We have a first look at Topgolf's new West Des Moines location. Here's what to know:

Just after dawn Thursday, Topgolf's new West Des Moines facility— the international chain's first in Iowa— buzzed with workers making finishing touches.

The high-tech driving range, bar and restaurant will open Sept. 6 with a ceremony Gov. Kim Reynolds has been invited to attend. The $13 million facility on the northwest corner of Mills Civic and Jordan Creek parkways near Jordan Creek Town Center will have 72 indoor-outdoor climate-controlled hitting bays, available year-round.

Originally Topgolf hoped to open the location in October. A mild winter allowed construction to proceed ahead of schedule.

Conducting a tour for the Des Moines Register, Director of Operations Jared Long showed off some of the features that have made Topgolf a popular passtime in major metros from Boston to Los Angeles and in Europe, Asia, Australia and South America.

The West Des Moines facility has two levels. At most Topgolf facilities the first floor sits level with the driving range. But here, the driving range is sunk about 10 feet below ground level, so both the first- and second-level players have a higher perch, Long said.

"That gives a feeling of elevation," he said. "We're one of the few that started off with that. So anybody on that first floor will feel like they're hitting from an elevated spot."

Will Topgolf be open year-round?

Despite Des Moines' chilly winters Topgolf will be open even when the snow flies. Before coming to West Des Moines, Long helped open a Topgolf location in the St. Louis suburb of Chesterfield, Missouri. Heating lamps above players in hitting bays can make it feel 25 to 30 degrees warmer, he said.

"It's a radiant heat, not a blowing heat," he said. "You will see, when it's 30 degrees out, people playing in shorts. It keeps it that warm. We get more complaints about warm beer in the wintertime than summer because these heaters will warm up that beverage."

On frigid days the wind can still provide a chill, Long said, but Topgolf will be open when temperatures are in the single digits.

After snowstorms, plows can clear the driving range in about two hours, he said, adding, "We keep extra balls so when there's a bunch of balls stuck in the snow, we just wait for the snow to melt and then pick them up."

How does Topgolf work?

Topgolf has targets 30 to 213 yards from the hitting mats. Nets about 150 feet high surround the driving range, and loom over Jordan Creek Parkway. Artificial turf covers the range, and players aim to hit red, yellow, green, brown, blue and white targets at successive distances.

At older Topgolf facilities, players hit balls embedded with radio frequency identification tags at targets with vats several feet deep. But at the West Des Moines facility the targets are painted on the turf.

And instead of using the special balls, which take about 10 yards off shots, the West Des Moines facility will use Topgolf's Toptracer technology, which allows the use of regular balls. Topgolf also opted against using its legacy vat-target design because it does not fare well in some northern markets, Long said.

The locations with painted targets have "been able to stay open more, because the in-ground targets, when it's a cold market, they sometimes have more issues," he said.

How does Toptracer work?

Toptracer technology uses sensors and cameras to track the location of golf balls. Since being introduced to televised golf coverage in the mid 2010s, the technology has changed the way golf is broadcast.

In West Des Moines, when a player hits a ball, cameras on the roof of the second level will track their its position. Much as on a TV broadcast, players will be able to watch their ball's trajectory on a screen in front of them, or for left-handed players, behind them. The screens will show players where on the targets their balls land and also provide data like ball speed.

The West Des Moines location also will have Sure Thing clubs designed to help novice players increase the loft on their shots.

"Imagine a pitching wedge in a driver body," Long said. "We found that not everybody was hitting it up in the air and they were getting discouraged."

How big is Topgolf?

The West Des Moines facility will have about 35,500 square feet of usable floor space on its two levels.

Topgolf has golf challenges for all ages and all levels of experience, Long said. Its Block Party game, for example, awards points to players no matter where they hit a ball into the range. But players can also play virtual versions of courses like California's Pebble Beach Golf Links.

The company also organizes seasonal leagues.

Generally in new markets Topgolf increases interest in golf, Long said.

"We found there's an increase in the green-grass courses once a Topgolf goes in because we introduce that game of golf to players that have never played before," he said. "They hit that first sweet shot out there and they'll be hooked."

Can parties or companies rent bays?

Eight of the 72 hitting bays — four on each floor — will be luxury suites. Suites on the end of each level can hold up to 56 people, Long said. Garage doors open up the spaces on both sides to make them feel extra spacious.

They can be used by everything from bachelorette parties to kids' birthday parties, "diaper parties" and company outings, Long said.

"We'll open these garage doors and get that cross breeze in here," he said.

Do people fall off the top level?

Topgolf has nets designed to catch people weighing up to 500 pounds if they fall from the top level.

"Don't jump into the net," Long joked. "That is not a hammock."

Occasionally players fall accidentally while swinging. Anyone who jumps on purpose loses their membership rights, Long said.

Are there non-golf options?

Topgolf has a large bar area with a large LED television screen. There also is a patio with bags boards and places to sit and drink. It's open to anyone who want to visit Topgolf, even without paying to use the driving bays.

How can bays be reserved?

Reservations for bays at the West Des Moines location can be made on its website, topgolf.com/us/des-moines. Reservations for two-hour sessions are currently being accepted, Long said.

Walk-ins are welcome. But Topgolf is notorious for its long waits when new locations open, and Long stressed that people should reserve times in advance for the best service.

When is the grand opening?

A grand opening will be held Sept. 6. Until then Topgolf will train its 300 employees with the help of company veterans from locations as far away as Austin, Texas. On Thursday morning Executive Chef Michael Leng ran cooks through mock-service runs.

Family members and friends of employees will be able to try out the technology during special sessions on Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Effectively, it will be a soft opening so the company can fire up the cameras, hitting bays and kitchen before the first customers walk in the door, Long said.

"We're working on the small details right now," he said. "Doors that might have a little jam in them, this, that, minor things."

What will Topgolf cost?

According to the chain's website bays will cost:

• $30 per hour from 9 a.m. to noon, $40 per hour from noon to 5 p.m. and $52 per hour from 5 p.m. to midnight Monday-Thursday, with a half-price promotion usually on Tuesdays.
• $35 per hour from 9 a.m. to noon, $47 per hour from noon to 5 p.m. and $58 per hour from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
• $35 per hour from 9 a.m. to noon, $47 per hour from noon to 5 p.m. and $58 per hour from 5 p.m. to midnight Sunday.

Anyone under age 16 must be supervised by a person over age 21 at all times. Anyone ages 16 or 17 must be supervised by a person over age 21 after 9 p.m.

Philip Joens covers retail and real estate for the Des Moines Register. He can be reached at 515-284-8184, pjoens@registermedia.com or on Twitter @Philip_Joens.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: We have a first look at Topgolf's new West Des Moines location. Here's what to know: