I beat my colleagues at Manchester's Junkyard Golf - but that wasn't the best part about our trip

Crazy golf is one of the more fun ways to have an outing together, whether with work colleagues, family, or friends. Junkyard Golf is a venue that combines a lively drinks menu with three great courses. 

Upon arrival, you will be given a choice of which of these three courses you would like to play. Each themed in a very different way, the options are Gary, Bozo or Pablo. 

The Bozo course is heavily themed around the scary aspect of clowns, with more than its fair share of creepy ghouls lurking around every corner and near to each of the nine holes. Before teeing off, we paid a visit to the bar for- let’s call it Dutch courage. 

The cocktail menu at Junkyard Golf has recently had a revamp, and now punters have a choice of 10 drinks. Each have a very specific twist to them, and you’ll struggle to find one that isn’t eye-catching. ‘Disco is Dead’ is a blend of Malibu, passionfruit and lemon - and it also comes served in a disco ball. 

My choice of drink was something with a bit more of a sweet kick. ‘Key West Car Crash’ has a recipe list of Malfy Limon Gin, Limoncello, lime and white chocolate, with toasted vanilla meringue and a burnt out toy car. A sweet kick with a sour undertone, it made for a fine beverage to take around the course. 

Keen to make a strong start on this ManchesterWorld outing, I couldn’t have asked for a better first hole. A hole in one set a trend for a match in which I was able to keep my nose in front to the very end. 

The nine holes we played had a variation of difficulty and quirky features. One hole was within a hall of mirrors, whilst another challenges players to chip the ball into a moving Ferris wheel where the cabins are skulls. 

Other features of the Bozo course include one hole that teases players into firing the ball down a cannon and through one of several holes in a wall, which is pretty much impossible - or at least was for our group. The final hole, keeping with the overall eeriness, is pretty short, but players need to get the ball through the gravestone of Bozo the clown. The uneven surface makes this one far harder than it looks. 

With a new range of drinks, a wide variety of on-course challenges and a cool vibe greeted by lights and tunes, Junkyard Manchester made for a great night out. We finished it off on the terrace by tucking into the nachos and pizza twists that made up the snack menu. Most importantly, I’ll be keeping my victory in the minds of my colleagues ahead of whatever the next work outing might be.