Is Topgolf real golf? I’ve heard that question several times from people I know that play “golf” on a golf course but have never played Topgolf.
I think Topgolf is a great idea and a really good way to get someone who has never played golf an intro to golf. It’s pretty easy for anyone to go and have fun trying to learn how to hit the ball and swing a club. Plus it’s a fun atmosphere with music and food and drinks including alcohol to help anyone enjoy themselves.
But is it for “real” golfers? And by the way, I am in no way associated with Topgolf. This is just my opinion on whether it helps the person that likes to play golf at a golf course.
Things to know about Topgolf
Each golfing bay can hold up to 6 players. If you have more than that you will need to get two bays next to each other.
You first need to sign up to play.
A person at the front will guide you were to start. You must sign up to get assigned a booth to play in. There are three levels to hit from. The bottom is even with the field of play. Then there are 2 more levels above. Based on where you play will indicate a difference in the distance you are hitting. The only venue that I know of that has a 4th floor to hit from is the Topgolf in Las Vegas. It’s reserved for large parties and there is a pool at that location. I got to play there once with a group of people and it was really a great setup. Hopefully more locations will get this, like the Centennial location.
In the field of play there are targets. Depending on which game you play will indicate which target you shoot at. I will go into the types of games below. There are also spots to score points at the very back of the field for those who like to hit the long ball. Usually each bay will have a booklet describing each game and the points available for each section you hit. If not you can always ask some of the helpful staff working at Topgolf.
Each bay has a ball dispenser and on that dispenser the yardage distances for each target are listed. You do have to adjust slightly for the level you are hitting from.
Also, I’ve heard different opinions over time about the Topgolf golf balls you hit. Some say they don’t fly as far as a normal golf ball and others think they are fine. Personally, I think they are just like most driving range balls, some are good and some are not so good. So keep that in mind if you are trying to dial in distances.
Hitting from the golfing bay
As you can imagine, you will be hitting off mats while playing at Topgolf. I realize some people don’t like hitting off mats but if you live where I do it’s almost impossible to find somewhere to hit off grass during the winter months and mats are your only real option.
There are multiple screens available in your booth, some to relay info from the game you are playing and one just for watching TV. It can be fun to have the “game” you want to watch on TV while you are playing golf. Just another bonus at Topgolf.
You will either get a table and chairs to sit at or a couch for when it’s someone else turn. I prefer the table and chairs especially
One of the screens is to choose which game to play. There are lots to choose from which I talk about in the available games section.
Available golf feedback
There are several shot details that you can see at Topgolf. They use Toptracer technology to get the info. And there is a chip of some sort inside the balls. You only use the balls provided at Topgolf
- Ball speed
- Carry distance
- Curve – slice, draw, fade or push. The screen will show you as well as the actual ball flight.
- Shot height – high or low, how much did it go?
- Hang time – how long was the ball in the air
Available games
There are several games to choose at Topgolf. The one recommend and play the most is the Virtual Courses.
- Virtual Courses – Just like a golf simulator you choose from a number of courses depending on which location you are at. For me, most like real golf as you can get.
- Other games that might interest a real golfer – There a lots and I won’t go into all of them here but there is top chip, top shot, closest to the hole, top drive and top pressure to name a few
- Not really a big golfer or with people who haven’t played before? There is Angry Birds which is very much like the regular game. You try to knock over the buildings, virtually of course. Also, there is just top golf where you can hit anywhere you want get points for going in any target.
Conclusion
So to me the answer is yes. Topgolf is great for real golfers. There are lots of options to choose from whether trying to improve your game or just to have fun playing the game. What I think is best is to play one of the many golf simulation courses that Topgolf has to offer. For me personally that is the most fun and just like playing at any simulator. It’s the closest thing to real golf.
So go ahead real golfer, give Topgolf a chance. I think you will enjoy it and you can be working on whatever part of your game you want to improve on, except for putting.
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