• by Tanya Gazdik , March 14, 2018

Inspired by the Topgolf experience, nine teams will battle in a shotmaking competition on the Golf Channel.

Topgolf locations, which are nationwide, feature golf simulation paired with a bar and grill. The show, “Shotmakers,” premieres April 9. It will feature the fun, social experience for which Topgolf is known, blending entertainment, golf and technology throughout the competition, according to Golf Channel executives, who announced the deal.

Surrounded by the Topgolf experience in Las Vegas, teams will face head-to-head competitions that test precision, distance and control, while facing pressure and strategic decision-making. The 18 competitors include a former PGA TOUR professional, Tommy Biershenk, and Olympian Victoria Lovelady, a pro golfer who represented Brazil in 2016 Rio Olympics. Sponsors of the show include Corona Premier, Travelocity, Avis, Massage Envy and MGM Grand.

The competition will utilize Topracer by Topgolf, the technology used on PGA TOUR televised broadcasts that immediately shows players their ball's flight, speed, distance and curve on screen, as well as the games made popular at the 41 Topgolf venues around the world. Teams will compete for cash and prizes in each competition and will be eliminated until one team is left standing as the champion.

"Shotmakers" is co-hosted by three-time college national player of the year Amanda Blumenherst and golf host Shane Bacon, along with Golf Channel reporter Chantel McCabe and social media correspondent Alexandra O'Laughlin. The show will feature seven rounds of competition airing two nights a week– Monday and Tuesday nights – at 9 p.m. ET beginning April 9 and concluding April 30. The series will also be distributed across the Golf Channel's international platforms, airing in more than 60 countries worldwide.

Last June, the global sports entertainment company enlisted musician Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum for a video series. Kelley hosted an eight-episode show that aired on Topgolf.com called “The Hook" that features celebrity guests.