Wizard Golf in York a Review of Hole in the Wand

Wizard Golf in York a Review of Hole in the Wand. When researching for a city break to York with the boys. I stumbled across the Hole in the Wand. A themed mini-golf course with a wizarding theme. Being Harry Potter fans I thought it would keep the boys entertained. I was also attracted by the fact it was inside. Since we were visiting in December you can never really tell what the weather is going to be like. So how did we get on with the magical golf course and trying our hand at wand wizard golf at this indoor mini-golf York?

Wizard Golf in York a Review of Hole in the Wand

Where is the Hole in the Wand?

It is part of the same business as the Potions Cauldron in york’s famous shambles. Hole in the Wand is located in the heart of York in York’s Coppergate Shopping Centre. One of the great things about being in the city centre of York is that nothing is that far away. Consequently, the Hole in the Wand is right opposite the Jorvik Viking Centre and easy walking distance from the Shambles. But if you are driving into the centre the nearest car park is Piccadilly (use postcode YO1 9NX). To reach Hole in the Wand you can use the following address – 14 Coppergate Walk, York YO1 9NT.

How much does it cost?

Hole in the Wand offers a number of different options. A round of nine holes costs £6.99 each and it comes with a free wizarding potion drink which normally costs £2.99. I thought that you were given these at the start but. Actually, they are your reward for completing the nine holes. They also offer a premium ticket which is the same as a standard ticket but comes with a phial of jelly beans. A premium ticket costs £8.99. The VIP ticket is the same as a standard ticket but you also get an additional four potions at a cost of £14.99. The maximum group size is six to ensure you all keep moving around the magical golf holes without hold up.

We ended up opting for a group ticket for four. it cost £44.99 and included four rounds of golf (one each), a potion each and then cake and a butterbeer in the cafe after. In all honesty, if we were to do it again think we would probably just opt for a standard ticket each. The group ticket saved us around £8. A piece of cake was £2.99 and the butterbeer £2.99 each.

It is a popular attraction and you will need to book tickets in advance. You can book tickets on their website. They have tee-off times, every fifteen minutes between 10.30 am and 5.30 pm.

What to expect – Our arrival 

We were not really sure what to expect when we arrived. There was a raised entrance with a queue sign which is what we did. There were four or five other families in front of us. When our session was due to start a lady came out and gave us a pen and a scorecard. We then had to wait to pick up golf clubs and balls. They try to stagger people so, in theory, you are not running into those in front. For the majority of the course, it worked. Although being at the back of the queue initially meant the boys got bored. It took about fifteen minutes for us to get to tee off. So my advice would be to arrive early. 

As you enter there is an opportunity for a photo which we could not resist. You can buy the photo at the end of the course. Compared to other places we have visited the price is a reasonable £5.99 for a standard photo or £4.99 for a keyring. Although I was disappointed that it was not possible to get a digital download as well. 

Before your get, to your first hole, the rules of the game are explained. You also need to hunt out a different letter on each hole to solve the mystery and find the missing gargoyle grobblenook. The maximum number of people per group is 6 and the minimum age is 3. We found that we spent an hour and a half going around the course and having a cake in the cafe. 

The nine holes indoor mini golf – our favourite parts

As all the holes are inside they are not huge. Especially the first few which are fitted in around the stars. But they are unique including giant picture frame where you become part of the painting. I have not come across a mini-golf quite like it before. Most holes have an unusual feature. The attention to detail is very good and each of the holes is different from the last. The boys particularly enjoyed the last couple of holes. They are quite challenging and one of the rules is that you can only have a maximum of six shots at each hole. I can understand why this would be although there were still a number of holes where the boys scored well below this number. 

A prize for everyone – Mini Golf York 

As well as going around collecting letters from the different holes. The scorecard is important for the end of your adventure. As your score dictates which prize you get at the end – a magic potion gift. The wizarding potions come in four different flavours and you are awarded one on the basis of your score. Rather annoyingly we all got very similar scores which meant that we all ended up with the same potion. I think the boys were hoping to try the different flavours of the themed drinks. 

• Serpents Venom (Lemonade)
• Basilisk Blood (Mixed Fruits)
• Tears of A Wizard (Cream Soda)
• Unicorn Essence (Fruit Twist)
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Food & Drink – Wizard Tavern

As well as the potion at the end, there is also a small cafe area on the ground floor. It is small and to be honest you are probably better heading out to one of the many other cafes in the area. As there are no windows or natural light. The cauldron cake is okay and I thought the drinks were a little overpriced. If I had not already purchased the cake and the butterscotch beer as part of the ticket we wouldn’t have stopped. 

Things we really liked about – Indoor Mini Golf York a Review of Hole in the Wand

Other than the cafe which was a bit of a disappointment there was plenty that we really liked about the Hole in the Wand. It is great fun for the whole family.

• Staggered starts meant that we did not feel under pressure to complete the holes or have long to wait for our next one.
• Attention to detail on the holes is great.
• There are some very strong links with a very special wizard.
• It was not too long which meant the youngest in our party did not get bored.
• The added activity of hunting for letters to reveal the secret word is a nice touch and kept the boys entertained while they were waiting for their turn. 
• £6.99 including a wizarding potion at the end is a reasonable price and good value for an hour and half of entertainment.

Have you tried out a round of wizard golf before?  Or visited an indoor mini-golf course? I would love to hear about your experiences in the comments below. 

Visiting York?

These other posts may be of interest:

Things to do in York with Kids – 3 Day Itinerary

Visting York Minister with Kids

Our Harry Potter inspired trip to York

Jorvik Archeology is the triple ticket worth it?

Review The National Railway Museum 

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