Pitch Golf has opened in Manchester, and Mirror man Matt Atherton went along to play a round at St Andrews – with mixed results
A brand new indoor golf experience has opened in Manchester city centre, and we went along to give it a whirl.
It’s exactly what it sounds like – a round of golf without having to lug a heavy club bag around for miles, and it’s just what this amateur (really, really bad) golfer needed.
Players are given the chance to sit down in a cushty golf bay, away from the judgemental eyes of a posh golf course’s driving range. You’ll simply choose whether you want to just smash a few balls, or try your hand at dozens of the world’s most famous courses, with some pretty decent clubs at your disposal.
I haven’t played a round of golf for about 15 years, and even then it wasn’t really playing. I managed to get my handicap down to about +35 before putting my clubs down once and for all.
So, it was particularly refreshing to be able to get back in the swing of things without anyone watching. I simply headed to Pitch Golf’s driving range, and stepped up to the plate.
The bay uses Trackman technology, which basically means the AI watches your swing, impact zone on the ball, and swing power, to analyse exactly where the golf ball would end up in the real world. You can switch between a trusty pitching wedge to zero-in on your target, or whack out the driver and smash it as hard as you can.
Clearly I’d been out of practice for a while, and my golf play lacked professionalism, shall we say? But, the incredible technology really opened my eyes to how I could improve my game, if I wanted to keep pursuing it. A handy trainer captures your entire movements on camera, and then replays it to you, so you can see exactly where you’re going wrong when you smash the ball into a lake (speaking from experience).
Within half an hour I was hitting the ball generally in the right direction, topping 150yards each shot. The screen even shows you the flight path of each shot, so you can make subtle improvements to absolutely nail your target.
Quite rightly, after an hour I figured I was ready for one of the world’s most challenging courses, St Andrews, playing off the ‘Champion tees’. It ended as predictably as imagined.
I managed to finish with a triple bogey on the first hole… mainly because the computer took pity on me and just waved me through to the next hole. But, aside from that embarrassment, the AI scenery was stunning. The visuals matched the iconic scenes of St Andrews’s opening hole – so much so that when I sent a picture to my family asking “Where am I?”, someone quickly replied: “St Andrews?!”.
Pitch Manchester isn’t just somewhere to practice your golf, though. It’s a great social setting that prides itself on being open to everyone – not just the clubhouse gang in their posh polo shirts and chinos.
It features a bar with a great selection of drinks, as well as the usual pub luxuries; shuffle board, Sky Sports, and a great kitchen team. The menu features a special selection of Asian-inspired dishes, which is perfect for scoffing a mouthful between swings.
Even as you enter the facility, you’re greeted by a shop with all of the latest gear you’ll be needing to hit the links. It mimics the exact feel of a clubhouse, without the beginners feeling out of place.
Meanwhile, if you’re heading to Manchester city centre and need somewhere to stay, it’s definitely worth considering the Marriott Piccadilly Hotel.
It’s central location is perfect for those needing access to Piccadilly train station, and its views over the city are second-to-none.
There’s plenty of space to put your feet up after a busy day, and the next morning you’ll be treated to a delicious breakfast, featuring everything you’d ever need to kickstart your day.