Holovis is positioning its 360Golf brand as more than a refreshed mini-golf course. The system combines automated scoring, gamified play and an analytics engine called DeepSmarts, aiming to serve the competitive socialising market with a format that is familiar to visitors but more measurable for operators. As the company prepares to show 360Golf at IAAPA Expo, its team frames the product as a connected game platform that can be adapted from retrofits to fully custom venues.
A familiar game with a technology layer
Mini golf is already widely understood, and 360Golf builds on that accessibility rather than replacing it. Visitors register, receive an assigned smart ball and begin play with little explanation or staff time. Smart balls, tees and cups work with the HoloTrac scoring system, removing paper scorecards and providing automated scoring during competition.
Stuart Edgington, global director of business development, says the format's familiarity is a commercial advantage: it can appeal to families, young adult competitive socialising groups and corporate visitors. That intergenerational reach, the team argues, makes it a potential anchor attraction rather than a single demographic play.
Gamification designed for repeat visits
On top of automated scoring, 360Golf adds SuperShots that offer alternative ways to score, Triumphs that present awards and unlock challenges, plus bonuses, on-course games, player accounts, achievements, leaderboards and video celebrations. Matt Dobbs, business development director, says these features give players more reasons to compete, celebrate and compare scores, and therefore more reasons to return.
The data generated by those interactions feeds DeepSmarts. Holovis says the AI engine gives operators insight into player behaviour, seasonality and venue performance, and can support promotions aimed at quieter periods or underserved audiences. The same system can help engineers diagnose course problems remotely, according to project manager Maaz Ussen.
Throughput, dwell time and secondary spend
360Golf is designed to increase dwell time and secondary spending while keeping operations simple. The company cites capacity of up to 80 people per hour per course. A self-service kiosk model lets guests understand the game, collect a ball and play, leaving staff to manage guests and focus on food and beverage service. Dobbs describes that intuitive system as a major operational advantage because happy guests are more likely to spend more.
The commercial case is not only about scoring. Operators can use DeepSmarts to shape promotions, monitor uptime and adjust operations. Holovis also emphasises a robust, repairable approach intended to extend equipment life and support sustainability.
Flexible formats for different venues
Installation options range from tech-only retrofits to catalogue holes and fully bespoke courses. Tech-only deployments take about six to eight weeks, catalogue holes can be installed and ready in eight to 12 weeks, and custom courses can take six months or more. That range lets 360Golf serve existing mini-golf attractions, smaller entertainment venues and large multi-site operators.
- At Netflix House, the Top 9 course is a fully custom, IP-led installation with unique holes and interactive elements themed around properties including One Piece, Squid Game and Floor is Lava.
- For Norwegian Cruise Line, the Tee Time installations use marine-grade, waterproof equipment and IP-rated technology for use at sea.
- At Butlin's PLAYXPERIENCE in Bognor Regis, a £15m indoor activity centre opened in 2024 with three nine-hole 360Golf courses, including neon, Las Vegas-themed and wheelchair-accessible music-themed layouts. Dobbs says the tech-putt attraction has reached 5,000 players in a busy week and around £40,000 in weekly revenue.
- Super Social in Leopardstown, Ireland, uses 12 holes from a sports-themed 360Golf package, while Lucky Duck in Norway has a custom course with two routes for each hole.
For multi-site clients such as Saudi Entertainment Ventures (SEVEN), the core technology provides consistency across locations while allowing variation in theming, layout or branding. Smaller venues can choose a more cost-effective physical design while retaining scoring, replayability and the core 360Golf system.
Design, inclusion and custom work
Holovis says its creative, software and engineering teams work together during design so that courses are achievable, fun and visually strong. Physical scenic pieces are combined with lighting for impact. The Butlin's project also added expertise in inclusive design: courses can be played right- or left-handed, putters can be supplied in different sizes, wheelchair users can get close to or onto a hole through a drop-down top cap, and tees can be placed near an edge for reach. Spacing between holes is also considered to reduce overcrowding and safety hazards.
Limits and adjacent markets
360Golf's flexibility and data layer broaden its potential audience, but the model still depends on venue fit and operator execution. Edgington acknowledges that competitive socialising will eventually reach peak saturation, which is why Holovis is examining adjacent markets. The team is working on an integration with Roxy Leisure to add stroke-counting technology to crazy pool tables, and Ussen says the company wants to apply its technology to other sports.
Product development is also continuing. Holovis wants to make the system simpler and easier to use, use collected data to understand what guests respond to, and explore gamification for people waiting to play, including prediction-style engagement. These are development priorities rather than proven outcomes. The broader proposition is a turnkey offer: operators are invited to discuss venue restrictions, audience focus, catalogue versus custom design and commercial modelling before choosing a course.
360Golf will exhibit at the Land Leisure & Tourism Show at NEC Birmingham on 4–5 November, booth LLT360, and at IAAPA Expo in Orlando on 16–20 November at the Holovis booth, S448. Playable demonstrations are also available at the 360Golf Orlando office. The message is that 360Golf is not simply selling holes and putters, but a connected attraction package in which scoring, gamification, data and course design are meant to work together.