My hubs had a contract gig in Alpharetta that included passing by Top Golf on his daily commute. He was astounded that Top Golf was packed to the gills every single afternoon. When I got to experience Top Golf as part of a media trip in Alpharetta, I was pumped to see what the fuss was about.
What is Top Golf, exactly?
You hit a golf ball containing a personalized microchip into one of 11 targets ranging from 20 to 240 yards away. Every section of every target has a reader that detects the microchip in your clever golf ball. That reader computes your score based on the accuracy and distance of the shot and then sends the score to your bay screen.
This two-story spot has games and large dining area on the first floor and the top is…well golf. There are portioned off seating areas for groups, so the experience is as much as social or even more so than it is about the golf. Max number for seating area is six. Our group was comfortable and had plenty of space, even with the obscene amount of food and drink placed in front of us.
Top Golf was created by two brothers who were bored on a driving range in North London, England and wishing they could tell exactly how far and how close to the pin their shots were.
The Great Irony: the idea came from hardcore golfers looking to improve their game, but more than half of all Topgolf guests describe themselves as non-golfers.
You pay per bay, which holds up to six people. Price depends on time which ranges from $25 – $45 per hour. You must also purchase a member card for a one time fee of $5. They also don’t take reservations for the rank and file but if you’re a baller, pay the 50 bucks to snag a reservation in advance. Otherwise, take a vacation day to play here.
Bar on the first floor at Top Golf Alpharetta
They have lots of specialty drinks and I was going to try a White Sangria which they were out of. No problem. I’ll try a skinny margarita (unlike me to order but I wanted to see if the jalapeno they promised really packed a punch), but they were out of that too. I can’t remember what I finally settled on but it was not too shabby.
I do, of course, realize that the focus is golf, not food or drink. So, my expectations for food were pretty low. However, there were a handful of items that stood out such as the steak flatbread, Mac Daddy burger – oh yes, a burger TOPPED with mac n cheese and the Mushi.(cooked chicken sushi – see below left) Arguably, they could have come up with a better name for this. Basically it’s an amped up version of a pinwheel.
Left: Mushi Entree, Right: Doughnut balls with injectable sauce
Since i’ve never played golf, my only goal was actually hitting the ball. Which I did. On the third try. Did it make it into one of the round color-coded areas on the big field? Who knows. But it was a lot of fun. Rest assured ITPers, there’s a second Top Golf opening in Midtown on 8/14.
Save $$ when you play before noon.
Tip: Did you know Top Golf is open for brunch on the weekends and holiday Mondays? This is a fun thing to do with out of town guests and rates are $25 / hour per bay before noon.
Top Golf Website
10900 Westside Parkway, Alpharetta, GA 30009
(770) 217-0513
My experience at Top Golf was complimentary, but opinions expressed are my own.
