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John Daly has turned the closure of the Augusta Hooters he used to annually spend Masters week at into a multiyear, nationwide content and merchandise deal with Topgolf.
Daly, 60, last played in the Masters in 2006, but the two-time major champion would set up shop at the Hooters on Washington Road each April to cash in on his legendary status with golf fans—selling merch and signing autographs at the restaurant that has an atmosphere opposite that of the exclusive Augusta National Golf Club in almost every way.
But that Hooters location was torn down in 2025 after the restaurant chain’s parent company filed for bankruptcy, and Daly was left without a home during the Masters. He ultimately made appearances during the 2026 Masters week at Topgolf’s downtown Augusta location, and also sold merch and conducted fan meet-and-greets at the Top Dawg Tavern sports bar on Washington Road not far from the old Hooters.
Daly now has a new, expanded deal with Topgolf to continue appearing at the Augusta location during Masters week in 2027 and 2028. Specific plans for April will be released at a later date. With the new deal, it is unlikely Daly will appear at Top Dawg Tavern again or other local establishments.
Beyond the Masters tie-up, two signature John Daly cocktails will be added to the menu at 55 Topgolf venues around the country. Daly has a canned tea and lemonade cocktail with Good Boy Vodka—essentially a spiked Arnold Palmer. The golfer’s Daly Vibe merch brand will also be sold at some Topgolf venues, too.
Shifting Strategy
Topgolf has been shifting its strategy this year under private equity ownership and new CEO David McKillips, formerly the president and CEO of Chuck E. Cheese Entertainment. That included laying off about 300 employees in May. “We’re always going to fine-tune the business model to make sure that we’re delivering on a great guest experience,” McKillips told Front Office Sports in July.
PE firm Leonard Green & Partners bought Topgolf from Callaway last year in a deal that valued the company at $1.1 billion.
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