Puttshack expands North American footprint

Tech-driven mini-golf/dining brand Puttshack is adding a new location to its portfolio.

The brand, whose creators include the founders of Topgolf, will open its first location in Maryland, in Baltimore's Harbor East, a retail, dining and entertainment destination. Specifically, the venue will be located at The Whitney, a five-story mixed-use property developed by Chasen Companies.  It is expected to open in late 2024.

The roughly 25,000-sq.-ft. venue will feature three tech-driven nine-hole mini-golf courses (powered by Puttshack's Trackaball technology, which keeps track of participants’ scores), two full-service bars, an outdoor patio space with seating for almost 50 customers and a private event space with a 100-person capacity.  The space will also boast a new game experience concept which will be revealed later this year, according to a company statement.

"Harbor East is a bustling neighborhood filled with restaurants, shops, bars and marinas, and we are thrilled to take this key step in adding Puttshack to this community of great entertainment attractions," said Dave Diamond, president of Puttshack. "Our location in Baltimore will offer our innovative mini-golf and diverse food and drink offerings to create an unforgettable competitive socializing experience for every future visitor.”

Puttshack, which opened its first location in 2018, now operates nine U.S. venues in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Denver, Houston, Pittsburgh, Scottsdale, and St. Louis. Two more locations in Dallas and Nashville are slated to open in late 2023. The company also has four venues in the United Kingdom.

In September 2022, the company closed on a growth capital round of $150 million from funds managed by BlackRock, Inc. This new capital, which follows a $60 million funding round from Promethean Investments in 2021, will allow Puttshack to expand into more top markets across the U.S., as well as invest in new technologies to enhance the overall guest experience.