Funky Venues

Venue Review

Character: St Andrew’s in the City.

Funky Features: State-of-the-art golf simulators, Top professional coaches and packages for the novice to the devotee, opportunity to play virtually on 52 of the world’s greatest golf courses.

Location and History

Anyone who likes golf will love Urban Golf and even those less excited by the thought of a full round of 18 holes find a few rounds at this venue distinctly different and interesting.  The Smithfields branch of Urban Golf opened in summer 2006 two years after the original Soho outlet and occupies a brand new building in Smithfield. It is is already well known for its Performance Centre, which boasts coaching from world-class professionals and the odd visit from Britain’s top golfer in the world rankings, Luke Donald.

Interior

Urban Golf takes pains to avoid the stuffy notion of the ‘19th hole’. Surprisingly the first face to greet you when you enter the minimalist entrance hall is a faintly grisly mural of a butcher, alluding to the neighbours at Smithfield Meat Market. There are more artworks as you descend the stairs into the main reception which like the rest of the place blends gritty Clerkenwell interior with more traditional golf course imagery.

Space for Hire

Architects Squire and Partners have cleverly grouped the eight golf simulators around a large lounge area, with an artificial grass putting green as the central feature. The result is a calm oasis with a muted green tiled bar which contrasts with retro red sofas and wood panelling. The friendly staff will accommodate all the needs of any size party from 10 to 300.

The bar can provide a wide range of classic cocktails as well as freshly prepared food. For smaller groups there is a VIP area, which can be partitioned and includes two simulators and a private seating area – a distinctive location for a champagne reception. For press launches, presentations and business meetings, the central bar space can be transformed into a cinema theatre space using the massive high definition screen.

Urban Golf Soho is also available for event hire. It’s slightly smaller than Smithfields (with six simulators) but similarly versatile for a range of different events.