Dallas-based Topgolf replaced the former Hardees IcePlex in the Chesterfield Valley. The entertainment facility allows golfers to hit balls at 11 targets from 102 high-tech and climate-controlled driving bays on three levels.
The Perfect Environment for Practicing: Topgolf in St Louis
The Topgolf St. Louis-Chesterfield 65,000-square-foot complex also includes a restaurant, an upscale bar and 3,000 square feet of private event space, says Rebecca Potorny, local Topgolf marketing manager.
Located at 16851 N. Outer 40 Road, the Topgolf St. Louis 14.34-acre property was purchased from Summit Ice Center Investors, LLC.
"Topgolf will help increase our growing tourism base and offer a unique destination for golf enthusiasts and those just looking for a fun outing with friends, family or coworkers," says Chesterfield Mayor Bob Nation.
How Topgolf Works: Golfing Bays and Amazing Food
Golfing bays can host up to six players at one time and seat eight. Topgolf managers estimate the new location will serve approximately 450,000 visitors in its first year of operation.
Topgolf customers enjoy point-scoring golf games using microchipped balls that immediately score themselves, showing players the accuracy and distance of their shots on a TV screen in their hitting bay.
Rebecca says Topgolf hosts a Summer Academy, which is a half-day golf clinic for children ages 6 to 12 years from May to August. They also will host lessons or classes for adults and may offer family fun passes.
Hardees IcePlex first opened in 1995, serving as the home of the St. Louis Blues Alumni for years. It also once served as the official practice rink for the Blues until the club moved to the St. Louis Outlet Mall. The rink was home to the St. Louis AAA Blues and was used for ice skating and high school hockey. The cost to upgrade the nearly 20-year-old facility, which served as home to the Chesterfield Hockey Association, proved too substantial to pursue.
Topgolf now operates in over 40 venues with 8 million-plus annual visitors worldwide. The entertainment chain, founded by two golf-loving English twin brothers, uses technology to make golf scoring fun while enabling people to connect and socialize. A U.S. licensee, WestRiver Group, brought the Topgolf concept to Alexandria, Virginia, in 2005.
