Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Top Golf -Austin



Lots of people in Austin have been talking about Top Golf.  I was not sure what it was all about, but with school about to start in five days we were looking for one last family outing of the summer.  We piled the kids in the car and drove to North Austin to check out this new entertainment center.

Before sharing, let me add... I do not golf.  I like golf and I wish I golfed.  But I am a "lame-o" on the links, and it takes more time to master the sport than I have ever been willing to dedicate.  

Top Golf is cool.  It is fun.  My wife (who also does not golf) enjoyed the evening.  The kids loved it.  

Even on a Tuesday at 5 PM the place was packed.  The facility was interesting, in a very unique and classy sort of way.  It is a combination of swanky restaurant / bar, driving range, miniature golf, and a video live action game.  Each ball you hit is embedded with a computer chip that keeps track of who hit the ball and every hole (or whatever you call it) has sensors that counts the points scored.

The first time you go to Top Golf you must pay for a lifetime membership.  It is only $5 per person, but chalk up a fast $20 for a family of four.  By the time we rented the bay for an hour, had a drink in the bar, and then ordered dinner we topped $125 for about an hour of fun.  A bit pricey for an fast outing with the kids, but since the membership is a one time thing, and food and drink are optional.... the next time we go back it will not hit the wallet with the same bite.  

It was a lot of fun.  The technology is great.  And even if you suck at golf you can get the ball into the holes, as they are about 20 feet across.    

Clearly this is even more fun if you enjoy golfing.  I watched some of the people in the other bays and they were much more competitive in their efforts.

The downside of Top Golf is that the hour goes by very quickly.  The computer program asks several times if you want to extend your time by another hour, and this was very tempting, as everyone was having a great time.  But after 6 PM the extra hour costs $40 to rent the bay.  I like my kids, but there was no adding one more hour to this visit (yeah, yeah, the kids pointed out that I am a cheapskate). The good news is we will be going back.

If you live in Texas, Virginia, Illinois, Georgia (coming soon) or Arizona (coming soon)... or in the United Kingdom, you should check out Top Golf.  It is a great experience.

Have A Great Day

thom singer

No comments: