Brett Hintz and his team are ready to welcome the masses when Topgolf Naperville opened its doors to the public on Friday. And with a 65,000 square-foot entertainment complex that spans three-stories, he’s definitely got room to do it.
“We are very excited to be here in Naperville,” said Hintz, Topgolf Naperville’s director of operations. “It’s an awesome community and we are really looking forward to being part of it.”
Construction for Topgolf Naperville began last year at the northwest corner of Route 59 and Interstate 88. It is the 22nd location for Dallas-based Topgolf International, and the second in Illinois. Hintz said they plan to employ about 450 people at the Naperville location.
It’s advertised as the “emerging global leader in golf entertainment,” don’t be fooled by its name, it is nothing like a driving range. It has 102 climate-controlled hitting bays that can host up to six players at one time. With a full-service restaurant and three bars, and more than 200 high-definition flat-screen television sets its a place to eat, drink as well as swing a club.
“We find that people who have never been here before are amazed by how much fun they can have, and how good they can be at a game they have never tried before,” Hintz said. “Even if they have never golfed, they are going to be able to do it here.”
Non-golfers make up a large percentage of Topgolf customers, he said. Any skill level, from kids through adults, can play Topgolf.
This is how it works: there is a microchip inside every golf ball, and players hit into 11 different targets, ranging from 25 yards to 215 yards.
“Every target scores a little differently, and it’s more like bowling in that you are going for a high score as opposed to the real game of golf where you are going for a low score,” Hintz said.
No need to bring equipment, because clubs are provided. And you won’t see a bucket of balls around either. With a wave of your club in front of a sensor in the hitting bay, the microchipped ball magically appears.
“People find it’s a comfortable atmosphere to golf,” Hintz said. “But ultimately, some people come in just to eat. It’s a lively atmosphere and there are a lot of things to do besides golf.”
That makes Mark Boynton happy. As Topgolf’s national director for culinary research and development, Boynton is on a mission to provide “food that’s as fun as the game” at all their locations.
“We really put an onus on fresh ingredients, unique recipes and taking classic American dishes that people love and putting our little twist on them,” Boynton said. “We look for sharable aspects, so people can get together and share the experience.”
Topgolf Naperville is at 3211 Odyssey Court and plans to be open in Naperville. It is an all-weather facility that is open 363 days a year.
Jane Donahue is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
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