Topgolf’s New Playbook: How CEO David McKillips Is Using the ‘Chuck E. Cheese’ Turnaround Model to Democratize the Links

The world’s eyes this month are glued on soccer pitches across the 16 host cities of the World Cup. The tournament is a perennial reminder of the sport’s low barrier to entry—the classic narrative of the former electrician-turned-breakout goalkeeper, or the factory worker who became a star German forward. Even the game’s icons, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, rose from working-class roots, finding their path through pickup games that required little more than a ball and a patch of dirt.

Soccer has long held the title of the world’s most unifying sport because of this accessibility. Golf, conversely, has historically been defined by its exclusivity. For over a century, the game was synonymous with expensive clubs, recurring greens fees, and the manicured, often gated, confines of the country club. The sheer cost of lost balls alone could bar the average person from ever swinging a club. However, five months into his tenure, Topgolf CEO David McKillips is attempting to dismantle those barriers, repositioning the driving range as the primary gateway to the sport.

McKillips is betting that the sport’s next breakout star won’t necessarily come from an elite junior academy, but from one of his company’s hitting bays. “I would love to see if there are golfers that started at Topgolf that ultimately would end up on the tour,” McKillips told Fortune. “I think that would be pretty cool.”

This isn’t just executive optimism; it is a corporate mandate. Topgolf has made a formal pledge to create 10 million new golfers by 2030. To reach that figure, the company is leaning into its scale and a series of aggressive pricing initiatives designed to lure younger, more diverse demographics. “They very well could be,” he said of the potential for a Topgolf-bred superstar. “We’re putting our money where our mouth is.”

Lowering the Barrier to Entry

Central to this strategy is a new partnership with Youth on Course, a nonprofit dedicated to providing young golfers with subsidized access to the game. Under the agreement, members and alumni of the program can access Topgolf bays for just $5 from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday through Thursday, between July 1 and September 3.

“This is an opportunity for them to come in, practice their game, to be on the road, and it welcomes everyone,” McKillips said. By providing the clubs, the balls, and the technology within the flat fee, Topgolf is attempting to solve the “equipment hurdle” that often prevents low-income families from participating. “Price point is no longer a hurdle… and it’s a non-intimidating way to really learn the sport of golf.”

McKillips’ approach is informed by his previous role as president and CEO of CEC Entertainment, the parent company of Chuck E. Cheese and Peter Piper Pizza. He took the helm of Topgolf in February, bringing experience from a high-stakes corporate turnaround. During his six-year tenure at CEC Entertainment, he navigated the company through a 2020 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing triggered by pandemic lockdowns. He successfully led the brand out of restructuring a year later, shedding $1 billion in debt and securing $400 million in capital to modernize its fleet of family entertainment centers.

He is now applying that same blueprint—rejuvenating a legacy brand through technology and diversified entertainment—to Topgolf, which has recently grappled with a slowdown in same-venue sales. “This business is incredible,” McKillips said. “We’ve got a really strong domestic business… winning back that golfer is super important.”

The Rise of Off-Course Golf

The strategy aligns with a massive shift in how Americans consume the sport. According to the National Golf Foundation, the number of people participating in off-course golf activities—which includes driving ranges, simulators, and entertainment venues like Topgolf—has surged. In 2024, 8.2 million women played golf off-course, and female representation in the sport has hit an all-time high of 28%.

McKillips notes that while only 35% of traditional golfers currently visit Topgolf, the venue is a powerful conversion engine. Internal data suggests the company is already generating between 2.5 million and 3 million new golfers through its programs. Furthermore, someone who picks up a club at an off-course venue is five times more likely to eventually play on a traditional “green-grass” course.

This expanding reach has caught the attention of the financial sector as well. Blackstone recently signed pro golfer Tommy Fleetwood as its first brand ambassador, a move aimed at connecting with a younger, wealthier audience in the relaxed environment of the golf world rather than a traditional boardroom.

“Golf can be an expensive sport. To come to Topgolf with four or six people, it’s not that expensive on a per person basis,” McKillips said. “We provide the clubs, the balls. We have directors of instruction that can teach you how to golf for the first time, and it’s social.”

Technology and the ‘Third Space’

A key differentiator for the company is Toptracer, its proprietary ball-tracking technology. While Toptracer “fuels all the majors” in professional broadcasting, McKillips has integrated it into every Topgolf bay. This allows a casual player at a bachelorette party to see the same sophisticated shot-tracing data used by PGA Tour pros. “What you are seeing is people coming in and interacting with the product and getting really excited, because it is something that you just can’t see at an everyday driving range,” he said.

Beyond the sport itself, McKillips is positioning Topgolf as a third space—a sociological term for a social environment separate from the two usual social environments of home (“first space”) and the office (“second space”). As traditional third spaces like movie theaters and local bars face headwinds, premium social hubs are filling the void. Topgolf is expanding its footprint to include arcades, pickleball courts, and high-end lounges to ensure the venue remains relevant even for those who never intend to tee off.

“You don’t have to play golf,” McKillips said. “You can come, you can lounge in our sports bars or our lounges… You can come with your friends and play darts. You can play arcade games. You can play pickleball. And ultimately you can do golf as well.”

The ultimate goal is to evolve the brand from a niche driving range into a comprehensive entertainment ecosystem. “We’re going to be pivoting from just a Topgolf destination to the ultimate sports, entertainment, and golf destination,” McKillips said. “Our bones are all about a driving range—we bring entertainment to the driving range.”