Theming

What is now one of Southport’s standout visitor attractions was once a car park in front of Pleasureland. The brief was to transform the disused space into a fully immersive, heavily themed adventure golf experience, one that could hold it’s own against the best mini golf in the country and even the world.

This adventure golf course design draws on Norse culture across every element of the course. The 18 holes are divided into five themed sections; The Boat Yard, The Fisherman’s Hut, The Marshland, The Village and The Marketplace – each representing a different facet of Viking life.

Decorative painted shields, runic signage, timber longhouse structures and stone carvings all give each zone it’s own identity while maintaining a consistent world throughout.

Planting was integral to this design rather than an afterthought; the course features over 100 trees and hundreds of plants of varying colors, shapes and scents alongside many gallons of water flowing through the course in a custom winding water feature.

Sustainability also played a role in the build. Timber used in the construction was a mixture of reclaimed wood from a nearby Zoo and from trees felled during coastal storms and the sustainably sourced robinia wood we use to build our all of our natural play areas.

Playability is key to how we design each and every hole. Hole design ranges from straightforward putts to genuinely tricky challenges involving elevation, tunnels and narrow jumps and blind shots obscured by theming elements. this variety makes it accessible and engaging for all ages and skill levels.

Viking golf opened to strong public reception in 2022 and has become a solid fixture of Southport’s visitor offering in the years since. The project demonstrates what’s possible when theming, planting and course design are treated as a single creative problem and the result is one of Greenspan’s most immersive adventure golf projects ever.