Topgolf Entertainment Group (TEG) has hired former TaylorMade Golf Company CEO Ben Sharpe to expand its global footprint of practice ranges that license its Toptracer Range technology. Sharpe (pictured) will serve as President of the Toptracer Range division, which is based in London and overseen by TEG CEO Dolf Berle. Look for a full Q&A with Sharpe in an upcoming issue of Golf Range Magazine, highlighting the current success of Toptracer Range and what plans he has in store for the growing brand.
Renowned tour professional Jay Haas is among a group of investigators buying the Eagle Zone practice range in Greenville, South Carolina. Haas bought the location with his two sons, Jay Jr. and Bill; his brother-in-law, Dillard Pruitt; and the current manager of Eagle Zone, John Gerring. The sale closed for an undisclosed amount. The group plans to invest more than $250,000 in turning the 24-acre Eagle Zone into a golf instructional center. They will use their connections to bring experienced and notable golf coaches to conduct clinics along with the Haas family. Jay Jr. and the Eagle Zone’s six current instructors will also offer one-on-one teaching. “Golf has been great to the Haas family and this is another way to give back to the game with instruction and an avenue for some to further enjoy the game while getting younger players to discover it,” Haas said. The facility will be rebranded with a new name in the coming months. This story originally appeared on www.foxcarolina.com.
A golf entertainment facility is planned for the Sanford Sports Complex in Sioux Falls, Idaho. It will be home to an interactive practice range, the Sanford Power Golf Academy, a restaurant and meeting space. Called Great Shots, the 54,000-square foot facility is scheduled to open in late 2019, and will be part of the 500-acre sports complex that already includes facilities for basketball, volleyball, football, tennis, hockey and more. “The vision of the Sanford Sports Complex has always been to create a place filled with activities the entire family can enjoy, and Great Shots is a perfect fit,” said Kelby Krabbenhoft, President and CEO of Sanford Health.
