A1 Golf Centre was opened in 1991 by well-known Tour Professionals Christy O’Connor Snr and Jnr and has always been considered one of the premier driving ranges in North London. Over the last 5 years Ivan Norman and his team have continued to invest and evolve the facility from a good driving range and shop, to a great destination and activity centre.
Ivan the owner of A1 said “The golf industry is very competitive, if you are going to survive you need more than just golf, you need multiple reasons for people to come to your facility”.
The latest addition to the A1 complex is a new ‘Cannons’ fish & chip restaurant offering up-market fish and chips in formal dining and takeaway options. Cannons already have two very successful fish and chip restaurants in London which have a great reputation for the quality of their food and their service.
The addition of Cannons to the A1 facility will cater for everyone that visits, whether it be families on the adventure golf, evening diners, serious golfers grabbing dinner before their practice or a takeaway on the way home from work.
In the near future, Ivan hopes to incorporate another activity to the centre in the form of a High Rope Climbing Course. Ivan said “the great thing about introducing new things to the facility is that they are all wrapped around the game of golf, the more people that visit, the greater chance we have of improving the participation in golf and growing the game”.
The newly named A1 Golf Activity Centre has an impressive 45 bay undercover driving range with 24 Power Tees and 10 outdoor bays. A1 upgraded to the latest Power Tee version in January 2017.
We caught up with Ivan Norman the owner of A1 Golf Activity Centre to ask him a few questions about the benefits of Power Tee, the effect it has had on his business and why he has Power Tee at his site.
What are the key benefits of having Power Tee at your facility?
A1 Golf Activity Centre have 24 Power Tees and the majority of balls hit go through them. We are a very busy site with lots of beginners and non-golfers but we still want to appeal to the hard core golfers with great balls, mats and adjustable tee heights.
What do your customers enjoy most about the product?
We have had Power Tee since 2006 but the latest version is by far the best, we have been getting many compliments on the quality of the hitting surfaces and the aesthetics of the range. The systems are extremely reliable, easy to use and low maintenance, which makes running our facility very easy.
What has been the impact on your business since installing Power Tee?
I considered all of the options available before my latest upgrade, but in reality it really was a no brainer to continue with Power Tee. The product is by far the best and with the new rental contract that incorporates mat changes and full support it makes it a great product with a great service.
We have had Power Tee for 10 years therefore I expected to maintain our usage with the upgrade, however we have seen a 20% increase in January and February and a staggering 28% increase in March, which, when you hit as many balls as we do that is a very significant number.
Why do you have Power Tee at A1 Golf Activity Centre?
In the world we live in today the consumer expects more for their money, we have a lot of competition in our area and to retain our existing customers, grow the business and continue to increase our footfall we need to provide an unrivalled experience for our customers and that has to include Power Tee.
In my experience Power Tee is paramount even if you are a small range. If you are serious about competing in a competitive and flat market you have to offer the best.
As well as the Driving Range and Cannons Fish and Chips, A1 also has Adventure Golf, a Short-Game Area, an American Golf Store and Tee to Green Coaching.
The Dinosaur Safari golf course contains 18 holes of thrilling adventure for friends and family. There are 9 mighty resident dinosaurs including a Megalosaurus, an Ankylosaurus, an Iguadaon and a colossal 100ft Dipodocus who looms over the A1.
The Nicklaus Design Short-Game Area covers over 5,000 sq. ft., offering golfers the very best in short game practice. With 9 putting holes and an artificial surface stinted to PGA Tour Speeds, the putting area reacts just like a real championship green.
The short game area also includes a large practice bunker, and a number of chipping zones from various lengths of grass. The green is completely floodlit, enabling practice in the evening 12 months of the year.
If you are looking to shop then whatever your budget or level of experience, visit the new American Golf A1 store, and the friendly and well trained staff will be more than happy to help you out.
For golf lessons Grant Sayer, Director of Coaching, and his team offer a fresh and modern approach to teaching. With six full time golf coach’s onsite, the team aims to help improve your golf whilst making the experience fun – which is always the best way to learn. All coaches are PGA Members and pride themselves on their first class service.
It is clear to see why A1 Golf Centre has been re-named A1 Golf Activity Centre, it’s not just a great place for golfers but a destination for families and friends to enjoy and have fun.
Power Tee http://www.powertee.co.uk/
A1 Golf Activity Centre http://www.a1golfrange.co.uk/