Massive, dazzling Topgolf unveiled in Brooklyn Center

Fear not, Twin Cities golfers. As the cool weather is about set in, you can cancel those plans to cover your clubs for another long winter's nap. Topgolf is here to feed the fairway urge.

And do a little dazzling along the way.

Topgolf, a 65,000-square foot driving range-meets-bowling alley-meets-nightclub, opens later this month in Brooklyn Center. The 15-acre site that used to house a Regal movie theater is now a LED light-blanketed, three-story, year-round facility with 102 hitting bays that caters to everyone from the novice to the club professional.

At an event Wednesday night, Topgolf officials showed off their ritzy new digs, highlighting the food and beverage options and new-age technology.

"This is going to be absolutely fantastic for the Twin Cities community and the game of golf," said Stephen Rubenstein, a Shattuck-St. Mary's graduate who is the director of operations for Topgolf Brooklyn Center. "It was a no-brainer to open here, and we're super excited for it."

Brooklyn Center is the 46th U.S. location for Topgolf.

The facility can hold 612 players. They hit microchip-embedded golf balls to outdoor targets stationed at varying distances. Points are given based on accuracy A variety of games are available, and a computer keeps score.

This is no country club; think Ryder Cup over the Masters. The atmosphere is loud and festive with bumping music and laughter cutting through the golf balls' thwack. Each hitting stall — yes, they're sheltered and heated — has tables, couches and chairs with a full bar and menu available. More than 200 HDTVs dot the grounds.

Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen doesn't consider himself a golfer — "You can tell by my swing; it's pretty terrible," he said — but enjoyed the family-friendly vibe.

"The mix of games and the competitiveness is good for everyone," Griffen said, one eye drifting to his 2-year-old son swinging away at one of the stalls. "And the more I hit the more I feel like taking some lessons. I hear a lot of good business deals go down on the golf course."

Topgolf has certainly been an economic boom locally. This summer, the company hired 500 Twin Cities-based workers to fill out its latest location.

The first Topgolf opened in London in 2000 and came to the U.S. five years later. The Dallas headquarters has opened facilities in 29 states since. Topgolf officials do not discuss financial successes but say 13 million people enjoyed the fun in 2017.

Rental space on all three floors could accommodate a small birthday party up to a corporate outing.

For the casual night out, hitting bays range in price from $25 to $45 per hour depending on the day and time.

The Brooklyn Center location plans to be open 363 days a year rain, snow or humidity, with Thanksgiving and Christmas the only dark days.

"This is going to be one of the hottest spots in the metro," Rubenstein said.