Golf is a game of the elite. You need to pay a bomb ($300–$10,000 annually) for a golf course membership. This is followed by a mini fortune that you would shell out for additional fees (initiation fees, food/beverage minimums, cart fees, driving range access fee), a good set of golf clubs, golf balls, other accessories and appropriate apparel. Hence, for most golf fascinators, the sport either gets restricted to virtual play or their dreams.
With a similar presumption running in my head, I drove past a huge grassy area guarded by nets held taut by 27 ~150-foot-tall, gigantic poles numerous times when leaving and entering Baltimore at its south end. Located between M&T Bank Stadium and the Horseshoe Casino is this rather sleek, three-story-tall building with channel letters screaming “TOPGOLF_TOPTRACER.” The grass field and the juxtapositioned three-story building share a rather enviable symbiosis. The former houses 11 giant targets to pot micro chipped balls while the latter hosts numerous bays to launch golf balls. The high-tech Toptracer technology allows real-time scoring as players watch balls tear through the wind in a magnificent projectile.
Topgolf was founded 25 years ago in England by twins Steve and Dave Jolliffe, honoring golf with the title of TOP (Target Oriented Practice). It was first launched in the U.S. in Virginia in 2005, with its current headquarters in Dallas, Texas. As of today, it has spread to eight countries — the UK, the U.S., Australia, Mexico, UAE, China, Germany and Thailand (chronologically) with five more joining the club soon — and yet it took me 33 years to cross paths with it.
It was on one fortunate evening, when my husband and I were hosting a friend from Florida, that my curious brain typed “ticket prices for Topgolf” as we aimlessly drove on the bridge that overlooks the glamorous Topgolf field. Awestruck, I triple checked the information thrown at me — $23 per bay per hour, and six people allowed per bay. For real?! I called to make sure it was legit.
The next thing I knew was us walking into Topgolf. The entrance took us to the reception area, where we made our walk-in booking (since we had not already booked online). As we explored further, we were welcomed with Xbox, shuffleboard and foosball — options to stay entertained as we waited for our bay to be ready.
Bays were spread across all three floors. I noticed, if you want to get close to the golf course, book a bay on the first floor, but if you preferred a bird’s POV and like to see your ball traverse the air, pick the third floor. The top-down view was spellbinding, so we took elevators to the top floor with rising excitement.
All bays were pretty spacious, with regulated heaters to allow undeterred play even in winter, a blessing for a person like me who shivers at the mere thought of it. Upon arrival, the HDTV display asked us to log in, and since we were newcomers, we needed to buy a membership with a one-time fee of $5 before logging in. I thought this was reasonable, as I could use my membership across all Topgolf locations, and it would help me record my “golf growth” in the Topgolf app. For instance, my history tab in the Topgolf app showcases my farthest hit of 137 yards. The sport can be enjoyed in a range of versions — Topgolf, TopChip, TopShot, TopPressure, Field Goal Challenge, Angry Birds and many more.
We hastily dug into each of their details on the display before landing on the generic “TOPGOLF” version. I was most impressed by the complete set, which came with complimentary clubs and a special provision for left-handed players. Our experience was embellished with music, delicious food varieties and drinks — my personal favorites were their loaded chicken nachos, cheesy macaroni bites and margherita/farmhouse flatbread with a Topgolf marg.
Hopefully, I have pumped you enough to at least try Topgolf once, and see for yourself whether or not it becomes your go-to activity. I recommend going after sunset to experience a picturesque field and better visibility with the floodlights. For passionate golf lovers, Topgolf also offers golf training sessions at $29 for public classes, $99 for individuals, $129 for groups of two to three, $159 for groups of four to six per hour, and $69 for kids. This is my next area of exploration soon! And one last insider tip: You can call for more balls, out of turn, so that you can then hit for fun even after you are out of your booking time. Enjoy!
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