New York's hottest club is an underground mini-golf course near Penn Station
Julie Zeveloff
- Enjoying nightlife is a way different experience than my 20s.
- So I was intrigued when I was invited to Swingers, a "crazy" mini golf club near NYC's Penn Station.
With two young kids and a demanding job, I don't get to experience much in the way of nightlife anymore.
So I was intrigued when my husband and I were invited to a friend's birthday celebration at Swingers, a "crazy" mini-golf club in a neighborhood not far from Manhattan's Penn Station that opened last summer.
Although I usually hate swinging a putter around, I didn't hesitate to check it out. Perhaps things had changed so much in the five years since I became a parent that mini-golf had possibly become cool.
When we arrived at Swingers for a 7 p.m. reservation, a line was already forming at the door.
While walk-ups are accepted, tee times fill up quickly — especially on weekends — so reservations are a good idea.
Inside, a host took our names and we waited for an escort to take us downstairs to our table.
It was still light outside, but the nightclub vibes kicked in at the door.
I got my first clue that I was in for a fun night on the way down the stairs.
The walls were covered in hilarious photoshopped images of A-list celebrities, from Brad Pitt to Oprah Winfrey, in classic golf attire.
Arnold Schwarzenegger looked ready to tee up.
He was one of dozens of celebrities featured in gilded frames.
Even Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour made an appearance.
A couple of these were laugh-out-loud funny.
My first impression: the cavernous space was surprisingly funky, with a Disney World-meets-country-club vibe.
The club sits beneath the newly-opened Virgin Hotel in the NoMad neighborhood of New York City.
With three separate nine-hole courses, a couple of big bars, and a dining area, the place is big enough that even on a busy Friday night, it didn't feel overly crowded.
Since we were celebrating a birthday, we went for a group booking that included 90 minutes at a reserved table for dinner.
At just over $100 per person, our package — which included one round of mini-golf, four drinks each, plus dinner and dessert vouchers — wasn't cheap.
For anyone just looking to book a tee time or walk in off the street, a round of golf is $26 (slightly cheaper at off-peak hours).
Even if you're not a mini-golfer, Swingers has a fun cocktail menu and a killer selection of "street food."
While mini-golf is the clear highlight, there's no cover charge, and anyone 21 and over can come to the club to eat and drink.
I tried the Frozen Paloma Prima, with tequila, Aperol, grapefruit, and lime.
It definitely helped with my golf swing later in the evening.
The place also delivered on its promise of "delicious street food."
There were a bunch of options, from some of NYC's best restaurateurs, and everyone at the party ordered from different vendors.
My husband and I split a Spicy Chicken Sandwich and Emmy burger from Emmy Squared, a cult favorite among New Yorkers.
Our friends tried the tacos from Tacos Fonda.
In addition to burgers and tacos, there are also pizzas slung by Sauce Pizzeria, a Lower East Side mainstay.
There's a big seating area for diners in the middle of the three courses.
It felt like a glamorous food hall.
It's also where the DJ booth was located.
He was awesome, playing older pop songs earlier in the evening and veering into house music later on.
While Swingers is still a relatively new phenomenon in New York City, the concept is nothing new.
The club started as a pop-up in London in 2014 and now has two locations in the city. There are also two Swingers in the Washington, D.C. area, with plans to open more soon.
OK, by now you're probably wondering if anyone actually plays mini-golf at this place and if it's any fun.
The answer is yes, even for a relatively entrenched mini-golf hater like me. (I previously went with my 4-year-old and 2-year-old on a family vacation this summer, and we couldn't even make it two holes without someone trying to jump into a water feature.)
At our designated tee time, a "caddy" gave us the rundown on the course and our scorecards, and handed us putters and golf balls. We were off!
She also assured us that other "caddies" would be circulating on the course to take drink orders as we played.
We were on the Waterwheel course, which had a tricky rotating wheel as its final hole.
While I didn't get to play the Clocktower or Windmill courses, they didn't look particularly different.
The rules are pretty standard — six shots max per turn, putting only. They also ask you to move through the course in 30-40 minutes or so to avoid a backup.
Pro tip for the serious mini-golfers out there: Don't bring your own putter. One of my friends saw another patron try to enter with one, and they had to check it at the door.
In a feat of smart course design, each hole had a little stand to hold our scorecard and beverages.
I don't know if it was the drinks, the music, or the fact that we were with old friends, but the game gave me a new appreciation for an activity I usually dread.
It also helped that I didn't come in last place in our fivesome.
It was fun to discover the neat tricks and design quirks baked into the course.
Holes are separated by low fences covered in fake greenery, making it easy for groups to stay together and avoid crowding.
My favorite part was a hole with a Skee-Ball-style setup.
Get your ball in the bullseye, and you're nearly guaranteed a hole-in-one.
The course ended with one last twist: Get a hole-in-one on the namesake waterwheel hole, and you'd get a chance to spin a prize wheel.
Sadly, none in our group had the chance to spin for a free dessert or bonus round on the green.
After our game, it was over to another section of the club — this one resembling a Gilded Era ballroom — for a final drink and dessert.
There were tons of seating and standing options, even on a busy evening.
The sweets at Swingers are supplied by Mah-Ze-Dahr bakery, and they are fantastic.
There's soft-serve ice cream, root beer floats, donut holes, and more — elevated versions of kid favorites.
We particularly liked the cookie duo. These babies were served warm.
Regrettably, the only dessert photo I remembered to take.
As is fitting for any made-for-social-media destination, guests can stop at a selfie booth on their way out the door.
The lighting was perfect.
Would I recommend Swingers if you're seeking a true NYC nightlife experience? Probably not. But for a first date or night out with friends, it's a fun, well-run, unique option in a convenient location.
I'll be back!
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