Huntington Bank Stadium, the newly-named home of Gophers football, is hosting the Topgolf Live Stadium Tour Thursday-Sunday.
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota football team now calls Huntington Bank Stadium its home and hopes to have a capacity crowd on Thursday, Sept. 2, against Ohio State to open the 2021 college football season.
But fans can get inside the newly-named home for Gophers’ football this weekend, the first chance since College Gameday was in town at the end of the 2019 season. The Topgolf Live Stadium Tour is at Huntington Bank Stadium Thursday-Sunday, giving golf fans a chance to launch balls at targets on the field at the home for Gopher football.
It’s all due to Topgolf’s Toptracer technology, which allows computers to track golf balls to the targets, just like it would if you were at a Topgolf facility.
"We love coming outside the venue walls and with the acquisition of Top Tracer, we’re able to do just that and it’s a once in a lifetime experience to play golf at your favorite football stadium,’ said Michael Tomaski, senior product manager with Topgolf. "We’ve done baseball stadiums, but we’re here now at Gophers stadium and we’re super excited to be here and play some Topgolf."
Topgolf has taken off in Minnesota since the first facility opened in Brooklyn Center in September of 2018. It's a popular choices for parties, corporate outings and other team-building opportunities.
Huntingon Bank Stadium will be the 10th site this year for the Topgolf Live Stadium Tour. After Minneapolis, the tour heads to San Jose, Calif., Portland, Oregon and to Progressive Field in Ohio, the home of the Cleveland Indians.
So how does it work? There are 24 hitting bays set up at Huntington Bank Stadium, with up to six people at a time per bay. Golfers will play Topgolf’s live game and get five shots at up to six targets, with each target having a different point value. The last shot is worth double the points.
Bays can be reserved for one-hour sessions, so groups can play as many games as 60 minutes allows. The targets range from about 40 to 130 yards out at Huntington Bank Stadium.
Not a golfer? You don’t have to be. The game doesn’t require the skill of a regular golfer, and there are other games behind the hitting bays as well as concessions for various food and drinks. Compete against your friends like you would on the golf course, only it’s at the home of Gophers’ football.
"The appeal is creating this moment that matters. That’s kind of our company experience, our slogan. We want to create a moment that matters for everyone, and this is one of those moments that’s temporary, it’s going to happen here this weekend," Tomasik said. "We’re just excited to have some friendly competition and come beat your favorite friend at Topgolf."
If you’re planning on going, no need to bring your own equipment. Topgolf has their own clubs and golf balls, with the Toptracer technology to track each shot. Here's how you can reserve a hitting bay.