A modest tee shot from the Boeing aircraft manufacturing plant in Renton, Wash., golf balls are flying at a new Topgolf sports and entertainment center that opened Friday.
Topgolf Renton-Seattle is the company’s 78th location and first in Washington state, and golfers of all skill levels flocked to the resort amid a heat wave to hit balls, play games, eat , drink and drink in the atmosphere.
Topgolf uses Toptracer, a ball-tracking technology that powers the golf cart experience. Each ball hit from 102 different lanes on three levels is monitored by cameras that instantly transmit data such as speed and distance back to letters. Golfers can play games like “Angry Birds” or “Jewel Jam,” or pretend to shoot on world-famous courses.
But being a good golfer isn’t a match for the course.
“Seventy-five percent of the people who come here don’t consider themselves golfers or have never swung a golf club before,” Paul Howard, director of operations for the facility, told GeekWire at the time. it’s a vacation. “It’s kind of a misconception that Topgolf is just about golf. It’s more about having a good time, hanging out with friends.
“And of course all of this,” he added, pointing to more than 65,000 square feet of space that includes multiple bars, outdoor patios, lounges, private meeting rooms, large conference room, three bay simulator Swing Suite, and more. .
Topgolf arrives as the tech golf culture is on the rise in the Seattle area. Five Iron Golf, an indoor golf course with 10 other locations in the US, opened in the Capitol Hill neighborhood in March. Hip-hop star Macklemore, who also owns the Bogey Boys golf store, owns a stake in the Five Iron and will be a celebrity ambassador.
Renton is one of two Topgolf “Standard” locations, meaning it comes with more bells and whistles than one of the company’s regular locations.
The lower level features the architectural design of the central atrium and two large video screens for broadcasting any major sports. on TV. There is a grocery store, bar, shuffleboard, air hockey and foosball tables. Outside there are more TVs, games and fire pits on patios on every level.
The space can accommodate hundreds of people and Howard expects them to be close by the end of the week, as the place is already sold out with reservations for Saturday. While they’re on tour, Topgolf also hosts special events.
“We think of an event with everything from Johnny’s 10th birthday party, for the two [hit] bays, to the Boeing sale from the whole house,” Howard said.
The location, 30 minutes south of Seattle, feels “central,” Howard said, and Topgolf believes it will draw from a wide variety of locations in the state as well as major technology companies in the Puget Sound region.
“In other places, people will drive two to three hours just to get to Topgolf and have that experience,” Howard said. “We might get guests from Vancouver, B.C.”
The arrival of Topgolf in Renton is the latest sign of change for this Seattle neighborhood with roots in manufacturing. GeekWire spent time here back in 2018, covering the city’s history and growth prospects. Topgolf is a 3-minute drive from the new Southport facility, a sprawling Lake Washington property with over 700,000 square feet of office space.
Topgolf Renton, which will employ about 500 associates, is also located near The Landing, a large shopping and dining complex that opened in 2007.
Phil Vannavong drove down to the new Topgolf from Marysville, Wash. The government engineer brought his seven friends to play. He had previously been to Topgolf in Austin and Las Vegas and was excited to now have an option closer than Portland. He thought he might come to Renton once a month.
“They’re not working… or, they should be!” he laughed as his friends shuffled out of their workplaces, including companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Starbucks and Compass.
Andrew Irvin of Puyallup, Wash., was playing with his wife Vanessa and young sons Jordan and Trey.
“This is a place where you don’t have to be a golfer to play,” Irvin said. “You can enjoy yourself without everyone criticizing your swing. You can have your own way and do whatever you want.”
I took my own swing (see tweet below) from a bay to third place on Thursday. Using a driver from the selection of clubs provided, I hit 40 balls over the course of an hour and worked up a good sweat trying to hit the farthest targets on the line. I was amazed to be able to watch the path of my ball on the near screen and get the distance for each shot.
I drank and nibbled on a sandwich and some delicious “cheesy mac bites” in between swings while watching the golf balls fly in all directions.
Misty Skeeter of Kent, Wash., who has never played golf, brought her three children, Malaysia Myres, Jamaica Myres and Nekaylah Skeeter. Jamaica’s girlfriend, Jordyn Lewis, played golf at Garfield High School in Seattle.
Malaysia heard about Topgolf through Instagram and her mom wrote for a few hours.
“It was great,” said Misty Skeeter. “It was a bit difficult, finding the right way to hit or aiming where you should aim. But it was fun.”
Joe Lynch of West Seattle and his friend Jon Blevins of Bothell, Wash., were “playing” Pebble Beach and enjoying some beers. Blevins previously played at Topgolf in Arizona, Las Vegas and at the “Lounge by Topgolf” facility at Google’s Kirkland Urban campus east of Seattle.
“I drive hours for golf,” Blevins said when asked if he would make the trek to Renton regularly. He is drawn to the technology, drinks and food in one place, and the party atmosphere for golfers and non-golfers alike. “Good for kids or friends on a day out.”
Asked if Topgolf is a place where he can work on his golf game, Lynch said it’s more for fun.
“After a few you’re off your game,” he laughed, pointing to their pitcher of beer.
