CARLSBAD — Carlsbad-based Topgolf Callaway Brands has signed a multiyear agreement with Golf Saudi to build three Topgolf venues by 2028 and provide Callaway equipment and apparel for Saudi Arabia’s national golf teams and professionals.
The partnership, part of the kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan to expand its sports sector, will also make Golf Saudi the exclusive distributor of Callaway, Odyssey and Ogio products in the country.
The first Topgolf venues will open in Riyadh, Jeddah and the Eastern Province. Ben Sharpe, managing director of Callaway’s EMEA division, said the partnership will help “transform Saudi Arabia into a world-class golfing destination.”
“We’re excited to enter another Middle Eastern market with three venues in Saudi Arabia,” Sharpe said in a release. “We’ve found a strong partner in Golf Saudi to help us bring our modern golf brands — Topgolf, Toptracer, Callaway Golf, Odyssey, Ogio, and TravisMathew — to the region.”
In addition to Topgolf, the deal includes exclusive distribution rights for Toptracer, a ball-tracking system for driving ranges.
Golf Saudi CEO Noah Alireza emphasized the impact of the partnership on Saudi Arabia’s golf ecosystem, including job creation and fostering new talent.
“This multi-brand deal with Topgolf Callaway Brands will accelerate the development of golf across Saudi Arabia,” Alireza said. “Topgolf’s unique approach to the game makes it more accessible and enjoyable for everyone while creating hundreds of jobs for young Saudis and adding to the Kingdom’s growing sports ecosystem.”
This move is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader effort to become a global sports hub. In addition to investments in Formula 1 and professional boxing, Golf Saudi is also building courses, training centers and programs to support the kingdom’s growing interest in golf.
The country also launched LIV Golf, a controversial professional golf tour bankrolled by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Since its debut in 2022, the series has attracted several high-profile American golfers to its roster, including luring golf legend Phil Mickelson with a whopping $200 million contract.
Some golfers have criticized the LIV Golf series as a money grab, while watchdog groups have condemned the House of Saud’s “sportswashing” of the government’s human rights violations, connections to the 9/11 attacks and the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed and Cameron Smith are among the Americans currently playing in the series.
The Saudi deal comes just weeks after Topgolf Callaway Brands, the result of a merger between golf gear giant Callaway and Topgolf, an operator of golf entertainment venues, announced it would split the company into separate entities by 2025.
According to its owners, chopping up the merger will allow each company to focus on its specialty. Callaway will continue to dominate the golf apparel and equipment industry, and Topgolf will maintain and expand its portfolio of more than 100 golf and dining venues worldwide.
For more information, visit golfsaudi.com or topgolfcallawaybrands.com.
