I didn’t know what I was taking the kids to when I planned a trip to Newtown to visit Holey Moley. After seeing pictures on Instagram and chatting to a friend who had been to the one in Darlinghurst I was keen but just didn’t know what to expect.
Well I was pleasantly surprised and the kids loved it! Both kids even thanked me for taking them to visit… I’m trying to work out how I can take my husband without visiting in the evening as it may be too rowdy for us.
What I would really love is to have my siblings from all over the world come and visit and we play it together. It would be so much fun, competitive but so much fun!
Essentially its 18 holes of putt putt in a pub space. While that may sound a little strange, it actually makes for an awesome game because instead of going long and wide, you have to go up and over! I’ll go into in more detail shortly.
Top Tip: If you’re planning on going school holidays phone them first and check that there is no school holiday care program visiting on the day you visit. There is not enough space to separate yourself from the other hundreds of kids if this is happening. We learnt the hard way with this!
Holey Moley in Newtown
This post is specifically about the Holey Moley in Newtown (as the title of the post suggests) because we haven’t visited the one in Darlinghurst. I am sure it works along the same lines but I can’t testify to it being exactly the same or as good.
Just so you know, the proper name for these courses is Holey Moley Golf Club and there are a few scattered around New South Wales. In Sydney, there is one in Newtown and another in Darlinghurst and the third is in Castle Hill. This is just at August 2019. I’m holding thumbs that one opens on Sydney’s North Shore or Northern Beaches, that would be awesome.
There is also another Holey Moley Golf Club in Wollongong. I think one day when we head out that way we’ll definitely visit their Holey Moley.
Holey Moley often has specials or activities on. We got a great deal during school holidays where the kids got to play both courses for the price of one. Check out their website for any specials they have going on at the moment.
What is Holey Moley?
So as I said above, it’s indoor putt putt or mini golf. Instead of being outdoor and stretched out over a few hundred square metres this course has had to introduce some novel features to limit the amount of space that is needed.
Instead of just relying on greens and clubs, you get to send the ball through games, tubes and random objects using your own club, buttons and clubs attached to the “course”.
I’m going to set out some examples of the course so you understand what I mean.
Where is Holey Moley Newtown
Location and address
Holey Moley Newton is at 387 King Street, Newtown.
King street is that big, main street that runs through Newtown but it’s more towards the Enmore side. And it’s on the opposite side of King to the railway station.
Top Tip: if you’ve driving from far away to visit you must definitely combine this with a visit to another kids activity in the area, whether that’s a stop over at local playground to a play at another type of indoor play centre.
Getting there and parking
Driving
We drove in so that we could explore more of the area.
There is a bit of parking along King Street but it’s really busy so trying to parallel park there is a bit of a nightmare.
We managed to find a car park next to the station. Travelling down King Street, if you turn into Newman Street and then left Thomas Street you will find the small car parking.
Public Transport – The Train
There is a train station, Newtown Train Station, close by and within walking distance to Holey Moley Newtown.
Holey Moley Features
The layout
Holey Moley Newtown has 9 holes down stairs and 9 holes upstairs.
Top Tip: I would advise, before paying, have a look at both courses and decide which course you would like to do. Then head over the bar to pay and get your token. Hole 1 on the downstairs course is really easy and really simple but the other 8 are really cool.
Your token is what you put in the gumball machine to get your golf ball.
Top Tip: if you’re running short on time or your kids are just too distracted by everything, ask the guys at the bar to give you a ball instead of a token.
Each hole has a short description at the start of how to play because it is not your normal hit the ball approach.
The downstairs course
While Hole 1 is really simple and boring but a good introduction to the idea of the indoor putt putt Hole 2 is AWESOME!!
I’m not going to tell you about each hole, I’ve got to leave something to come as a surprise.
Hole 2 – Pin Ball and Snooker
I think this is one of the best holes on the downstairs course. You start off by placing your golf ball in a pin ball table and then pull the lever and play the pin ball game until it falls through the middle of the pin ball and onto …. onto a Snooker Table!!! How cool is that.
Once on the snooker table, you have to get up onto the snooker table and get your ball into the corner pockets. From there it drops down and you can hit it into the putt putt hole.
Hole 3 – Tetris
This is a tetris inspired hole and for this hole you pop your ball in the top of a tetris game and pull back the golf club sticking out the game. That acts as a lever to shoot your ball into the tetris game where it will spin through the game and come out onto the course. From there, putt around the obstacles and get the ball into the hole.
Hole 5
This one isn’t even a putt putt hole at all. So make sure when you look at this course you decide whether Hole 1 and Hole 5 are something you want to do or to avoid.
Hole 6 – Mousetrap
This is where mousetrap comes to life! You know mousetrap, the board game, well they’ve made this into a putt putt hole.
Hole 9 – The Throne
The aim here is to hit the golf ball up a curved ramp, high into the air so that it drops down into the Game of Thrones Throne!
If you’ve got little kids maybe just let them roll the ball into the 9th hole. I let my son hit it a few times and I am amazed that he didn’t take his teeth out or knock one of us in the face!
The upstairs
Upstairs is more rock ‘n roll than downstairs.
Hole 2 – light up
The first three holes upstairs are in a slightly darker area and so there are parts that light up. Hole 2 sees you having to hit your ball through mannequins. Thankfully they’re not real shop type mannequins, just human cutouts.
Hole 4 – the one with the donkey
Despite the name (its not child friendly) here you have to hit the ball around a corner and hope to avoid it getting stuck under the donkey. Doesn’t help that the donkey has a replica of Donald Trump’s head on its bottom.
Hole 7 – spinning record
I’ve never seen or even imagined something like this. Here you have to hit your ball from the tee into a spinning record player. There are then holes in the record player and depending on which hole you manage to get your ball into you may get the ball popped out near the flag or it may just come back to you.
Hole 8 – Drum Roll
This was my daughter’s absolute favourite hole and somehow she even managed to get a hole in 1. I don’t know how!!!
Here you have to hit the ball across a drum set. A DRUM SET! If you’re lucky it then goes down a guitar and into the hole.
Hole 9 – Elvis has left the building
I’m not going to say anything about this other than:
- It was my son’s favourite hole; and
- This involves Elvis and a toilet…
Opening Hours and Prices
Opening Hours
This is a strange thing – the website says noon but when we visited we were there at 11 and it was open.
I’m sure that Holey Moley Newtown is actually open from 10am. Maybe given them a call and find out.
Prices
9 holes is $16 per person and 18 is $32 per person.
