The Playgolf Experience, officially opened its doors at the Trafford Centre in Manchester on 1st December. Costing £3.5 million the new golf driving range combines golf with mainstream entertainment. The centre is a revolutionary leisure and retail facility, comprising 63 bays over two tiers within an outstanding glass and concrete atrium 500 feet long and 30 feet high.
The playing experience is enhanced by the design of the spectacular outfield, which incorporates greens, fairways, bunkers and rough and provides any keen golfer with numerous different shots to play. Golfers can also pit their luck against friends with The Playgolf Experience’s bespoke game, ‘Hotshots’.
Housed within the range building is the first golf superstore from the UK’s number one sports retailer JJB, a custom fit centre and the Blue Cafà© set under glass on a stunning mezzanine.
On the penultimate Tuesday before Christmas, Lee Westwood, Europe’s number one golfer, has accepted a charity challenge to play the new game, Hotshots, as part of an official launch evening. The Playgolf Experience will convert his score into pounds and donate it to the Special Care Baby Unit at Hope Hospital in Manchester.
Following Lee Westwood ending Colin Montgomerie’s seven year reign as Europe’s number one, David Piggins, Playgolf’s founder and managing director, revealed his star signing. “I am thrilled that Lee will be doing the honours, he has had a terrific year. I think it’s a case of Europe’s finest golfer launching Europe’s finest golf experience.”
There is plenty of opportunity for those with little or no golfing experience to learn the basics of the swing from a variety of clinics and classes run by top PGA professionals at the Golf School. The Playgolf Experience is situated on junction ten of the M60, next to the Trafford Centre shopping complex. It is open seven days a week from 8am to 10pm.