Silicon Valley golf group expresses an interest in a theme park in Malaga

Topgolf representatives have held a meeting with Malaga council to learn more about the city and look at options for a possible location for one of the firm’s theme parks, which have golf practise facilities, a choice of restaurants and venues for music and cultural events. The meeting took place last month with councillor Raúl López, but he has declined to provide any further information about what was discussed.

In late 2020 Topgolf launched a campaign outside the USA, where it has around 60 of these theme parks. One of the most recent was in San José, in California’s Silicon Valley, and it is one of the biggest. The company also has a presence in the UK, Australia, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates. Its plan is to open in ten new locations each year, and its sights are currently set on Europe, Australia and Asia.

Topgolf was started by twins Steve and Dave Jolliffe, who in the year 2000 built a golf course on the outskirts of London which was based on the technology – new at the time – of a microchip in the golf ball. This gives players instant feedback on the accuracy and distance of each shot.

In 2005 they established the firm in several cities in the USA and set up the present headquarters in Dallas. In 2016 the Topgolf and Village Roadshow theme parks formed a joint company to take Topgolf to Australia and in October 2020 the golf accessory firm Callaway Golf announced that it had acquired and was to merge with the company and it now holds 51.5% of the shares.

If Topgolf decides to go ahead with its idea for a golf theme park in Malaga, it appears that money will be no object. In the first half of this year its income rose by 73% and it recorded a turnover of 725 million euros, a significant amount with which to fund its planned expansion in Spain.