Owen Billcliffe

Things To Do

Jason Allen 29/07/22


Birdies Islington

They say running a crazy golf course means you have no drive.

But the people who run Birdies certainly do. After all, they’ve gone from opening a rooftop course at Roof East, to a mind-melting indoor venue in an old set of railway arches in Battersea, to Birdies Islington: their largest, most ambitious course yet.

You’ll find it in the Angel Central shopping centre on Upper Street, where it takes up a hefty 5,558 square feet of space with its extraordinary nine-hole course, street food, and three bar areas nestled in amongst the course itself.

In case you haven’t had the visually dazzling pleasure of playing crazy golf at Birdies before, their giant, colourful, whimsically fun putt-shredding courses are designed to derail your senses with a mix of pressure pads; rapid lighting; jump ramps; and (seemingly) never-ending tunnels.

birdies angel central

Owen B Photography

A couple of the most popular holes from Battersea have been replicated here, including this one, Velocity (which requires you to use all your power to fling the ball up the ramp and onto its own mini rollercoaster track); and the geometrically-styled Tetris hole, filled with optical illusions and hidden holes. But there’s plenty of newness, too, in the form of The Green Room, which is the golfing equivalent of finding a needle in a haystack, and the hypnotic first hole, a kind of Yayoi Kusama-inspired fever dream of spotty floors and tubing.

The courses are tricksy enough, but unlike many other crazy golf spots there’s a huge element of luck involved at Birdies. Hidden tunnels, forking routes and random interventions of Fate lurk round every corner, meaning it’s a battle right up until the final hole: a make-or-break roulette whirlpool.

As for the food & drink? There’s a neon-soaked bar for Birdies’ signature takes on classic cocktails, like the Gleneagles Cobbler with Scotch, ginger wine, raspberry and lemon, and the Sunset Fizz with vodka, passionfruit and prosecco. Meanwhile, street food stalwarts Cheeky Burger are in the kitchens, flipping numbers like the Elvis (beef patty with bacon, caramelised onions and peanut butter) as well as mac & cheese bites to share, and oreo & chocolate ice cream sundaes.

They’re well above par.

 

NOTE: Birdies Islington is open daily from noon till late. A round of golf costs £12pp – you can find out more, and book, HERE.

Birdies Islington | 1st Floor, Angel Central, 21 Parkfield Street, N1 0PS


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Birdies Islington


Angel Central, 21 Parkfield Street, Islington, N1 0PS