Magic, mini golf and even a few reptiles made for a thoroughly entertaining evening at The Hole in Wand Leeds.
On Thursday evening, my friend Anna and I headed to The Hole in Wand in Leeds City Centre for a special event filled with entertainment, drinks and, of course, a round of wizard- themed mini golf.
Arriving through The Wand and Tankard, the venue’s outdoor bar area, we were welcomed with a glass of prosecco before taking some time to explore. The outdoor space was a great surprise. Tucked away next to St Johns Centre, it felt relaxed and inviting, with plenty of room to sit, enjoy a drink and take in everything happening around us.
We had not been there long before magician Andrew James came over to show us a few tricks. I always try my best to watch closely and work out how the trick is being done, but I wasn’t even remotely close to figuring it out. Each trick left us more in awe than the last.
Overall, Andrew was incredibly impressive and set the tone for what became a very entertaining evening.
We then ventured upstairs, where tarot reader Mother Serpentine was reading cards. Neither Anna nor I had seen a tarot reading in person before, so we stood and observed for a little while. It added another intriguing element to the evening and fit perfectly with the magical atmosphere of the venue.
From there, we headed inside to join the queue for mini golf, but the entertainment continued while we waited.
Scary Safari had brought along a selection of reptiles, including one particularly massive snake. I am not the biggest fan of snakes, so I was more than happy to admire that one from a safe distance. The iguana, however, was lovely, and we even had the chance to pet it.
On the way through to the golf course, we wandered through the shop, which had a great assortment of wizard-inspired gifts and souvenirs. We enjoyed having a look around before grabbing another drink and soaking up the atmosphere. The magical theme brought back plenty of nostalgia for me and reminded me of growing up with the Harry Potter books.
Before beginning our round, we stopped for a fun photo opportunity and were then given the story behind the course and our task for the game. It was a nice touch that made the experience feel like more than a standard round of mini golf.
The course takes plenty of inspiration from the world of witches and wizards, including its own four houses. I was placed in Unicorn, while Anna became a Basilisk, with Wizard and Serpent making up the other two. The theming carried through the course and gave the familiar mini golf experience a playful twist.
The holes offered a good mix of challenges, with different obstacles to navigate along the way. Neither of us will be launching a professional golfing career any time soon, but we had a good laugh attempting to make our way around. Anna did manage an impressive, yet hilarious, hole-in-one, earning herself a special pin badge and giving us a moment we kept laughing about for the rest of the evening.
After finishing our round, we made our way back towards the garden, passing the reptiles once again. This time, two large snakes were out, so naturally I maintained my distance. We had clearly been enjoying the mini golf a little too much, as by the time we emerged, we had missed the pizza being served. Instead, we grabbed ourselves another drink and ended the evening with the unexpected surprise of meeting Gaynor Faye.
Overall, we had an enjoyable evening at The Hole in Wand. The mini golf was the main attraction and delivered plenty of laughs, while the magician, tarot reader and reptiles made the special event feel even more memorable. With its immersive theming, fun challenges and relaxed outdoor space, it is a great choice for anyone looking for something a little different to do in Leeds City Centre.
Photography by Dr Alex Christensen unless otherwise captioned.
Main image by Nick Blandford Photography.
