VENUE
SNAP SHOT
Drive Shack
96 climate-controlled driving bays,
TrackMan Range technology, restau-
rant, bar, full food & beverage service,
retro arcade games, rooftop patio,
300+ TVs, band, DJ on weekends.
72 climate-controlled hitting bays,
Toptracer shot tracker, miniature
golf course, full service restaurant
and bars, rooftop terrace with fire-
pit, private event space & meeting
rooms, 200+ TVs.
28
IF YOU BUILD IT…
One overarching industry question is “has
the appearance of golfertainment places
increased green-grass play?”
Lindsay is the principal of Edgehill Golf
Advisors and has been following the ebb
and flow of golf for more than 30 years. It
troubles him that the NGF counts those
V I R G I N I A G O L F E R | M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 2 0
“The advantage still
goes to the country
clubs and course when
you have members and
people who want the
club and social experi-
ence mixed with golf. A
lot of times golf is just a
conduit for a great
social experience.”
—Rob McNamara
who play at golfertainment venues and
independent simulator locations as golf
participants. “NGF opinion is certain that
all these new ‘digital golfers’ will create
new green golf course demand. On the
other hand there have been over 45 million
visitors to Topgolf over the last four years
(their numbers) while there has been no
meaningful uptick in the number of green
grass golfers.
“Their own numbers also say that about
50 percent of their visitors, 22.5 million,
vsga.org
Topgolf
Topgolf or Drive Shack are like a bowling
alley, driving range and bar/restaurant
coming together. They are completely
different animals than a country club.
However, at the end of the day I don’t think
playing golf is bad for anybody,” he says.
“At Farmington we have our own version of
skills tests and a driving range that is unique
in itself.” McNamara runs a Farmington Skills
Challenge three times a year complete with
music, grill, and more, and has developed a
junior golfer version. “We have every game
you can come up with,” he says. “We are doing
fun things too.” One initiative, in an effort to
maximize time, is the creation of the East
Course with six par threes, three par fours
and a par five that can be played in 75 minutes.
“The advantage still goes to the country
clubs and course when you have members
and people who want the club and social
experience mixed with golf. A lot of times
golf is just a conduit for a great social expe-
rience,” he says.