Topgolf Crush combines elements of the 15th-century sport invented in Scotland with the feel of a video game and a dash of millennial verve.
The combination has made it an alluring draw for owner Topgolf International Inc., based in Dallas — and could help a sport that is facing declining participation nationwide, especially among the young.
Topgolf Crush players hit the ball from an elevated platform toward large circular bins, up to 140 yards away, and receive points for landing in the bins or at least getting near them. The event is set up in Austin this weekend for the Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas that runs from Oct. 20-22 — the first time it has been set up at a race track.
Nearly 60 percent of Topgolf customers nationwide are millennials and more than 33 percent are female, said Jeehae Lee, Topgolf Crush director and a former professional golfer who went to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania after her playing days ended.
Topgolf Crush debuted earlier this year and has already visited National Football League stadiums and Major League Baseball parks.
"You can get instant feedback on every one of your shots," Lee said. "There's great satisfaction in seeing where your ball landed on screen — and then getting points for it."
When Topgolf Crush was held in September at the BMW Championship, a PGA playoff tournament in the Chicago area, Lee said top pro golfers like James Hahn and Marc Leishman, the eventual tournament champion, loved competing against one another for the top score.
"We couldn't get them out of the bays," she said.
COTA presented some unique challenges. Topgolf Crush is set up outside the grandstands, on a hill looking over the track's exciting turn one — a steep climb into a blind left turn. That meant the occasional visit during the night by livestock. But it also gave the company more freedom to customize the game's layout.
To help set the mood, there will be a DJ on site spinning throughout the weekend, plus food and beverage service, and a VIP tent that could come in handy if the rain that is expected rolls through.
COTA reached out to Topgolf to bring on another amenity outside of the race itself (you don't need an F1 ticket to play Topgolf Crush). There are also concerts featuring Justin Timberlake and Stevie Wonder, and there's even a Ferris wheel set up on the grounds. It's all part of expanding the fan experience at the track, Lee said.
"As an avid golfer and someone who cares deeply about the sport, I love what we're doing for the business of golf," she said.
