New Shorter Range Brand Expects Fast Growth as Demand Soars
GolfPod, the world’s most compact technology-led driving range, is set to open its first facility at Cranham Golf Course in Upminster on Monday, March 9.
The new range marks the beginning of a national rollout that will redefine how the modern driving range experience can be delivered to both traditional golf-oriented facilities and urban areas. GolfPod has been engineered to fit within a compact 40-by-40 meter footprint, converting underutilised land into a premium, high-margin attraction.
At the heart of every GolfPod is industry-leading range technology from Toptracer, transforming a traditional range session into a fun, fast, and frictionless experience. Each GolfPod bay offers full Toptracer capabilities golfers around the world have come to expect.
Shortly after its Cranham debut, a second location at Basildon Sporting Village will come online, showcasing GolfPod’s ability to easily integrate into a non-traditional golf location. In total, at least five U.K. locations and one additional European location are slated to open in 2026.
“GolfPod brings the game to places and people in a way that might not have been possible in the past,” says Mike Stone, managing director of GolfPod. “With our ability to offer a state-of-the-art range experience within a limited amount of space, we believe golf can be played almost anywhere now.”
Each GolfPod site features:
- Fully covered, Toptracer tech-enabled bays
- Automated ball collection systems
- Integrated lighting for extended playing hours
- Toptracer-powered gameplay in every bay
Players can compete with friends, play world-famous courses and receive instant feedback on how they are improving in distance, speed, launch angle, accuracy and more. For operators, the dynamic Toptracer Range set up means increased hours spent onsite, repeat visits, stronger membership engagement and additional secondary spend.
“The GolfPod concept marks an exciting evolution in how Toptracer technology can be deployed in the U.K.,” says Scott Blevins, general manager and chairman at Toptracer. “Its modular and repeatable format is a unique vessel to grow our community of golfers.”
Toptracer’s advanced tech powers more than 1,450 ranges across 38 countries, as well as major championships and professional golf events around the world, including The Open, AIG Women’s Open, PGA Championship, TGL presented by SoFi and more.
ABOUT TOPTRACER
Toptracer is the most-used and most-trusted advanced ball-tracing technology. The first of its kind to be introduced to the game of golf, Toptracer has revolutionised the way viewers experience the game at Topgolf venues, play at driving ranges and watch major golf tournaments on television. Today, Toptracer technology powers over 1,450 driving ranges and Topgolf venues in over 38 countries around the world.
Learn more at toptracer.com
ABOUT GolfPod
GolfPod is a modular, technology-powered compact driving range concept designed to activate underutilised space.
With a standardised 40m x 40m footprint and fully integrated Toptracer technology, GolfPod delivers a high-margin, repeatable model for modern leisure environments. For more information, please visit https://golfpod.co.uk/.