Golf 2.0: How Technology is Shaping the Next Wave of Golf Experiences and Revenue Opportunities
Recorded Live: The 2026 PGA Show, Orlando, FL
Host: Golf Business Technology (GBT)
Guests:
- Jill Walsh – Toptracer
- Johan Rogebrant – Sweetspot
The 2026 PGA Show floor made one thing abundantly clear: golf technology is no longer just a luxury add-on for high-end resorts. It has become the core infrastructure driving player engagement and venue survival.
In this live-on-the-floor episode of The GBT Podcast, we sit down with two industry heavyweights pushing the boundaries of “Golf 2.0.” Jill Walsh from Toptracer and Johan Rogebrandt from SweetSpot join the panel to discuss how gamified tracking technology and intelligent commerce systems are converging. Together, they map out the exact blueprint golf facilities must follow to transform modern entertainment into measurable, bottom-line revenue.
Golf is experiencing a massive cultural shift toward accessibility, lifestyle integration, and entertainment. “Golf 2.0” represents a world where the line between traditional on-course play and off-course, simulator-driven entertainment is completely blurred. Venues are evolving into hybrid social and wellness spaces that appeal to a younger, digitally native audience.
Jill Walsh breaks down how Toptracer is redefining the modern driving range. By turning a repetitive practice session into a data-driven, gamified experience, facilities can dramatically increase dwell time and food-and-beverage (F&B) sales.
- The Hook: Tracing ball flight keeps players engaged longer.
- The Business Impact: Higher bay utilization rates and an entry point for non-golfers who view the sport as an evening social activity rather than an intimidating 18-hole commitment.
Great experiences only matter if you can efficiently capture their value. Johan Rogebrandt highlights the backend revolution happening via SweetSpot’s golf commerce platform.
- Dynamic Pricing: Moving away from static, “gut-feeling” green fees. Facilities are leveraging data to shift prices based on real-time demand, weather, and capacity gaps.
- Unified Operations: A successful “Golf 2.0” venue needs its booking systems, bay technology, automated ball dispensers, and F&B points-of-sale to talk to each other seamlessly. If checkout features friction, conversion drops.
The ultimate synergy of the panel highlights a unified trend: tracking tech captures the player’s interest, while commerce tech optimizes the venue’s revenue pipeline. The guests share real-world advice on how operators can audit their current tech stack to ensure their systems deliver clear ROI within 6 months.
“Golf is becoming less insular and more culturally porous. It’s a lifestyle choice now, and the venues succeeding are those wrapping technology around that social experience.”
— Golf Business Technology
“It’s about lowering the barrier to entry. When you give a player immediate, visual data feedback, you turn standard practice into an addictive game that keeps them in the bay—and ordering food—longer.”
— Jill Walsh, Toptracer
“If you don’t have clear, real-time visibility into your bookings and player behavior, every new tech investment is just a gamble. Optimization means replacing guess-work with true data.”
— Johan Rogebrandt, Sweetspot
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