Justin Timberlake Invests in Latest Golf Entertainment Concept: Here’s Why

In recent years, golf entertainment spaces have sprung up like mushrooms after rain. Topgolf continues to lead aggressive growth in the high-tech, new-age driving range segment, while companies such as Puttshack, Puttery, Popstroke and Swingers are also among the indoor miniature golf entertainment concepts entering the market.

But no company has yet attempted to take the par 3 short-course sport broadly beyond high-end resorts and private clubs. until now.

8AM Golf, a holding company whose portfolio includes GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com, Nicklaus Companies, Miura Golf, True Spec Golf and GolfLogix, has invested heavily in a concept called 3’s that will bring accessible Par 3 golf combined with hotel and entertainment facilities. Justin Timberlake, one of the world’s best-selling music artists and an avid golfer, has been an investor and partner in 8AM Golf since 2020 and is a leader in bringing the lights on Part of a team of 12-hole facilities – complete with hospitality, food & drink and entertainment – to major metropolitan areas.

“Making golf more accessible, less intimidating and more fun is my passion, and that’s what 3’s has achieved with its… relaxed, ‘all welcome’ vibe,” said Timberlake, who regularly attends the charity golf tournaments, sponsors golf-related events, and has been an investor and developer of other golf properties.

3’s was developed in 2019 by Davis Sezna, who has over 40 years experience in golf and hospitality management, and opened its first location in Greenville, South Carolina in 2020. While Sezna will remain the day-to-day visionary behind the concept, 8AM plans to use its industry knowledge, connections and expertise to pursue new locations — possibly starting in Southeast cities such as Nashville, Tennessee; Charleston, South Carolina ; and Tallahassee, Florida.

“There’s this void in the short course 3-par concept that a lot of people have been talking about over the last few years. But you don’t really see anyone turning that into a business,” said 8AM chief executive Hoyt McGarity. “8am, we love the space. If you go to Pinehurst and The Cradle, it’s so much fun. Best experience. We’re looking at how we can bring that to the public, kids and family entertainment centers.”

8AM hopes to bring the concept of 3 to existing golf facilities – possibly retrofitting an underperforming municipal golf course – as well as open spaces in select markets. The planned site area is about 20 acres, and the lighted course has 12 par 3 holes, ranging from about 70 to 140 yards, with a bar area and a Himalayan-style putting green every few holes.

“We’ve had people go from Las Vegas to California,” McGarity said. “We looked around the world for every par 3 concept we could find from here to Japan. We picked these 3. We just thought it had a lot of cool things to do.”

Par 3 courses have grown in popularity at resorts in recent years, offering shorter, time-saving facilities for golfers of all ages and levels.

Pinehurst is one of the most prominent examples, adding the popular Gil Hanse-designed Cradle, while Tiger Woods revamped Pebble Beach Golf Course’s Par 3 course. Bandon Dunes is adding a second Par 3 course, while resorts such as Sand Valley, Golf Kohler, Gamble Sands and Forest Dunes all have short courses.

A growing number of private clubs are also adding Par 3 layouts, but the short course concept has yet to establish the branded public foothold that Topgolf has in golf entertainment. At 8am, Timberlake and Sezna hope 3’s are the answer.

“3’s is the creative culmination of 40 years of my love of golf, dining, hospitality, and most importantly, fun for all,” Sezna said. “To say I’m excited to grow with 8AM Golf and JT would be an understatement. The opportunities we have with the 3’s are limitless.”

As McGarity puts it, the short-course niche is a “white space” in the golf industry that hasn’t really been activated.

“It’s time to have a brand like 3’s that can fit into these specific markets,” McGarity said. “Are we going to have 50? I don’t know. But it’s a great place to learn how to play golf. The point is: How do you monetize it from 7am to 10pm? From birthday buddies to engaging kids, teens, etc. Wait, everything.”

“Look at ‘The Hay’ at Pebble Beach; it’s about 60,000 to 70,000 rounds. It’s a whole new revenue stream,” McGarity added. “The cradle fits in Pinehurst. It was 17 acres and was pretty much useless to them. Now, it’s probably the coolest thing they have. It’s amazing how vision can change a piece you already own Land thing. I want to talk to all the owners of short par 3 courses and say, ‘Give us a call. We might be able to help plug and play a really cool model and use our media and access to help promote it. That will be the goal, as long as it fits the 3’s vision.”