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WGT and TOPGOLF are now one!

• julio1235 238 Posts

  Thu, Jan 28 2016 10:13 AM

    I could see where a 50 player CTTH event attached to a WGT course (wolf creek or any of them for that matter) at a top golf driving range using real clubs would be fun for golfer as myself who plays golf and virtual golf.  League play especially say on a Tuesday evening with four of your golfing buddies would be ideal.  I for one would be willing to do this but not willing to travel much further than my local courses say in a 70 mile radius.  

    The ones that will benefit from this merger or buyout the most are players that live in a population base big enough to support it as always.

• PaulTon 10,731 Posts

  Thu, Jan 28 2016 11:05 AM

     

• mrcaddie 2,429 Posts

  Thu, Jan 28 2016 11:18 AM

  YankeeJim:

  I'm choosing to believe the enhanced resources are going to improve the game, to include future courses like next year's Erin Hills, maybe at a faster pace.  Suffice to say, I'm satisfied WGT isn't going anywhere anytime soon, warts and all. Now let's see how they handle it.

  +1

  I'm with YJ on this one. It's not like we're going to see any changes to the game today, tomorrow or even next week. So, I say we give it a year and let's see what happens, by then we'll know if the enhanced resources are working to improve the game or not. We can dig up this thread a year from now and compare notes.

  WGT,

  Congratulations on the merger and I hope it's a win-win for all involved.

  MC

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Thu, Jan 28 2016 11:37 AM

  alosso:

  YankeeJim:

  Not here. Equipment and ball prices have never changed from what they originally came out as and I doubt TG will arbitrarily raise prices across the board.

  Easy to fix, and they've done it before:

  Replace an item by a successor with higher price. Remember when the G25s came out? Same characteristics as the G20 but more expensive. There are more examples...

  That isn't a fix, that's normal business. Newer stuff commands a price increase and existing G20 sets didn't evaporate, just like my no longer available R11s 3W. As it is, I would expect to pay more for a newer model but the one I have works just fine.

  Balls are a good example and they're the biggest sellers here. You have never seen the price go up on what you use. Can't say that about RL stuff.

• TarheelsRule 5,566 Posts

  Thu, Jan 28 2016 11:40 AM

  My opinion for whatever it is worth....

  TopGolf is a fairly capital hungry company, they are opening locations all over and each location would have a fairly substantial capital investment to open and a payback that could be 10 years.   I don't see TopGolf as a vehicle to dump money into WGT.   I don't see WGT as the cash cow that some people seem to think that it is either.   That being said I think this was a merger of convenience not a huge cash benefit for either side.

  I have a few of the TopGolf sites within 4 hours of me, haven't had a chance to check one of them out but I will the next time I head to the Dallas area.  From reading and viewing their site, you can't equate it to a driving range.

  They offer a full range of food and drinks, like an unscale sports bar.  They have golf played via a driving range in which you compete for closest to the hole, etc. using their balls embedded with a chip.  I played a few times at a place called Target Golf years ago that used this.  It was fun and fairly cheap there.

  Target Golf has other games but it appears the big sale is to take a group of 5 or 6 golfers and non golfers, rent out a driving area and have a party and play.  It appears very expensive unless you have a group like I mentioned that can share the cost, don't think it is a place you go by yourself to rent a booth for 2 hours.

  I doubt that other than some cross over allowing members of each group discounts, that we will see much that matters to us.

• alanti 10,564 Posts

  Thu, Jan 28 2016 11:41 AM

  Woodoworkery:

  Well ,lets hope that new management will find a way to stop some of these helps that players are using. 

  Interesting point and I fully agree, but unless they move away from flash....I have my doubts.

  My concern is the push (including links to WGT) are for the mobile platform. I could be wrong but I doubt these "helps" are available on mobile.  Personally I do not consider myself a gamer and I will never use my cell for playing any game. The screen is too small (I use a Note 4) and my phone is for calling and emailing when on the road.

  I think TG really need to come on here and state their vision for the game, where it is going and how it will improve.

  Their ranges look gimmicky rather than a place to practice a swing - I do not care about how close to a circle I get - I can see that visually - if it videoed your swing so you could get a analysis of it, that would be beneficial, not some Disneyland micro chipped ball that is meaningless.

  All I can ascertain is it is good for mapping your clubs in real life....great until you play a round with your choice of ball....and the elements take affect.

  Not for me I am afraid, takes a little more than a gimmick and fast food to get me there. I will stick with a range that is a fraction of the cost, or the best place to practice in real conditions, my golf club.

  As for a culture change Jim - that is required, for way too long the company has ignored complaints and problems, perhaps due to the impending sale, but it needs transparency and a pursuit of excellence (of which TG claim - easy to say, harder to prove) - neither of those exist at WGT currently.

  I am not talking a change necessarily of personnel - it is about instilling values and goals into staff, led by example from the top management. To be honest, Chad has been vacant for a couple of years now, whether or not he was in the office. It is about leadership, training and motivation, that will create a culture change.

• gsoup 2,929 Posts

  Thu, Jan 28 2016 12:03 PM

  WGTChampion:

  This merger just happened so we're not entirely sure what the details are for long term improvements or changes

  _CHAMPION

  thats scary 

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Thu, Jan 28 2016 12:15 PM

  alanti:

  As for a culture change Jim - that is required, for way too long the company has ignored complaints and problems,

  If I replace the word "culture"  with "attention to detail" I understand what you and Andyson are saying. I associated culture with the target customer base, not the actual game fixes.

  I will disagree on WGT ignoring complaints and problems because I don't think they're ignoring them, they are just prioritizing them based on what's important to them and the way the game works. They see players still playing, figuring out their own workarounds and spending money in spite of the aggravations we deal with. I personally see this as a workforce deficiency and they're forced to do things accordingly.

  Enter TG and their workforce. THAT'S what I hope changes what you're calling culture-the increase in the workforce allowing for more time to be spent on fixes and improvements.  :-)

• bubbsboy 6,879 Posts

  Thu, Jan 28 2016 12:29 PM

  Off to Vegas shortly, im sure there is one there as last 3 years ive been wanting to play a round but never dragged myself from the tables for long enough. Nearest i got was the KISS crazy golf near Hard Rock (moved now it has).

  Wanted to play Bali Hai or the one behind the Wynn though........never fancied this......and stll dont.........but i might call in and say "bubbs here, im a WGTer, do ya ken me or wat", that might get me a free whack.......probably on the nose though ;-)

• WGTShamWow 924 Posts

  Thu, Jan 28 2016 12:37 PM

  gsoup:

  WGTChampion:

  This merger just happened so we're not entirely sure what the details are for long term improvements or changes

  _CHAMPION

  thats scary 

  I think what Champ means is that we are still ironing out details for whats going to be planned for long term as the Topgolf's expertise in a physical game is different than a virtual one. I for one am excited, Topgolfs locations look like a lot of fun and cant wait until they bring one a little closer to home. :)

  WGTShamWow