NEWPORT — In a shocking development, TopGolf has won the bid to redevelop Easton’s Beach bringing their trademark sports and leisure experience to Newport’s historic seaside playground.
Under preliminary plans, patrons will tee off from an elevated, multi-tier structure behind the current shoreline, sending drives arcing out over the Atlantic. Floating buoys will be anchored offshore to indicate yardage markers, allowing golfers to track distance.
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers will still be permitted in the designated driving range zone, provided they have rented or purchased a regulation impact helmet from the pro shop kiosk. Officials emphasized that helmets will be available in youth and adult sizes, with a commemorative Easton’s Beach TopGolf logo decal included at no additional charge.
TopGolf executives said they had been seeking a distinctive New England flagship location and found Easton’s Beach checked every box: consistent summer traffic, ample parking, and “lots of people from New Jersey”.
“We looked at former industrial sites and suburban malls,” said a company spokesperson. “But nothing says aspirational leisure like a 220-yard carry over open water.”
When asked about safety concerns of golf balls being driven over a crowded beach, Newport’s Overseer of Sand Activities, Judy Walerino-Oglesby, said “That’s what the helmets are for, duh”.
Questions concerning impact on aquatic wildlife were raised, and a TopGolf spokesperson replied “You mean like hitting a drive into a porpoise’s blowhole? Talk about a hole in one!”
City officials said the project would modernize the beachfront while not preserving its historic character, though TopGolf execs noted that the original carousel building will remain because they “can’t deal with all the whining about tearing it down.”
Construction is slated to begin in spring 2026, with a grand opening targeted for summer 2027. Pre-orders for swim helmets will open next week.