Go Golfing In the Swamp For A Truly Unique Florida Gators Experience
For six Saturday’s a year—sometimes five, sometimes seven—Ben Hill Griffin Stadium can become the epicenter of the state of Florida. At any given time during those Saturday’s in the fall, 100,000 fans can be found milling about, taking over every seat, wall or available piece of grass in the area. But the Swamp is meant to be enjoyed more than just six or seven days a year. That’s the philosophy Athletic Director Scott Stricklin adopted as he worked to make the Swamp the place to be at all times of the year.
Ben Hill Griffin has always had more of an open door policy than other stadiums. The Alabama Crimson Tide stadium for example, is closed every day but gameday. If you want to enter the stadium on a random Tuesday, you have to pay a fee for a tour. In Gainesville, Gate 18 is always open. Students and local residents can be found inside working out, taking pictures or even enjoying picnics as the sun sets in the Florida sky. Every September 11, the Gainesville Fire Department puts on their full gear and runs the stadium steps to the equivalent of the steps in the World Trade Centers.
So the stadium is there for the community to use. But Stricklin wants the community to feel like it is truly theirs as well. That’s why he’s worked to make it a destination for thousands, more than just a few Saturday’s in the fall or a late March workout. Which is why on a cool evening earlier this week, Stricklin found himself standing above the North endzone in the Touchdown Terrace, talking to a group of local reporters as they leaned on golf clubs.
“A couple of years ago we had a Garth Brooks concert here in the Swamp,” Stricklin reminded those gathered there.
“We love finding ways to use this facility for the community to come out and engage at times of year that they wouldn’t normally be here.”
So this weekend, fans can sign up to play Top Golf in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
TopGolf is the entertainment venue that has taken society by storm in recent years. The multi-level building has hitting bays, combining the driving range with video games, bowling and the ability to hang out with friends.
The TopGolf website describes the experience as such: “No matter the occasion or who you share it with, we believe that every great time starts with play, is fueled by food and drinks, moved by music and all made possible through community.
“Here at Topgolf, we’ve made socializing a sport through a blend of technology and entertainment – and that’s just the game! If you journey through our venue on any given day, you’ll find a place buzzing with energy. Every Topgolf features dozens of climate-controlled hitting bays for year-round comfort with HDTVs in every bay and throughout our sports bar & restaurant.
“There’s no pressure to have a good golf swing or score a lot of points. It’s all about everyone having fun.”
Possessing a good golf swing really isn’t necessary. This writer can attest it doesn’t impede on the fun. From the Touchdown Terrace, groups are put in bays. Surfaces are cleaned and sanitized often, abiding with COVID-19 protocols.
Inflatable bubbles dot the field, which are used to keep score based on the trackers in each golf ball. Since this is the traveling system and not permanent one, the score keeping isn’t always official. Sometimes balls from the next bay over will count on a neighboring scoreboard. Some balls take up to a minute to send back a score and certain clubs have been kept out of the bag, so as to keep those with extra hard swings from hitting the far scoreboard.
But the ability to stand above the endzone, see the stadium from a point of view not normally afforded, and jack golfballs downfield is a unique experience. It serves as a reminder as well that Gainesville is a vibrant community, full of art and culture, nature and community. The Gators program is the city’s fun side, but its quirkiness is what helps the city thrive year round. Stricklin’s desire to give the stadium to the community in the spring as well leans in to that fact, creating a marriage between the fans, the town and the Florida Gators that can truly be all encompassing.
So if you find yourself with free time this weekend, grab a golf glove and point your car towards Gainesville for an experience that can’t be easily replicated…until the next event anyways.
For schedule and pricing, check here.
Comments