CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Puttshack, the internationally acclaimed leader in upscale, tech-infused mini golf, today announced the launch of its latest innovation, the Challenge Hole, offering a personal and private playing experience designed with groups in mind. The Challenge Hole is a dedicated mini golf suite, where guests can enjoy 90-minute sessions of competition with six unique mini golf games all in one interactive stationary space while enjoying full-service dining. The Challenge Hole suites are separate from the restaurant’s popular nine-hole courses, and Puttshack Addison in Texas – one of the company’s newest venues – is the first location to offer both experiences.
The Challenge Hole is a match of experiential technology and gaming, with eight patents on file across its hardware, software, mechanical and electrical design, all developed in-house by the Innovation and Technology teams at Puttshack. While its nine-hole mini golf course leverages the organization’s patented Trackaball™ technology, Puttshack has introduced an entirely new form of tech-infused mini golf with the Challenge Hole. The new product utilizes optical sensors to enable competitive gameplay, seamlessly intertwining the digital interface and scoring systems with the physical design of the experience.
Featuring cutting-edge social gaming elements, the standalone Challenge Hole suites allow players to enjoy a full session of mini golf with a twist – rather than aiming at a cup at the end of a course, guests putt in the direction of a 65” digital screen. The visuals and target will vary, depending on which game the group is playing. Depending on group size, games can be played in either an individual or team play mode, and new games will be added over time to give guests a unique experience upon return visits. Initial Challenge Hole games include Sitting Duck, Oscillator, Pinpoint, Tug of War, Survival, and BlockBreaker.
“We are thrilled to introduce the Challenge Hole, which we created to give our guests a brand-new way to enjoy friendly social competition at Puttshack,” said Joe Vrankin, Chief Executive Officer at Puttshack. “This platform is another example of our commitment to investing in unique offerings that will keep Puttshack at the forefront of the social entertainment category moving forward. The Challenge Hole showcases the best qualities of our brand – a high-caliber menu and exceptional guest service paired with a tech-forward gaming experience that appeals to all ages and keeps our guests coming back for more.”
Designed to be highly interactive and user-friendly for players, the Challenge Hole leverages cloud-based advancements, making the platform simple to maintain and configure remotely. This will allow the Puttshack team to easily update every Challenge Hole console with entirely new games and interactive elements on an ongoing basis. This will also enable the organization to review real-time analytics surrounding performance and guest experience to help inform the ongoing evolution of this product offering.
“We are constantly evaluating our offerings and exploring opportunities to further innovate our business,” said Ben Shepherd, Chief Information and Technology Officer at Puttshack. “Innovation is core to our company, and we look to leverage it in new ways that will excite our guests and create a fun, unique and personalized mini golf experience through our technology. We are excited about the possibilities the Challenge Hole has unlocked for us, and the opportunities that this technology will afford us to further enhance the guest experience with a differentiated offering that caters to those groups looking for a fun way to eat, drink and play together.”
The Challenge Hole offers guests communal play at an unbeatable value, $50 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. or $75 from 4:00 pm to close, or at an all-day rate of $75 on weekends, excluding the cost of food and drink. The Challenge Hole was developed ADA friendly, and five of the eight suites at Puttshack Addison offer ADA-friendly seating as well.
Following its debut at Puttshack Addison, the Challenge Hole will be incorporated into all US locations, with grand openings beginning Fall 2024.
To learn more about Puttshack and find your nearest location please visit https://www.puttshack.com/.
About Puttshack
Puttshack is a leading concept in the emerging and growing market of competitive socializing. Combining a tech-infused mini golf game with an exceptional food and beverage offering, Puttshack has a multi-generation appeal. Patented Trackaball™ technology allows guests to play a point-scoring game surrounded by an upscale and exciting environment. Continually innovating, Puttshack debuted its brand-new Challenge Hole experience– a group-friendly, tech-infused alternative to the brand’s 9-hole offering– in Addison, Texas. This dedicated mini golf suite with six interactive games and full-service dining, will be available at all future U.S. locations beginning late 2024. Puttshack is the perfect place for dates, family bonding, birthdays, nights out with friends, or corporate outings. Since opening its first location in 2018, Puttshack now has several locations across London and the U.S., with ambitious plans for future expansion.
The company has its global headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, with a UK headquarters in London. For more information, please visit puttshack.com.