinks, big-screen TVs, flexible private event spaces, and music. All-inclusive packages are geared for groups that include game play, food, drinks, and a dedicated staff. Private and semi-private event space is available that includes AV equipment, a golf pro, and event swag.
Some of Topgolf’s most recent openings include a three-level, 65,000-square-foot facility in the Denver area, the company’s 56th location worldwide that opened this month.  In June, a three-level, 65,000-square-foot Topgolf opened in Washington, D.C. near National Harbor.
In Florida, two new venues are in the works, one in Lake Mary, and a second in St. Petersburg. Another is being built in Omaha, Topgolf’s first venue in Nebraska.
As the demographics of meeting attendees shift, so does the appeal of golf as a conference activity, and it is finding itself on the agenda in different forms. For some examples, click here. Need help planning a golf tournament? Click here.
More information about Topgolf, can be accessed by clicking here.
