Whether it is team-building or going on a first date, Londoners are always on the lookout for the latest quirky adventure to bring excitement to the occasion, one of the most popular activities is playing crazy golf. The courses don’t come more zany than at Junkyard golf, which is suitably situated in Brick Lane.
There are 3 nine-hole mini golf courses, which takes you through the most twisted and bizarre junk imaginable. At every hole, you just have to admire the sheer audacity of the creations and wonder at what kind of car boot sale or charity shop they managed to assemble the eclectic array of objects. The 3 themed courses are FRANK (Putt Up or Shut Up), PEDRO (Polluted Paradise) and HELGA (In Da Club) and they have plans to open a 4th course from mid-September.
Some of the objects you might encounter include a Wendy house, cow, jacuzzi, washing machine, speedboat, slide and treadmill. You might find yourself standing on top of a billiard table, wondering which hole you should putt into to achieve a hole in one (hint: try middle left) or playing a game of space invaders by putting up an extremely steep slope. The UV techno section DAFTWERK is particularly impressive and mind-boggling and something they can probably develop further into a complete 9-hole course.
Food offering comes in the form of Bart’s dog kart and they do offer very tasty hot dogs. The Brooklyn option I tried was filled with ingredients like pickles, pastrami, thousand island, crispy onions and mustard. It would have been nicer if the buns were heated and fluffier, but the relaxed nature of the food does blend in with the theme of the golfing experience. There is plenty of space at the venue, so there is perhaps room to introduce other food stalls.
Apart from standard wine and beer, they have suitably golf-themed names for their cocktails such as fairway to heaven, tee diddy, who’s your caddy? All are reasonably priced at £7.50 and hole in one shots which are £3.50.
You don’t need to be Rory McIlroy or Tiger Woods to enjoy Junkyard golf; in fact the enjoyment comes from taking many putts from the simplest of holes. Luckily they have recently extended their lease, so they will be around until at least December 2016.
baldwin@townfish.com