Get some Urban Crazy in your life
Golfmagic heads to north London to learn about Britain's most popular mini-golf company
I don’t know about you, but I’m a huge fan of crazy golf. Is there anyone who isn’t? Actually, I don’t want to know…
So when my young protégé Andy and I were wandering round a golf show in London’s Earl’s Court recently, we stumbled upon a large sign bearing just two words: Urban Crazy.
In front of us, nine portable mini-golf holes. What better way to kill 15 minutes until our next meeting?
“It’s £2 to play,” we were told, “and that goes straight to charity. We’ve got a special hole which you play first – and if you get a hole-in-one you go into a draw to win a holiday.”
I took a scorecard and Andy and I both attempted the prize hole. (Let’s just say we didn’t have any holidays courtesy of Urban Crazy…)
Ten minutes later and as I tapped in for par at the ninth to secure victory by a single stroke, we resisted temptation to go round again.
What a brilliant idea, though. Portable crazy golf holes! “We should get a couple for the office,” joked Andy.
I was intrigued. These holes must be available to hire – or maybe even buy? I contacted Urban Crazy and went to meet the brains behind the operation in their North London office.
“We have been going for more than ten years,” Urban Crazy’s Richard Linden tells me, placing a plate of biscuits under my nose. “One of our founders, Jon Angel, is a former British Minigolf Champion!
“What started as a bright idea, turned into a multitude of successful projects that have attributed to us becoming the number one mini-golf company in the UK.”
It’s easy to see why they are so successful, and the Urban Crazy office walls are adorned by pictures from television appearances, including Blue Peter, the One Show and A Question of Sport – while the distinguished client list includes the likes of Westfield, Samsung, the BBC, Ben & Jerry’s, French Connection, Santander and Northern Trust.
Plenty of celebrities have got the Urban Crazy bug, too, including Harry Potter star Rupert Grint, model Jodie Kidd, popstar Harry Judd, snooker legend John Parrot and politicians Jack Straw and Alex Salmond.
I ask Richard about his favourite projects. “For me,” he replies after a brief pause for thought, “it was when we co-organised a tournament with Bompas & Parr and supplied accessories for their mini-golf course on the Selfridges rooftop with each hole depicting a famous London landmark.
“Also when we created a unique giant game for Doritos – that was a lot of fun!”
I know what you’re thinking. You want to hire a mini-golf course for your next milestone event, don’t you? So how much would it set you back?
“We hire out our portable courses all over the country,” says Richard. “And often Europe and worldwide.
“Prices to hire a course – usually one to nine holes – for a day in London for a corporate function, party, wedding tend to range from £500 to £2000 plus VAT.
“To hire outside London is calculated on a case-by-case basis as transport costs are higher. Depending on the client’s requirements, we will usually set-up, staff and breakdown the course. Any customisation and bespoke creations are priced according to specification.”
And what if you wanted to buy?
“We build a huge variety of portable courses for clients, whether they require a grand or exuberant or a low-key or subtle course.
“Prices start at around £1,200, plus VAT, per hole for the contemporary courses, while the signature and designer courses start at around £3,500 a hole.
“As with anything the price will depend on the client’s specifications and we can usually turn them round in five to ten weeks, again according to requirements.”
Of course, if you’re really flash, you could have a permanent mini-golf course fitted in your back garden.
Just make sure you run it by the other half, first…
Have a click through the gallery to see some examples of the work Urban Crazy does for its private and public clientele. Visit www.urbancrazy.com to learn more about the company.
