The Tucson Conquistadores Classic will tee off Friday at Omni Tucson National.
Just a few miles away, the future of golf will be a work in progress.
Tucson’s first Topgolf entertainment venue is set to open this fall at the former site of The Practice Tee, 4050 W. Costco Drive.
The Marana facility will be the third in Arizona, joining locations in Scottsdale and Gilbert. The company has 31 ranges in 21 states and three in England.
Topgolf makes one of sports’ oldest games more accessible to millennials and kids, company officials say. The rapidly expanding chain combines the experience of hitting at the driving range with the environment of a sports bar and the technology used in video games.
Topgolf features climate-controlled tee boxes, an extensive food and drink menu, private rooms for groups, televisions and an area to hang out and listen to music.
Technology is what makes Topgolf different from driving ranges. Golfers hit balls embedded with a microchip into a series of targets located between 20 and 240 yards from the tee. Technology tracks distances and scores.
“The unique thing about us is that you can go to Topgolf and hit a golf ball for the first time, or you can be an experienced golfer that goes out in the mornings and hits a couple rounds of balls for your daily practice,” spokesman Morgan Wallace said.
While concerns have grown that golf’s participation among younger generations has diminished, Topgolf — and features like Forty Niner Country Club’s soccer-themed “FootGolf” — could be just what the sport needs.
The number of golfers in the United States has dipped each of the last six years, according to the National Golf Foundation. Tucson’s public and private courses have been hit hard as well. Both the Forty Niner and Arizona National courses were temporarily closed in the last decade because of financial issues.
National Golf Foundation president Joe Beditz says Topgolf is “very popular” among millennials. The range provides the instant gratification and fast-paced fun that’s noticeably missing from a round of golf. Topgolf has partnered with both the PGA and LPGA on initiatives designed to grow the game.
“All you have to do is go over to (Topgolf) to experience how the game is doing,” Beditz said.
