Hole In Wand - How To Play Magical Wizard Golf In The UK!

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If you’re looking for a magical day out for all the family in the UK then you must visit the Hole in Wand wizard golf experience.

They have four branches and all of them have spell-binding trails to follow with magic, wizards, potions and gargoyles to discover along the way.

On my latest Harry Potter road trip, I visited Hole in Wand in York.

This is a city famous for The Shambles, a medieval street that is thought to have inspired Diagon Alley in the books.

As a Potterhead, I love immersive experiences like this and had so much fun on their course.

I even got to drink a potion afterwards and have some magical treats in their wizard tavern.

Here is a complete guide to Hole in Wand and all the magical reasons why you must visit!

Third Eye Traveller was kindly sponsored by the Hole in Wand with no obligation to review. But I loved it so much I had to shout about it. Although I was a guest, all media and opinions are my own.

What is Hole in Wand?

Hole in Wand is a chain of crazy golf courses where you can discover your inner wizard and play some magical golf.

But this isn’t any typical mini-golf. It’s an entire experience which has lots of mystery and spell-binding fun for all the family.

In their fantasy-themed trails, you can discover a unicorn’s secrets, solve mystical puzzles, gather with wizards, take on venomous snakes and find their pesky gargoyle, the Grobblenook.

It’s the perfect place for Potterheads or anyone who loves magical and fantasy worlds.

You may also recognise Hole in Wand from Dragon’s Den.

The owners Ben Fry and Phil Pinder certainly enchanted the dragons but ultimately turned down an investment offer from Peter Jones.

Hole in Wand locations in the UK

Hole in Wand had its humble beginnings in the city of York, which is known for its Harry Potter connection and magical experiences.

But it has become so popular that they have since built four magical locations around the UK.

You can now play Hole in Wand in York, Blackpool, Chester and Dalton Park in County Durham.

The business continues to grow, so I’m sure we will see even more wizard golf locations open up in the future.

Visiting Hole in Wand in York

I was super excited that my first visit to Hole in Wand was in their flagship branch located in York.

York is one of my favourite cities in the UK as it has plenty of history and magical connections with Harry Potter.

If you didn’t know, The Shambles is thought to have inspired Diagon Alley in the books, and it does look like the wizarding world shopping street.

It’s so lovely that, as well as shops, there are now immersive experiences to enjoy as well, like this magical mini golf.

Hole in Wand can be found in the Coppergate Shopping Centre and is directly opposite Yorvik.

So, it’s central, easy to find and all indoors – a perfect activity for a rainy day.

Arriving at the Wizard Golf

When you arrive, a friendly wizard will greet you in Hole in Wand. Here, they will explain the course and what to expect.

They have nine crazy golf holes where you can solve riddles and puzzles along the way and hunt for the naughty Gargoyle Grobblenook.

I was excited to begin, but first, the friendly wizards (staff) had to see how powerful I was.

According to their magical device, I had lots of magic in me ;).

Then, you have the option to take some photos with some fun props.

I chose to pose with a broom on The Shambles, but you could also pose as a Wanted Wizard with their fun signs.

Choose your wand

So, as this is a wizard golf experience, you will need to choose your wand (club) and a magical egg (ball) to play.

They have four colours to choose from, and each of these has magical properties from a mystical creature such as a mermaid, unicorn or troll.

I should be used to it by now, but it made me laugh that all the other wand powers were so romantic and then the green one for Slytherin House was a troll bogie!

As I picked up my wand, I did start to feel a bit silly playing mini golf by myself. But the wizards did say that many people do it. So, don’t worry if you’re in the same boat.

You’ll also be given a scorecard with a pencil (for free), or you have the chance to upgrade to a more premium booklet with a scoresheet.

Also, with their premium booklet, you can get a ‘Hole in One’ badge if you manage it. But don’t underestimate the challenge!

The Wizard Golf Course

I don’t want to give too much away about the magical golf course in York, but they have nine holes on their trail.

They are located on two floors and every hole has fabulous theming and unique mini-golf challenges.

The music, sound effects and smoke helped to set the scene and felt like you had been transported to another world entirely.

I did find that the first hole and the last hole were the most challenging, so prepare yourself for those. But I loved how clever and eccentric they were.

You’ll head through more holes like The Wizard’s Gathering, The Potion’s Cauldron, The Unawakened Forest and The Tunnel of Truth.

There are even dark rooms with spooky ghosts and a herbology classroom.

I have to admit, I’m not the best at mini golf. But it didn’t matter here as it’s more of an experience.

There were lots of photo opportunities, riddles to solve and magical creatures to find.

There was so much thought that had gone into every part of Hole in Wand, and it made my Slytherin heart so happy.

What powers will you get?

At the end of your game, you’ll need to add up your numbers and work out your final score.

Let the friendly wizards know your total, and they will tell you what powers you received.

You will be told if you have the magical powers of a Serpent, Basilisk, Unicorn or Wizard.

I have to admit, I wasn’t so great at Hole in Wand and I was told my magical powers were those of a Basilisk.

But I’m not sure if that’s good or not. Either way, I had a lot of fun.

Enjoy a potion in their tavern

At this point, you’ll be allowed to choose a potion to enjoy in their tavern.

You can choose the potion that relates to your powers or whatever you’d like to drink. The potions are:

Tears of a Wizard – Similar to Cream Soda
Basilisk Blood – Mixed Fruits
Unicorn Essence – Tropical Fruits
Serpent’s Venom – Lemonade

I picked the Tears of a Wizard as I’m a fan of Cream Soda and loved the fact that the potion sparkles if you give the bottle a shake.

If you have a Premium Adult ticket, you can also claim a vial of poison (alcohol) or a tube of jelly beans as well.

I chose ‘Mysterium’ which was a white rum poison, but they also had vodka, gin and whisky.

You can pour your poison into your wizard potion or down it in one, so bottoms up.

They also had lots of hot drinks like coffee, hot chocolates and wizard brews (tea).

Plus, some magical treats like Cauldron Cakes, Uni-pop-corns or Chocolate Frogs.

It’s a lovely space to enter after your golf experience and gives you a chance to relax after all that spell-binding fun.

Even if you aren’t planning to play mini golf, you’re allowed to wander into their tavern any time during opening hours.

Click here to see their full menu of magical treats

Hole in Wand yOrk Vial of Poison — *My vial of poison*

How much is it to play?

For the quality of the course and the experience you receive, I feel that this mini golf is really good value for money.

A Standard Adult ticket is £8.99 and a Standard Child Ticket is £6.99. There are also couples tickets and group tickets with discounts available.

You also have the chance to upgrade to a Premium Adult ticket for £10.99 and a Premium Child Ticket for £8.99.

Don’t forget that every experience comes with a FREE potion (worth £3.49) to drink in their tavern afterwards, and premium tickets come with an extra vial of poison or jelly beans.

There are also VIP ticket options which get you a potion, poison/jelly beans and a souvenir guidebook.

Click here to book your tickets for Hole in Wand

How long does Hole in Wand take?

As I was by myself, the golf course should have taken me around 45 minutes, as they say that 2 players will typically take that long.

But I was behind a larger group of six, so the waiting time meant it took around an hour.

This was fine by me as I love anything magical and it gave me time to admire all of the scenes, sets and props.

There was also some great fantasy music playing which added to the mystical vibes.

But if you are on a tighter itinerary or you’re visiting during school holidays, make sure to leave plenty of time.

Also, you need to leave some time for the tavern experience at the end to enjoy your potion.

Is Hole in Wand worth it?

Yes, if you’re looking for a magical day out, then you must visit Hole in Wand.

Their fantasy golf courses will keep you entertained for a couple of hours, and they all have an amazing storyline to follow.

I particularly loved my visit to their branch in York as it added some extra immersive magic to my Harry Potter trip.

They are an award-winning business and have recently been awarded the Quality Assured Visitor Attraction status by Visit England. So, you can be sure that your money will be well spent.

You can visit whatever the weather, and it’s guaranteed fun for wizards of all ages. You must visit.

My top tips for visiting

Book your slot – the wizard golf does get extremely busy, especially during school holidays or weekends. So, make sure to book your slot in advance.

Bring patience – the course is quite a challenge with puzzles to solve, so you may be waiting a while for the next hole if you’re waiting behind a large group.

Leave lots of time – I found the course took me around an hour and the tavern was around 30 minutes.

Be aware of the rules – the minimum age is 3 years old, and the maximum group of wizards to play is 6.

Why not visit the Potions Cauldron?

If you’re in York, you must walk down The Shambles, which is a real-life Diagon Alley.

Here you can find The Potions Cauldron, and they have lessons in potion-making worthy of Professor Severus Snape himself.

But, not quite as dangerous, so have no fear about eating slugs.

Here you can buy all sorts of Phileas Phials of potions and elixirs to drink, including The Love Potion and The Power of a Wizard.

You can add it to your own Slush Puppy for magical abilities! Or, have a hot potion of a Flat Witch (coffee) that comes with a Chocolate Frog.

You can also buy one of their TikTok-famous Spellbound Butterscotch Beers (non-alcoholic)!

It often goes viral on social media, and they are honestly delicious. You must try one.

Related Post: visiting the Potion’s Cauldron in York

Butterbeer York Potions Cauldron — *Butterbeer on The Shambles!*

The Potion’s Academy

If you are looking for more immersive experiences, you can also book a fun Potion’s Academy through the Potion’s Cauldron.

Inside, you can mix your potions in their classroom with an esteemed Potion Master.

It’s a 30-minute experience where you’ll discover the secrets of Phileas Fry, an alchemist and wizard, and you’ll craft your own potion.

The classroom really felt like you were in a magic school with lanterns, moving portraits and lots of mystical props.

There’s an option for families or for adults that can have more grown-up concoctions (with alcohol).

At the end, you’ll get a potion drink to take home and some free goodies.

Just note that this experience only runs from Friday to Monday during term time and every day during School Holidays.

Booking in advance is highly recommended as slots do tend to sell out.

Click here to book the Potion’s Academy

The Broomstick School

Another spell-binding thing to do is attend The Broom School, which is located in the same building.

In this class, you can fly a broomstick over Yorkshire with a magical green screen.

You’ll get a video of your flying experience, which makes a spell-binding souvenir to take home.

There isn’t an option to book this experience online at present. Just ask the staff on the day if you can attend. It’s £5 a person and runs Friday – Monday in term time and every day during School Holidays.