Augusta National it’s not.
But in just a short time, Topgolf International has exploded onto the scene as one of the most popular golf and entertainment venues around.
The company has 18 facilities in the United Kingdom and United States, with plans to open 10 a year.
Last month, Topgolf announced plans to open a facility in Tulsa. Company officials were in town Monday to discuss two possible locations to build: the Mid-Continent Concrete plant site on the west bank of the Arkansas River at 21st Street and Jackson Avenue; and downtown between Fourth and Sixth streets and Lansing and Frankfurt avenues, according to pre-development plans submitted to the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission.
“These are two of many locations we are looking at right now,” said Zach Shor, Topgolf’s real estate vice president.
He cautioned that those sites are not on the top of the company’s list of possible Tulsa locations.
“They were just two we had questions about,” he said.
One site being considered by Topgolf would be in the East Village between Fourth and Sixth streets./Map provided
If you’ve never heard of Topgolf, think of the dogwoods and the azaleas and the lush green fairways of Augusta National, home of The Masters golf tournament, and then kiss that image goodbye.
Because Topgolf is not Augusta National, but boy is it fun.
Billed as the place where “competitive golf meets your favorite local hangout,” Topgolf is a combination golf course, restaurant and entertainment center.
Topgolf is not your traditional golf course. Courtesy image
Picture a three-story-high driving range where golfers compete against each other to see who can hit the ball farthest or closest to one of about 15 pins laid out before them.
Each ball has a microchip in it to allow for automated scoring. Depending on the game, golfers can play against the party of friends they came with, or against anyone in the place.
Food is delivered right to the golfing bays, and big-screen televisions with live sports abound.
Wannabe golfers can take lessons and kids have a special area to play. Some nights, golfers are entertained with live music.
The driving range is enclosed in netting to ensure that golf balls don’t end up in windshields or other unwelcomed destinations.
Topgolf is also considering the Mid-Continent Concrete plant site as a home for its Tulsa Facility./Map provided
Topgolf would be the second golf and entertainment venue coming to the Tulsa area. The Muscogee (Creek) Nation and RW Restaurant Group has announced it plans to build a $22 million FlyingTee Entertainment and Golf Complex at RiverWalk Crossing in Jenks.
Shor said the early success of Topgolf’s Oklahoma City facility, which opened less than a month ago, has him anxious to get one open in Tulsa.
“It has really kind of put a fire behind us to get something done,” he said. “We would like to have something done yesterday.”
That’s not happening, of course. And Shor wouldn’t put any timeline on the project. But typically it takes about nine months to build a Topgolf facility, he said, so the earliest Tulsans can hope to book a tee time is next year.
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