Get Your Golf On
We know the feeling. You’ve been to the pub about a thousand times since mid-April, and now you’re hankering after something a little… different (not that we’re bashing the pub – we would never do that).
Fortunately, there is a solution to this – admittedly, very first-world – problem. It comes in the form of crazy golf. The only thing better than being two cocktails into your Friday night, is to be two cocktails into your Friday night at a crazy golf course. We don’t know who thought of putting martinis and mini golf together, but we are forever grateful. Here are the best crazy golf bars in the capital making all of our dreams come true, one tiki bar at a time.
1. Swingers
Swingers is the OG crazy golf company in London. They began in the City – just below the Gherkin, to be precise – and have since opened up a second, very well-situated course in the West End, just off Oxford Street. Evoking the kind of faded, old world, seaside elegance of Victorian Margate or Brighton, their designs are bringing us those old school English Rivieria vibes. They also do cocktails and some bangin’ food options, so you could spend a whole night here if you fancy.
They’ll be reopening on Wednesday 19th May, just a few days after indoor hospitality resumes. Book a slot here!
(Credit: @swingers)
2. Junkyard
Junkyard is continuing its steady climb to the top crazy golf destination in the UK – they have branches in Manchester, Oxford, Liverpool, Leeds, as well as their original Hackney home! This place is perhaps a little edgier than Swingers, with four different courses, each with their own theme – they have everything from tropical paradises to acid house blues. Their drinks are crazy too – I had a Jammie Dodger daquiri last time I was there.
Book for their reopening here – they do student discounts too!
(Credit: @junkyard)
3. Plonk
Plonk is everywhere in London if you look hard enough – Camden, London Fields, Peckham, the South Bank… even the Horniman Museum, which is pretty random but I kind of love it. Some of their venues are indoors, some our open-air, so they have something for every occasion. The London Fields site has a kind of tiki-bar vibe that I really dig personally. You can get food and drinks here too, so why not make a night of it?! In pandemic-times they’ve also branched out to offer on-home cocktails which I haven’t tried but would definitely like to!
Find out more here.
(Credit: @plonk)
4. Putt in the Park
Putt in the Park is like a gentle stroll along the river. Literally. They’re based right along the Thames, in leafy south-west London, in both Battersea and Wandsworth Park. However, they’ve also opened up two newer venues in Acton Park, and even Colchester. Due to popular demand, they’re even considering opening courses in Gunnersbury and Clapham too. Putt in the Park is the kind of golf course to make a day out of, bring a picnic, buy some drinks there, and let loose with your mates. It’s all outdoors too, so it’s super COVID-safe.
Check it out for yourself here.
(Credit: @londontown)
5. Puttshack
Puttshack pairs the wonders of modern technology with the old-fashioned fun of the crazy-golf course. There are no paper score cards to be seen, and their courses feature custom themed holes, interactive leader boards, and a digital prize wheel. They have outlets in White City (in Westfield), Bank, and all the way out in Lakeside, Essex. Like the others on this list, they also have food and drinks galore, so you and your friends are all catered for.
They re-open on the 17th May, so be sure to check it out!
(Credit: @puttshack)
Words by Rebecca Clayton