In the past year, Topgolf has pushed to broaden its footprint with new products marketed outside of its driving range/entertainment venues.
The company in 2016 bought shot tracking technology TopTracer that is featured on network PGA Tour broadcasts. That same technology, branded as TopTracer Range, is being marketed to private driving ranges all over the world. Topgolf acquired for an undisclosed sum Sweden-based Protracer, which developed the technology that uses cameras and graphics to show the flight of the ball on a TV screen. Software can also replicate famous courses on TV screens in the range bays.
Then there is the Topgolf Crush pop-up venue business that temporarily puts the driving range experience in stadiums and other sports facilities across the country. To date, Topgolf Crush has been to Safeco Field in Seattle, at last year’s BMW Championship near Chicago, last year’s Formula One race in Austin, Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, and Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
The company is also putting its new Topgolf Swing Suite simulator product into more arenas and other entertainment venues. The Atlanta Hawks’ renovation of Philips Arena includes a Topgolf Swing Suite, and the product can be found at the MGM Casino in downtown Detroit, the Four Seasons hotel in downtown Houston, and the Lynx Fitness Club in Boston.
A new business focus is aimed at digital and media content development. Last month, Topgolf launched a channel on Amazon that gives Amazon Prime customers access to Topgolf digital content. The company has partnered with the Golf Channel to create a show called “Shotmakers” based out of Topgolf’s Las Vegas venue, and last year the company created a show featuring a cooking competition between chefs from various Topgolf venues that appears on Topgolf.com and on YouTube.
“The big idea is building a global sports and entertainment community, and all of these elements come together to build that community,” said Erik Anderson, executive chairman of Topgolf Entertainment.
