The boom in mini golf might be continuing, but that doesn’t mean that every venue is going to be a success. Here we take a look at some of those that fell by the wayside last year.
Total Enigma, Hillcrest Avenue, Carlisle CA1 2QJ
Image credit: Total Enigma/Facebook
An indoor UV course that closed after six years. The owner posted in July 2024: “There were just too many setbacks in the last 6 years, out of our control to recover from. I hope the new owners use the building as I had intended; to bring fun and laughter to children and families.”
Putt Club Watford, Greatham Road, Bushey WD23 2NZ
Image credit: Steven V / TripAdvisor
Putt Club still has half a dozen other venues around the country, including two in London, but the one in Bushey/Watford is no more. It had mixed reviews, with some praising its “very individual” holes (based on a karting theme), but others complaining of a lack of cleanliness and overpriced food.
Princess Parade, North Promenade, Blackpool FY1 1RQ
Image credit: Yvonne Blazey / Facebook
A cheap (just £3 for adults) and traditional course dating back to 1957, located in the sunken garden just north of Blackpool’s North Pier. It fell into disrepair before being restored and reopened in 2021. After the end of the 2023 season it was hoped that the course would open again in June 2024, but in August a notice was posted online by the charity running it saying that it was closed until further notice.
Plonk Camden Market, The Stables Market Unit, 410 Chalk Farm Road, Camden NW1 8AH
Image credit: Em240593 / TripAdvisor
There are still Plonk venues in Hackney, Shoreditch and Borough Market, but this one in a railway arch in Camden Market bit the dust in December 2024. Again, reviews were mixed – from “the holes you play are a lot of fun and quite challenging in how quirky and different they are”, to “the place is run down, very small”.
Grange Promenade Recreation Park, The Promenade, Grange-over-Sands LA11 7DH
This was a traditional, 9-hole, concrete crazy golf course run by the council, which cost £4 to play. Grange-over-Sands Town Council said on its website: “The Recreation Ground at the southern end of the prom (crazy golf and putting) is now closed.
In 2024 the site was not open due to Westmorland and Furness Council’s works to refurbish the Lido and Prom. The Town Council is in negotiation with Westmorland and Furness about the future of these facilities.”
Players, 13A Castle Foregate, Shrewsbury SY1 2DJ
Image credit: Google Street View
This was a 9-hole course at a venue that also had retro video games. It only received two reviews on TripAdvisor, both of them one-star – overpriced (£9.50 at last count) and short seemed to be the gist of it.
Urban Street Golf, Gravity Social, Sol Northampton, Mare Fair, Northampton NN1 1SR
Image credit: Google Street View
Okay, this one actually closed on 31 December 2023, but we’re counting it. This was a 9-hole course located on the second floor of the Sol Northampton entertainment complex.
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And, although this is a course that has been unused since 2018, there’s also some news on Skegness Crazy Golf in South Parade, Skegness – a 12-hole course which is supposedly both the oldest surviving attraction in Skegness (dating back to 1922 or 1926 depending who you believe) and the first crazy golf site in the country.
Image credit: J Thomas
Located between the clock tower and boating lake, it’s on a prime site, and is now becoming a hotel. According to the BBC, the site has a market value of around £280,000, but was sold for just one pound to make way for a new Travelodge and Starbucks.