When Chris Ingham and Elliot Godfrey first met as juniors at South Beds Golf Membership in 1999, they’d no method of figuring out that they might go on to run one of many UK’s most talked-about golf companies collectively.
However quick ahead 26 years and that’s the place that the 2 lifelong buddies discover themselves in as co-founders of Pitch Golf.
The trendy indoor golf membership has simply opened its fourth venue within the coronary heart of Canary Wharf and – with two extra places coming this Spring – there’s a lot extra to return.
“Although we performed collectively as juniors, for the following fifteen years or so our careers adopted fairly completely different PGA paths – our first main collaboration collectively was The CityPoint Golf Studio in Moorgate,” recounts Ingham.
“We had a few bays for instructing and membership becoming, however we noticed that conventional simulator experiences have been being left behind by the best way actual golf was progressing.
We felt that fashionable simulator tech lent itself completely to one thing extra social and inclusive.”
The pair’s response was Pitch Golf, which debuted in Bishopsgate in 2016. Six years later – albeit barely delayed for apparent causes – Pitch turned a multi-venue membership with the opening of Pitch Soho.
PITCHING OVERSEAS
The model first expanded abroad final 12 months with a brand new enterprise in Dublin and shortly shall be opening in Melbourne, Australia, and the US later this 12 months alongside different European venues.
As Godfrey places it: “It’s no coincidence that we search for places in busy, fast-paced components of main cities.
For individuals who reside and work in these locations, discovering the time to journey to a golf course and play eighteen holes may be so tough. Indoor golf is way simpler to suit right into a busy schedule.”
However no matter which venue you step into, the essence of Pitch’s signature fashion is similar.
“All of our venues use the absolute best expertise, however that’s solely half the story. We all the time serve cocktails and our Asian-inspired menu, each venue has an unique members’ space and plenty of of them have built-in areas for reside DJ units.
These are locations to socialize, calm down and luxuriate in yourselves whether or not hitting golf balls or difficult buddies to a recreation of shuffleboard.”
New concepts are nonetheless being developed and applied as Pitch continues to broaden (in a matter of months, Birmingham and Manchester will turn out to be the following cities to affix the Pitch revolution).
CONCEPT STORE
One such instance is the UK’s first TRENDYGOLF Idea Retailer, which opened alongside Pitch Wharf in February.
“TRENDYGOLF and Pitch felt like a pure match,” says Ingham in regards to the partnership with the net retailer, “they worth fashion, inclusivity they usually wish to attempt one thing completely different, which aligns carefully with our personal ethos.”
Inclusivity is among the key phrases at each Pitch location. “We wish guests to really feel welcome at any time. Pretty or unfairly, there are such a lot of obstacles related to golf. Once you break down these obstacles and introduce new individuals to the sport, all people wins.”
