Sam Torrance, this year’s European Ryder Cup captain and a keen ambassador of junior golf, will open the event for all children, regardless of age, golfing experience or ability.
The first kids will start playing at TopGolf’s hi-tech driving range at 9am, with hourly sessions continuing throughout the day until 9pm. Free tuition will be on-hand from the David Leadbetter Golf Academy.
TopGolf is a leisure experience aimed at golfers of all abilities as well as non-golfers looking for a new activity. Since the first ever TopGolf Game Centre opened in Watford last November it has attracted over 25,000 members.
Customers pay from 50 pence to tee off 20 times with Maxfli XS Tour golf balls. Each ball contains a microchip that responds to sensors in the green sized targets to register where the ball lands. There are eleven targets strategically arranged on a 10 acre outfield with the nearest at 25 yards and the furthest at 240 yards.
The distance the ball travelled along with a score is fed instantly to a screen in each player’s bay. Players can use the system to practice or play a competitive game with up to five players in each bay.
Stuart Armstrong, the Golf Foundation’s UK development manager, said: “Many kids at the event will be playing golf for the first time. We’re encouraging them to come along to give golf a go!”
Peter Allport, managing director of TopGolf said: “Lots of children want to be like Tiger Woods but don’t know how to get started. It’s time to put the traditional image of golf into the past and start welcoming kids into the sport. TopGolf is a great venue for beginners and keen golfers alike. It’s like golf based tenpin bowling and kids love it. There are no dress codes, players don’t have to own spiked shoes or understand all the rules of golf and clubs are loaned for free.”
Parents are welcome to accompany their children to the event, which will be held annually at TopGolf Game Centres as they are developed throughout the UK.
The first TopGolf Game Centre is located near the M25 and just off junction 5 of the M1. TopGolf has ambitions to become an international brand with initial plans to roll out more centres throughout the UK before expansion world-wide.
TopGolf www.topgolf.co.uk Tel: 01923 222045