Urban Golf

What Urban Golf does

Urban Golf, founded in 2004 by PGA professional James Day, operates a central London indoor golf venue at 12 Smithfield Street (EC1A 9LA) running 11 aboutGOLF camera-based golf simulators with proprietary machine-vision ball tracking calibrated at Loughborough University. The simulators can render 100+ world-class courses (Cypress Point, Pine Valley, TPC Sawgrass) and track every shot in the bag, including putts and chips, with the Bunker VIP room adding a 180-degree curved screen, Titleist Pro V1 balls, and dedicated table service.

The business combines simulator hire with multiple ancillary revenue streams that turn the venue into a year-round hospitality destination. Urban Custom Clubs (UCC) offers bespoke club fitting and hand-building using the proprietary ShaftMax dynamic measurement tool and components from manufacturers such as Miura, Fujimoto, and Srixon. The Around The Cluck kitchen residency (chef James Cochran) supplies food alongside a craft beer and cocktail bar stocked with Deya, Hawkstone, and Tiny Rebel. The Underground Society adds a season-long competitive series, practice bundles introduce a 12-month recurring pricing layer, and corporate channels deliver conferences (£599–£999+VAT) and events for 6–200 guests. In 2024 the company launched Urban Golf at Home (residential simulator design and installation, in partnership with Squire and Partners) and a franchise program to extend the brand beyond London.

Urban Golf is privately held and founder-owned, with no disclosed external funding rounds. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through walk-ins, online booking (ResDiary/SevenRooms), phone, and email, augmented by a PGA-professional venue-access channel, social media, SEO, and event-driven marketing around major golf tournaments and live sports. The company claims to have hosted over 1 million rounds of indoor golf since 2004 and to be "London's Original Indoor Golf Destination."

Name

Urban Golf

Legal name

Urban Golf

Website

https://urbangolf.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Urban Golf is London's original indoor golf venue operating 11 aboutGOLF camera-based simulators since 2004, serving individual golfers, corporate clients, and event groups with simulator hire, custom club fitting, food and beverage, and home installation services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indoor golf entertainment and simulator venue

NAICS

Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Simulators, Nets & Practice Equipment Retail (CRAMAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mini Golf & Attractions Centers (Mini Golf, Go-Karts, Laser Tag Complexes) (THAJAEAK)

Keywords

• Indoor golf venue
• Golf simulator hire
• Custom golf club fitting
• Corporate golf events
• Competitive socialising golf

Headquarters

HQ city

City Of London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Simulator Hire: Hourly rental of golf simulators. Customers pay per hour for access to state-of-the-art golf simulators. Pricing varies by time slot (off-peak vs peak) and day of week. The Bunker VIP room commands premium pricing.
2. Practice Bundles: Pre-purchased credit bundles offering discounted simulator access (as low as £10/hour). Includes community access, exclusive competitions, and extended opening hours. Credits valid for 12 months.
3. Food & Beverage: On-site kitchen serving James Cochran's Around The Cluck menu (buttermilk jerk chicken, burgers, subs). Full bar with craft beers, cocktails, wine. Kitchen open Monday-Saturday from 12 noon.
4. Urban Custom Clubs: Bespoke golf club fitting and building service. Uses ShaftMax technology for dynamic specification. Clubs hand-built to customer requirements using components from trusted manufacturers (Miura, Fujimoto, Srixon).
5. Gift Cards: Gift cards valid for 12 months, redeemable against simulator bookings, practice bundles, food, and drinks. Available in any denomination.
6. Franchise Fees: Urban Golf offers franchise opportunities allowing entrepreneurs to open Urban Golf-branded venues using the company's 20 years of experience, technology, and brand.
7. Corporate Events & Conferences: Private venue hire for conferences, team building, product launches, Christmas parties. Includes IT setup, catering, and golf simulators for breakout activities. Space accommodates 6-200 guests.
8. PGA Professional Venue Access: Third-party PGA professionals and golf coaches rent simulator time at exclusive rates for teaching purposes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Urban Golf operates an indoor golf entertainment venue in central London equipped with 11 aboutGOLF camera-based simulators that allow guests to play 100+ world-class courses, with hourly simulator hire, practice bundles, a private VIP 'Bunker' room, custom club fitting via Urban Custom Clubs, food and beverage from the Around The Cluck kitchen residency, corporate events and conferences for 6 to 200 guests, and home simulator installations through Urban Golf at Home.

Product overview

Urban Golf is London's original indoor golf venue (established 2004) offering a unified hospitality and golf experience. The core offering is the indoor golf venue with 11 aboutGOLF camera-based simulators that can track every shot in the game. The business complements this with multiple service modules: The Bunker VIP room for premium experiences; Practice Bundles for regular players; Urban Custom Clubs (UCC) for bespoke club fitting and manufacturing; Urban Golf at Home for residential simulator installations; and food/beverage through the Around The Cluck kitchen residency. Additional revenue streams include group bookings, conference services, Christmas packages, gift cards, and the Underground Society competitive membership series. The company also offers franchise opportunities for expansion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Around The Cluck: Food and beverage kitchen residency by award-winning chef James Cochran, featuring buttermilk Jamaican jerk chicken burgers, buckets and subs.
• Urban Custom Clubs (UCC)
• Urban Golf at Home
• Urban Underground Series

Products and services

• Urban Golf Venue (Simulator Hire) Hourly hire of 11 state-of-the-art aboutGOLF camera-based golf simulators at the central London venue, allowing individuals and groups to play 100+ world-class courses including Cypress Point, Pine Valley and TPC Sawgrass. Pricing varies by time slot and day, with peak weekday rates up to £80/hour and off-peak from £40/hour.
• The Bunker VIP Room Private VIP simulator experience with a 180-degree curved screen, custom-sim setup, dedicated waiter service, Titleist Pro V1 golf balls and Tour-level irons, woods and wedges, priced at £100/hour off-peak and £120/hour peak.
• Practice Bundles Pre-purchased credit bundles (10/20/30/40 credits) offering discounted simulator access from £10/hour down to £5/hour, with bundle-holder community access, exclusive competitions, prizes and walk-in peak-time access depending on tier.
• Urban Custom Clubs (UCC) Bespoke golf club fitting and hand-building service using the proprietary ShaftMax dynamic measurement tool, with components sourced from trusted manufacturers including Miura, Fujimoto and Srixon, sold to serious individual golfers seeking precision-fitted equipment.
• Urban Golf at Home Home golf simulator sales, design and installation service providing end-to-end residential solutions including technology selection, AV integration, design consultation with architects such as Squire and Partners, and ongoing support.
• Around The Cluck (Food & Beverage) On-site food and beverage service featuring James Cochran's Around The Cluck kitchen residency (buttermilk jerk chicken, burgers, subs) plus full bar with craft beers from Deya Brewing, Tiny Rebel and Hawkstone cider, and a cocktail list, open Monday to Saturday from 12 noon.
• Conference and Private Event Hire Daytime conference and private event hire including Bunker conference packages (Morning £599+VAT, Afternoon £699+VAT, Full Day £999+VAT) with IT setup, catering, and access to golf simulators for breakout activities, accommodating 6 to 200 guests.
• Christmas Party Packages Seasonal Christmas party packages for groups of 8+ combining golf time, food and drinks, with tiers from £48 per person (Bogey Nights) up to £90 per person (The Woosie with two-course meal and unlimited drinks).
• Group Bookings (Stag/Hen, Birthdays, Social Groups)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million rounds of indoor golf hosted since 2004
• +2 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• aboutGOLFcoreTechnology or IntegrationLong-standing technology partnership with aboutGOLF for simulator systems. Urban Golf has worked with aboutGOLF since the company's early days, using their 3-trak technology. The aboutGOLF systems are robot-tested and verified for accuracy at Loughborough University. This partnership provides the core simulation technology that powers all 11 simulators at Urban Golf venues.
• James Cochran / Around The CluckcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJames Cochran, winner of BBC's Great British Menu Champion of Champions, operates the Around The Cluck kitchen residency at Urban Golf. The award-winning chef brings buttermilk Jamaican jerk chicken concept featuring burgers, subs, buckets with fresh dips, hash browns, fries, and crispy corn ribs. The kitchen is open 12 noon-9pm Monday-Saturday. No reservations required - walk-ins welcome.
• Deya Brewing CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCheltenham-based craft brewery supplying draft beers to Urban Golf. Current offerings include Steady Rolling Man IPA (5.2%), Tappy Pils (4.4%), and Magazine Cover lighter IPA (4.2%, vegan, gluten-free).
• Tim McGanncoreTechnology or IntegrationRocket scientist who developed launch monitor for Max Out Golf using high-speed images of ball at impact. His technology was robot-tested at Loughborough University and verified for accuracy. Urban Golf still uses the Max Out unit to calibrate all simulators. Later contributed to development of aboutGOLF technology.
• Bill Bales / 3-trakcoreTechnology or IntegrationBill Bales developed the 3-trak technology used in aboutGOLF simulators. Met Bill Bales at PGA Show in Orlando where prototype was shown. This technology forms the foundation of Urban Golf's camera-based ball tracking systems.
• Squire and PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning architectural firm that Urban Golf works with for home simulator installations. Ensures beautiful design that meets client needs for home golf simulator and entertainment spaces.
• Max Out GolfcoreTechnology or IntegrationMax Out Golf's launch monitor technology was developed by Tim McGann. Urban Golf robot-tested the system at Loughborough University for accuracy verification. The company still uses Max Out unit to calibrate simulators.
• HawkstoneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium cider supplier with Hawkstone Cider on tap at Urban Golf alongside their beer offerings.
• Tiny RebelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWelsh craft brewery supplying Coal Drop Stout to Urban Golf's draft beer selection.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• PlayMoreGolf: UK-based operator of indoor golf simulator facilities with membership-based access. Same domestic market and indoor simulator category, but operates a membership model rather than Urban Golf's per-hour pay-as-you-go urban venue format.

Direct peers

• Swingers: London-based operator of indoor crazy golf venues paired with street food, cocktails and event space. Competes for the same London corporate, social and group-event discretionary spend as Urban Golf, with overlapping Central London customer base.
• Five Iron Golf: Five Iron runs multi-location indoor golf simulator bars primarily across the US, serving casual golfers and corporate events with F&B and league play. Closest direct competitor to Urban Golf on city-centre simulator venue plus bar format.
• X-Golf: X-Golf is a franchise-based indoor golf simulator chain with locations across the US and expanding globally. Uses a similar franchising/operator model to Urban Golf's franchise programme and competes for simulator-led golf entertainment spend.
• Puttshack: Puttshack operates tech-enabled mini-golf entertainment venues with F&B in the UK and US. Targets the same group/corporate event occasion as Urban Golf and competes for indoor entertainment share in major cities including London.
• Topgolf: Topgolf operates a global chain of tech-enabled golf entertainment venues combining simulators/driving range bays with F&B and event spaces. Direct competitor to Urban Golf's simulator-plus-hospitality model, albeit at a much larger venue scale.

Others

• aboutGOLF: Provider of the camera-based simulator hardware and software platform that powers Urban Golf's 11 bays. A core vendor/partner, and the underlying technology template that direct peers also license.
• Trackman: Trackman is a leading maker of radar-based golf launch monitors and simulators used by indoor venues, coaches and home installations. Competes at the technology layer that defines what an "indoor golf" experience looks like.
• Foresight Sports: Foresight Sports builds photometric golf simulators and launch monitors used in fitting studios and indoor venues. Alternative enabling technology platform in the same category that Urban Golf's aboutGOLF stack competes against.

Emerging players

• Drive Shack: Drive Shack operates golf entertainment venues including the Puttery indoor putt-and-bar concept. While US-focused and putt-led rather than simulator-led, it targets the same golf-meets-hospitality night-out occasion Urban Golf monetises.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/urbangolf
• Facebookfacebook.com/urbangolflondon
• Instagraminstagram.com/urban_golf
• TikToktiktok.com/@urbangolflondon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/urban-golf-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Urban Golf